Seven Year Review – SEC WEST Return Units

Football is now just months away and we intend to take you all the way to kickoff and beyond here at MWN and today we continue looking at the “Seven Year Review”.  In the SYR we will look back at different stats and trends among the SEC West teams, ranking each team accordingly showing you trends and numbers, which should give you an idea what to possibly expect from teams this year within each category.  We will also see how the Bulldogs have fared in these categories and what they need to do to move up the charts.

Today we look at the seven year review amongst SEC West teams in the return game (Kickoff and Punt Return Numbers). One of the most explosive plays in football can be either the kickoff or punt return.  Granted a lot goes into play when talking about returns, especially kickoff returns.  If you have a good kicker, you can more times than not put the ball through the endzone since the NCAA decided to move the kickoff placement from the 30 to the 35-yard line just a few years ago.

But – there are still plenty of opportunities to get a great return and the punt return game can set your team up offensively for big drives and big plays.  We’ve seen big time plays in the return game over the years in the SEC and none bigger than these two.

Joe Adams Punt Return VS Tennessee:

and of course the shot heard around the world in the Iron Bowl two years ago.

The return game can change a game in an instance and then sometimes it can be a detriment to your team.  Let’s take a look at how the SEC West teams stack up over the last seven years.

LSU comes in at number one and to no surprise.  The Tigers have had some fantastic speed and players in the return game – none better than Patrick Patterson.  Auburn and Alabama round out the top three, while Mississippi State checks in at number six.

The Bulldogs desperately need someone to take the bull by the horns in the return game.  Leon Berry has been the Bulldogs biggest threat over this time period, back in 2010, but as you can see, that is still on the low end of top SEC West kickoff returners.

Punt return stats are about as bad for the Bulldogs as they check in at dead last in the West over this same time frame.

Again it’s Alabama, LSU and Auburn at the top of the chart, while the Bulldogs check in almost two yards less than number-six Arkansas.

Again, when you are talking returns of any kind a lot goes into a successful return.  How or where the ball is kicked, blocking or return strategy and of course the returner himself.

I can promise you the five-plus yards difference between Alabama and Mississippi State in the punt return numbers makes a huge difference throughout a game or a season.  If you fielded a punt on your 10-yard line and returned it to the 22-yard line verses the 17-yard line that is a big, big difference.  Most coaches will tell you the further away from their own end zone they get, the more open they will be with their play calling.

The Bulldogs must improve in both of these units – improvement in both will only help their offensive and defensive units during the course of a season.