Who do you folks see as our best options to return kicks next year? Philly did a great job on punts and I thought rod smith showed potential on kickoffs but I'm not sure he's a home run hitter. What do you guys think? Armani reeves? Devin smith? One of the freshmen?
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I'd like to see Philly Brown and Zeke.
Hopefully Jordan Hall requests to stay as far away from kickoffs as possible to avoid injury.
good way for Zeke or Marshall to see early PT
but my bet is Brionte Dunn
I'm a friend of thunder is it any wonder lightning strikes me
I was trying to think of which freshman would be the best to put back there. Seems like taivon probably has the best top end speed, zeke and jalin probably have the most wiggle. I wonder if Conley might get a look
Thought I heard somewhere that Zeke ran a 4.2? does that only last for 40 yards?
Jordan hall
I thought Roby could be great at KR, although the few returns I saw from him this year he seemed very indecisive, didn't put his full speed/athleticism on display, seemed like he had trouble picking his lanes. I liked Smith for his ability to break tackles, but he didn't seem to have an extra gear. I'd love to see someone like Taivon Jacobs on KR, an elusive guy with track speed. Also love the Jalin mentions, I think he'd be great at it.
Philly deserves to be the primary PR again. 2 PR's for a TD, 12.3 YPR average ain't too shabby!
If you like stats, wouldn't Fields have the best PR stats???
You have a very good point, hard to tell his true upside though seeing as he's only had 7 PRs total over 2 years! Hadn't thought much about him though, good call. Doesn't seem to get much play-time w/Urban running things--but next year he may get quite a bit!
I see T.Jacobs returning kicks this year, and I think R.Smith stays back there as well. A bruiser, and a true speedster.
I want to see what both Armani Reeves and Jacobs can do back there. Devin Smith has a great stride once he gets going, but I'm not sure he is elusive or can break tackles to get into the open field.
I wonder if they will put warren ball back there since he probably won't get any carries?
Yah, that's what it looked like they did with Dunn this year, and maybe with Rod Smith too .... IDK For working hard and staying positive while Hyde was blowing up?
The few opportunities he received this past season I thought Armani Reeves looked fast and explosive. I would think Jalin Marshall will get his shot this year as well.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.”
Bill Shankly
Jordan Hall and Philly are my picks.
If I remember correctly...Jordan had some trouble fumbling the ball as a punt returner. Not sure about kick returns but pretty sure he had butter fingers on occasion with PRs.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987
Rod Smith and Zeke.
The 2012 National Champions.
Jordan Hall all the way. The other RB's are fine blasting through a few tackles, and Devin has speed, but Jordan has the shiftiness and elusiveness (as well as the speed, assuming he's back to normal) I like to see in a kick returner.
He definitely showed he has the "knack" at both punt returner and kick returner going all the way back to 2009. But he's never shown adequate break-away speed.
I'm also hoping that the speed issues have primarily been injury related. If so, I could definitely seeing him being THE GUY on kick returns.
I think Philly Brown for sure on punt returns, with maybe a few going to any of the younger studs that show potential. Actually, I'd be pretty surprised if it's not Philly Brown and Jalin Marshall, with Marshall taking over mid-season if he proves he won't turn it over. I really believe Philly is going to explode in this offense, and may be so valuable you don't want to get him hurt.
Kick returns are a real mystery though. Think about how many different guys Urban put back there last year. I can think of: Devin Smith, Rod Smith, Brionte Dunn, Armani Reeves and I'm pretty sure there were a couple of others whose names escape me right now.
I doubt that is ideal under any circumstances. Kick returning is something you have to do repeatedly to get into the flow of and be good at. I doubt that Urban was really happy with any of the kick returners he tried last year. I think he was just trying to optimize yardage gained by throwing the other team some change ups, and simultaneously trying to keep limited playing time but otherwise hard-working guys happy.
So I think we're going to see a couple of new guys back there this season. My initial guess is Ezekiel Elliot and Taivon Jacobs.
If Armani Reeves is healthy, I'd love to see him back on kicks, and liked the job Rod Smith did last year... He may not have been elusive, and not really clear on his return yard average, but it seemed like he did well. On punts I would assume it to by Philly Brown, he definitely proved he can be a spark taking it to the painted grass. I'm really excited about guys like Marshall, Zeke, and Jacobs, and can't wait to see what they can do.
Reeves one kick return (I think it was only one) looked as dangerous as any of the returners last year. Zeke and Jacobs are probably the best bet as Frosh with maybe Conley as well. Zeke and Jacobs' scouting reports that I have seen say that they have the better excelleration of the freshmen coming in this fall and I know Jacobs has track speed. Maybe Bell if he commits. I think he was pretty good at returning punts and kicks in HS.
It's kind of a crap shoot to guess on this subject, because so many different factors seem to go into this decision. Rod Smith didn't show the home run return threat, but he seemed to always put the O in good field position, and if he isn't getting more than 5 carries per game I think he will remain back there if he continues with the same work ethic he showed Urban this year. He also could develop his speed a little through stregnth training and his running technique once he gets into the open field. He still worries about the fumble tag he has, and I think that prevents him from getting upright once he is in the open field to get up to full speed.
"...they're midgits!"-Coach Kerry Coombs
Timmons would be one hell of a return man. Offer him for that if nothing else.
Punt Returner: Corey "Philly" Brown
Kick Rreturners: Armani Reeves and Rod Smith
I cannot think that we won't have Jacobs in there in some capacity. The kid reminds me of #7 so much when you watch him run. He may be the most underrated recruit in this year's class IMO.
EzE/Rod or Devin Smith and Armani Reeves...and/or Jacobs if he doens't get a RS due to his size. If that happens then throw in Marshall for a little fun...speed speed and more speed...got to love it! Philly Brown will be punt returning for sure.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987
Anyone interested in Corey Smith video here's a link. He would be ready to contribute right away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnUESYC2LTM
Thank you for the link; I couldn't find it this morning.
He looks good. I would be happy getting him over over any of our other active WR targets right now.
My pleasure and I agree that he looks very comfortable catching the ball and making CBs miss after the catch. That's a Juco guy for you, ready to play. Guess that's why Saban has his feelers up on him as well.
Taivon Jacobs could be a great kick returner, because I feel like he has the Tavon Austin kind of speed and agility
He will be redshirted in my opinion. Skinny kid.
Shelton Gibson would be the best kick returner on the team, bar none. Not even close.
Taivon Jacobs is a great punt returner who can do kickoffs but better at punt returns.
Corey Smith don't see him doing either very well, just a WR.
I know people want to put true freshmen back there so they get PT etc. but I can't get the image of D'anthony Thomas in his first game as a college player against LSU fumbling twice in a 5 minute span that cost his team at least 10 points. One was as a KR.
Just some food for thought
Edit; and we all know that DAT was an extremely highly touted prospect and a very good player, but nerves can get the best of you
It has to be two RBs just to keep that immensely deep position involved and not transferring. I'd bet on Rod Smith and Dunn/Ball winner. Hall and Zeke will be involved enough elsewhere to stay happy.