? What is tSV doing to improve the STs?

[jb]

Those in the know, what's the haps with the craps? Are there personnel changes coming? Coaches under heat? Wat's the word?

[FUDU]

32 play 30 minute drives would help. Honestly my guess is a set up or pursuit problem as opposed to a personnel problem?

[furls]

Return to fundamentals. Some minor personnel changes, not sweeping personnel changes. Tressel and Co. implied that Jordan Hall (3rd string RB) may start playing in kick coverage and the staff is supposedly considering a couple of other personnel changes.

Tressel is rightly attributing the breakdowns to poor technique, saying that guys are still allowing themselves to get pushed/moving outside to get off blocks to close to the returner, resulting in breakdowns in lane coverage. It was definintely evident in all the returns last week. THat coupled with some lousy tackles and individual plays... It isn't just marginal players that are making these mistakes, Pitts Brown, Dominick Clarke and Andrew Sweat were some of the guilty offenders this weekend.

[JCoz]

Furls has it nailed, but JB there is also some good quotes from tressel (I think Dan got them all into the game thread) that has some interesting things about the breakdowns, and how kick coverage responsibilities change as the pursuit gets further down the field.

Couple minor personnel changes, but honestly I'm thinking the first play of the season kind of screwed up the kick coverage worse that it may have been anyways.

I kind of get the feeling after Dorian KO'ed that marshall returner, several players on the kick coverage team want in on that action and it has inspired some over pursuit looking for the big shot.

Just a theory.

Honestly I think they just need to settle in and do what the coaches ask, it isn't for lack of ability.

[furls]

JCoz,

You got it. There is definitely an obvious push to make the "heroic" play as opposed to the good, fundamental play. Stay in your lane, wrap up and make solid tackles. If you have outside responsibility, stay outside. If you have inside responsibility, stay inside. At no time should you ever be behind the returner.

[danwismar]

Coaching for ST's under Tressel is distributed evenly to the assistants, with each assistant taking charge of one of the special teams, and JT then coordinating things (in a very hands-on way, as is well known). I made a note of the breakdown last time one of the beat guys detailed it:

Punt unit: Luke Fickell
Punt return: Taver Johnson
Kickoff: Paul Haynes
Kick return: Darrell Hazell
Field goals/extra points: Jim Bollman
Field goal block: Jim Heacock

Haynes is the safeties coach, for the record, and he's got the KO return defense unit. Not sure how other teams do this, but OSU has no designated ST Coach

I have my own 20-20 hindsight issues with some of the personnel on that kickoff team...obviously I'd rather have someone besides a walk-on (#34 Nate Ebner) and I have no idea what DT Garrett Goebel is doing on that unit (wedge-buster?). They are using Rolle and Homan and Bell and Brown. I'd be happy with all DB's and LB's including all starters if need be. Backup safety Zach Domicone (#16) always seems to be flailing around out there too when I look at video after the fact.

With the disclaimer that these guys have forgotten more football than I'll ever know, I'll say I think you can over-think this thing too. I've got to disagree with Coz here about guys looking to make the big hit. I watch the film and to me it looks like some guys are looking NOT to make a hit...as if maintaining lane discipline is their primary responsibility, above and beyond tackling the damn ball-carrier. That's what I mean about over-thinking it.

As Coz said, go to game thread for JT quotes from Tuesday's presser.

Punt returns have never really been a problem area under JT. Last year, even though the net punting average wasn't great, and Thoma was kind of a disappointment in terms of the strength of his leg, the Buckeyes gave up only nine punt returns of any yardage at all, and only 49 PR yards total in 13 games, and 28 of those were on one return in the Rose Bowl. So with one return Saturday, they about doubled what they gave up all last year.