We've talked a lot about how ISU's defense has to improve if the Bengals are going to be a serious conference contender this year, but there's another aspect of the game where the Bengals really need to take a step up: special teams.
The Bengals got a decent performance out of kicker Zak Johnson last year, but he still missed too many kicks -- he was 52 of 55 on PATs, with three blocks; and 14-19 on field goals. Johnson ranked sixth in the league in FG percentage (74 percent), and 8th in PAT percentage (94.5 percent). There is really no reason to miss a PAT, and the fact that three were blocked indicates either a)Johnson didn't get under the ball enough; or b) there were breakdowns in protection.
The Bengals also gave up a lot of ground in the kick coverage game. Johnson averaged 59.2 yards per kickoff, compared to ISU's opponents' 61.7 yards, and Bengal opponents averaged 20.2 yards per return compared to ISU's 17.9. In the punting game, the Bengals' net punt ranked 9th in the conference at 35.1, compared to ISU's opponents' 40.5 yards.
A large part of ISU's struggles in special teams lay in the Bengals' total lack of a return game. Mike Kramer's obvious lack of confidence in the punt return team was especially apparent: the Bengals' C.J. Reyes, who was also ISU's punter, recorded 21 of the team's 34 TOTAL yards in punt returns. The Bengals were dead last with 3.8 yards per punt return, and they only attempted 9 returns in 12 games. ISU's kickoff return game was only slightly better, averaging 17.9 yards per return (10th in the league). Needless to say, the Bengals did not score a touchdown off either a kick-off or a punt return in 2014.
Both Reyes and Daniel McSurdy, their primary kick-off returner, are gone and here's hoping ISU can find someone Kramer has confidence in to field punts and kickoffs. A little explosiveness in the return game would be even better. ISU had no one ranked in the top 7 in punt returns or the top 10 in kickoff returns last season. Perhaps incoming freshman running back Ty Flanagan can bring something to the return game that's been missing for a long time.
The other key part of special teams will be finding a punter now that Sean Cheney, who was expected to do the punting for ISU this year, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Kramer had been planning to go back to traditional punting -- and away from the "roll punting" that Reyes specialized in -- with Cheney this season. Now he has to decide if he's going to use Tommy Jewell, a JUCO transfer quarterback/punter from Highland and go back to the roll punt; or bring in a new kicker and return to more traditional punting.
It's ironic, but the one thing Idaho State football has almost always done well through years of bad football is kick -- both punting and placekicking. Since Kramer has arrived, the special teams have been, well, less than special. Here's hoping an increase in talent and depth will lead to some improvements this season -- assuming the Bengals can find a serviceable punter.
The Bengals got a decent performance out of kicker Zak Johnson last year, but he still missed too many kicks -- he was 52 of 55 on PATs, with three blocks; and 14-19 on field goals. Johnson ranked sixth in the league in FG percentage (74 percent), and 8th in PAT percentage (94.5 percent). There is really no reason to miss a PAT, and the fact that three were blocked indicates either a)Johnson didn't get under the ball enough; or b) there were breakdowns in protection.
The Bengals also gave up a lot of ground in the kick coverage game. Johnson averaged 59.2 yards per kickoff, compared to ISU's opponents' 61.7 yards, and Bengal opponents averaged 20.2 yards per return compared to ISU's 17.9. In the punting game, the Bengals' net punt ranked 9th in the conference at 35.1, compared to ISU's opponents' 40.5 yards.
A large part of ISU's struggles in special teams lay in the Bengals' total lack of a return game. Mike Kramer's obvious lack of confidence in the punt return team was especially apparent: the Bengals' C.J. Reyes, who was also ISU's punter, recorded 21 of the team's 34 TOTAL yards in punt returns. The Bengals were dead last with 3.8 yards per punt return, and they only attempted 9 returns in 12 games. ISU's kickoff return game was only slightly better, averaging 17.9 yards per return (10th in the league). Needless to say, the Bengals did not score a touchdown off either a kick-off or a punt return in 2014.
Both Reyes and Daniel McSurdy, their primary kick-off returner, are gone and here's hoping ISU can find someone Kramer has confidence in to field punts and kickoffs. A little explosiveness in the return game would be even better. ISU had no one ranked in the top 7 in punt returns or the top 10 in kickoff returns last season. Perhaps incoming freshman running back Ty Flanagan can bring something to the return game that's been missing for a long time.
The other key part of special teams will be finding a punter now that Sean Cheney, who was expected to do the punting for ISU this year, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Kramer had been planning to go back to traditional punting -- and away from the "roll punting" that Reyes specialized in -- with Cheney this season. Now he has to decide if he's going to use Tommy Jewell, a JUCO transfer quarterback/punter from Highland and go back to the roll punt; or bring in a new kicker and return to more traditional punting.
It's ironic, but the one thing Idaho State football has almost always done well through years of bad football is kick -- both punting and placekicking. Since Kramer has arrived, the special teams have been, well, less than special. Here's hoping an increase in talent and depth will lead to some improvements this season -- assuming the Bengals can find a serviceable punter.
