Gophers Special Teams against Purdue

[matt]

Overall, a great job by special teams today. Below is Purdue's starting field position on each drive. Their best starting field position was the result of touchbacks.

Own 25 (Kesich touchback)
Own 25 (Kesich touchback)
Own 9
Own 20
Own 15
Own 25 (Kesich touchback)
Own 9
Own 15
Own 22
Own 2
Own 25 (Kesich touchback)

Average starting field position: Own 17
Removing the touchbacks: Own 13

Nice job.

 

[GopherVotary]

Great game by the kicking units, especially considering the conditions. Even though PU moved the ball well, the chances of the defense making a play increases when the offense faces a long field.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Kickers across the board had a phenomenal day. Trickett made both field goals, Stephenson got off some beautiful punts and Kesich did his job as the kickoff speialist.

In way less than ideal kicking conditions those guys all played awesome.

 

[mkAz]

Best special teams play from them that I can remember. Props to them after all of the heat they have been getting lately.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Best special teams play from them that I can remember. Props to them after all of the heat they have been getting lately.

Long Snapper, Holder and all 3 kickers deserve game balls after this one. This is the kind of game where special teams can kill you based on the conditions and those guys went out and played far and away their best game of the season.

 

[RememberMurray]

Excellent thread!

Special teams did an amazing job under conditions that are not conducive to the kicking game.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Kickers across the board had a phenomenal day. Trickett made both field goals, Stephenson got off some beautiful punts and Kesich did his job as the kickoff speialist.

In way less than ideal kicking conditions those guys all played awesome.

Stephenson?

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Long Snapper, Holder and all 3 kickers deserve game balls after this one. This is the kind of game where special teams can kill you based on the conditions and those guys went out and played far and away their best game of the season.

I didn’t watch the game but Grimm said the missed Purdue FG was a poor snap

 

[#2Gopher]

I didn’t watch the game but Grimm said the missed Purdue FG was a poor snap

Was a poor snap and it screwed up the timing a bit for the kicker. I wouldn't put it on the kicker in my opinion. Gophers all around did very well in my opinion and agree with pretty much everything that has been said.

 

[Dakota2]

Let's acknowledge Mark Crawford, Aussie Sophomore, is our punter and deserving of BIG Special Teams POW. And punt coverage was great. Phillip Howard downed one at the 2.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Our special teams were huge contributors to this hard fought win. Purdue never got the ball with a short field. (And our offense never turned it over, either.) A great special teams effort usually shows up in the final result. Crawford had an amazing day, both as a punter and as the FG holder. Hope he has come into his own. One of the best ways to dampen an explosive offense, such as Purdue’s or Nebraska’s, is to make them always start drives deep in their own territory. Hope ST’s have a similar day when we play Nebraska.

 

[BTChamp]

The only thing missing was a couple targeting calls against Trickett.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Special teams has gone from DUD to STUD in one year.

They're getting us wins even.

 

[Word]

Special teams has gone from DUD to STUD in one year.

They're getting us wins even.

Pay raise for Wenger!

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

Small potatoes at first glance, but major kudos to Annexstad for fielding at least two different bouncing punts after calling for a fair catch, rather than letting them roll even further. Saved us at least a handful of yards on each time. Kinda would like to see him field a few more of those shorter punts but fielding a few of those on the bounce definitely saved the Gophers some yards.

It's a game of field position! Nice job Brock!