What's with fair catching KOs?

[Palatine]

Twice we fair caught KOs with no opponent within 15 yards of the receiver. Both could have made ten yards before contact. That's one less first down you need to get to FG range.

Is Bob Diaco the new special teams coach? It's just another example of coaching scared or very conservative. It is very frustrating to watch. Hope they reassess this next week.

 

[polycom]

You don't want someone who doesn't know how to return to attempt to return it then fumble...

 

[freescooter]

I think fair catching a kick is just a bizarre rule. Not sure why you would ever do it but I saw many teams do it last year. I admit I don’t get it unless the guy is kicking from his 10 or something. You rarely see a ko guy gain zero.

 

[Palatine]

You don't want someone who doesn't know how to return to attempt to return it then fumble...

Yep, coaching scared, TEs were catching the ball, their job is catching and running after the catch. Just extremely conservative messaging to your own team.

 

[06029]

Get the ball on the 25. No penalties no injuries. No balls.

 

[freescooter]

Yep, coaching scared, TEs were catching the ball, their job is catching and running after the catch. Just extremely conservative messaging to your own team.

I don’t know. I’ve seen a lot of teams do it. I think it’s dumb. I think teams haven’t really figured it out well yet.

 

[Platt81]

Yep, coaching scared, TEs were catching the ball, their job is catching and running after the catch. Just extremely conservative messaging to your own team.

You’re up three with under two minutes to go. You need to get one first down to seal the game regardless of field position. Not worth the extra ten yards and potentially fumbling the ball and giving a short field. Not to mention they were in onside recovery formation so there was really only one row of blockers to get to and they put some air under the kick. I know we’re in everything the team does is wrong mode, but this is making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[JMick]

It's normal operating procedure to have anyone but the back returners to fair catch the kickoff on a pooch kick. Otherwise you end up leaving your guys out to dry.

 

[Hamms30]

You’re up three with under two minutes to go. You need to get one first down to seal the game regardless of field position. Not worth the extra ten yards and potentially fumbling the ball and giving a short field. Not to mention they were in onside recovery formation so there was really only one row of blockers to get to and they put some air under the kick. I know we’re in everything the team does is wrong mode, but this is making a mountain out of a molehill.

Yep. Something about a couple rugby passes across the field and scampering up the opposite sidelinE would just be a thing of beauty to watch though, wouldn't it?

 

[LIUCHusky]

Twice we fair caught KOs with no opponent within 15 yards of the receiver. Both could have made ten yards before contact. That's one less first down you need to get to FG range.

Is Bob Diaco the new special teams coach? It's just another example of coaching scared or very conservative. It is very frustrating to watch. Hope they reassess this next week.

It appeared that Donovan Williams was caught a little bit surprised by the short kick. He then bobbled the kick after signaling for fair catch. I think he made the right call asking for fair catch.

 

[uconnphil2016]

It's a new rule. Can fair catch outside of the endzone and get the ball on the 25. Unless you have a very good return unit or there's a pretty short kick, it's not really worth the risk