ONE OR TWO PUNT RETURNERS?

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Blitz
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PUNT RETURNS WILL BE MORE EXITING THIS SEASON

The new rules preventing kickers from kicking the ball out of bounds outside the 20 yard lines (or be penalized) combined with a return to the old punt blocking rules (what were Wally and the rules committee thinking last season) will make punt returns much more exciting again this season. However, the extra two special team players will also make punt returns challenging enough.

THE TWO OPTIONS

This post will focus on the concept of whether it's better to utilize one or two punt returners on any given punt return. I'll focus on the blocking strategies of punt returns in another post at a later time. There was a time when CFL teams mostly used two punt return players for each punt. One was usually lined up short while the second punt returner lined up deeper. Once in a while CFL teams spread them out to cover more field.

THE BACKGROUND OF NFL AND CFL PUNT RETURN GAMES

In the NFL it was more common to have a single punt returner. NFL punting rules, the fair catch rule, the narrower field (the CFL field is 15 yards wider) made a single punt returner, on most occasions, the sensible thing to do. However, on occasion, you will see two punt returners on a punt play in the NFL. You'll also see it in the CFL, especially in games where the weather is bad, especially in windy conditions, when a team is punting into the wind.

However, in recent years CFL teams have also moved to a single punt returner, modeling our southern counterparts on punt returns. I've often wondered about the strategy. Lets take a closer look at both options.

TWO PUNT RETURNERS

There are a number of advantages to having two punt returners on a punt play. The first is field position. It provides a much higher percentage that a punt will be fielded on the fly and often the punt returner is in a much better position, upon catching the football, to begin his run. The second punt returner is also in a good position to block for the punt returner catching the football, if the punt is kicked deep.

SINGLE PUNT RETURNER

There are also two advantages to utilize a single punt returner. While there is a greater chance the ball will not be fielded in the air and the punt returner often has to run a further distance to catch the football, it does put the football in the hands of your team's best punt returner. A single punt returner also means that your team can put an extra player on the line of scrimmage to block a punt and provides an extra blocker to run down the field to set up a wall.


WHICH IS THE BEST OPTION?

There is no conclusive proof that one option is better than the other in good weather. However, in bad weather, the two punt returner option has definite advantages that have been proven statistically. There are obviously times in a game when both options could prove advantageous.

However, if I could only choose between one of the two options exclusively I would go with the two punt returner option. Too often, even in good weather, punts are not fielded in the air. The wider CFL field, with punters angling the football towards the sidelines create additional challenges for punt returners. The first priority should always be field position. The chances of a punt bouncing and then going deep downfield are increased. The increased chance of fumbles also increases when a punt returner attempts to field a bouncing, unpredictable football.

Secondly, the punt returner has a much better chance of fielding the football in a good position to begin the runback. Most punts will be returned by your primary punt returner in the two punt returner scheme but short punts, shanked punts, line drive punts will be more effectively returned this way. Deep punts, returned by the primary punt returner, also result in an instant lead blocker. Sometimes I think that the influence of American football coaches in the CFL game have had an impact on moving our CFL punt return game towards a single punt returner. They coach in the manner they are most familiar with.

WRAP

The CFL field is more condusive to using a two punt returner system. However both optons have their advantages. I'm interested in your views of both options.
Last edited by Blitz on Sun Apr 01, 2007 12:09 am, edited 2 times in total.
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lion24
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i would think it would be an advantage to have two punt return threats just so the opposing team cannot kick away from the "lesser" return man and at the same time provide a different look to the opposing team. you would have one less blocker but more often than not, i have seen teams kick short(more on kickoffs than punts to the blocking team and not the returner just to avoid a longer return)
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One possible disadvantage of having two returners is the increased probability of missed communications between the two or worst bumping each other fielding the ball much like two outfielders in baseball chasing down a fly ball.
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Tighthead
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Having two also opens up the chance of a reverse, fake reverse, or long toss from one to the other. Not a play you want to use often, but still can be sweet. Desmond Howard scored his first NFL TD when he and another PR, either Darrell Green or Brian Mitchell were deep, and the first returner tossed it wide to Howard.
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At times I have seen a two returner formation where they stand right next to each other, separating at the punt. Presumably at this point the ball's trajectory is read and their assignments are governed accordingly.

This removes from the punter the choice of to which returner to kick and cuts down on miscommunication between the two returners, but I suppose it does restore some of the disadvantages of the single returner scheme.

I also remember from the Alouettes' visit last year, there was one punt by the Lions for which Montreal put *no* returners back! I'd never seen that before -- was that intentional or was someone caught napping?
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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sj-roc wrote:At times I have seen a two returner formation where they stand right next to each other, separating at the punt. Presumably at this point the ball's trajectory is read and their assignments are governed accordingly.

This removes from the punter the choice of to which returner to kick and cuts down on miscommunication between the two returners, but I suppose it does restore some of the disadvantages of the single returner scheme.

I also remember from the Alouettes' visit last year, there was one punt by the Lions for which Montreal put *no* returners back! I'd never seen that before -- was that intentional or was someone caught napping?
I've seen situations where no returner was back to field punts a few times.

Unless there is somebody onside, there is little risk since only the punter can recover the ball for the opposition.
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sj-roc
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Blue In BC wrote:
sj-roc wrote:At times I have seen a two returner formation where they stand right next to each other, separating at the punt. Presumably at this point the ball's trajectory is read and their assignments are governed accordingly.

This removes from the punter the choice of to which returner to kick and cuts down on miscommunication between the two returners, but I suppose it does restore some of the disadvantages of the single returner scheme.

I also remember from the Alouettes' visit last year, there was one punt by the Lions for which Montreal put *no* returners back! I'd never seen that before -- was that intentional or was someone caught napping?
I've seen situations where no returner was back to field punts a few times.

Unless there is somebody onside, there is little risk since only the punter can recover the ball for the opposition.
It's low risk in terms of loss of possession, but higher risk on field position. So unless there's a premium on blocking the punt -- say, to avoid surrendering a gamewinning single -- then I don't see the point, if you'll pardon the pun. At any rate, this was not the scenario in the above example -- it happened early in the game IIRC.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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What I would do is try to get some past statistics as to whether punt returns for touchdowns was more frequent with one or two returners, and also see if there are any other trends with regards to average returns using each method.

Unfortunately, I don't think such statistics are kept. Average punt returns by individuals, maybe, but there's no record on whether he was the lone returner on the field.
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sj-roc
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Robbie wrote:What I would do is try to get some past statistics as to whether punt returns for touchdowns was more frequent with one or two returners, and also see if there are any other trends with regards to average returns using each method.

Unfortunately, I don't think such statistics are kept. Average punt returns by individuals, maybe, but there's no record on whether he was the lone returner on the field.
Oh, I would think those stats are kept by coaching staffs -- they're just not readily available for mass consumption.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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sj-roc wrote:
Robbie wrote:What I would do is try to get some past statistics as to whether punt returns for touchdowns was more frequent with one or two returners, and also see if there are any other trends with regards to average returns using each method.

Unfortunately, I don't think such statistics are kept. Average punt returns by individuals, maybe, but there's no record on whether he was the lone returner on the field.
Oh, I would think those stats are kept by coaching staffs -- they're just not readily available for mass consumption.
I think each coach also has his own perferences.

With Don Matthews as the Lions coach, he usually used only one - Darnell Clash or Larry Crawford.
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Since this topic is related to kick returners, I figured I'd post it in this thread instead of creating a new thread for it. That recent topic about Darnell Clash got me thinking about kick returners. There are players that only have one position known as the "kick return specialist". When it comes to all-star team selections, there is a position reserved for that and for many years, Henry "the Gizmo" Williams got that honour.

But I've noticed that for the most part, kick returners usually have other positions that they play. Two exciting Lions kick returners in the 1980's were Darnell Clash and Larry Crawford, and both of them also played defensive backs. Other Lions returners such as Anthony Drawhorn also played in the defensive secondary. Henry the Gizmo Williams occasionally served as a running back. Everybody remembers Raghib "Rocket" Ismail's kickoff return for a touchdown in the 1991 Grey Cup, but let's not forget that his main position was a wide receiver, as is Tony Tompkins who also returned a kickoff for a TD in the 2005 Grey Cup. That was Darren Flutie's main position too, although he sometimes returned kicks as well.

In the 2006 Grey Cup, Ian Smart returned all kicks, and he was the backup running back who scored the Lions' only touchdown. That is Avon Cobourne's position too, and he returned all kicks for Montreal in the Grey Cup.

I guess where I'm going with all this is:

#1.
Is there are a particular field position player who is the most suitable as a kick returner?

#2.
Or conversely, is the kick return specialist most suited for a certain field position?

What I can say so far is that kick return specialists who have other field positions usually play as a defensive back, running back, or wide receiver. One would think that running backs are the most experienced at rushing and thus, most skilled at returning kicks. But by no means does a team always designate their running back as the kick returner.
Blitz
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The answer depends on who you have in terms of personel on your football team. Obviously it's great to have a punt returner who can do other things such as play running back, receiver, or defensive back. However, with the importance of special teams, the priority should always be player's skills in terms of returning punts.

That said, in general terms, I would have a tendancy to want a receiver returning punts over a running back or defensive back. The main reason is that receivers catch the football most and need excellent hands as more of a priority than a running back or defensive back. Recievers are more used to making diffiucult catches and in all kinds of weather. Recievers also tend to have better flat out speed for the long return.

In terms of kickoffs I really don't have a strong preference between a running back or a receiver but lean towards a running back. Of course, on most kickoffs you'll have your punt return specialist and a second player. That second player, as a running back, is more used to following the type of blocking that takes place on kickoff returns. On kick returns the returner needs to follow his wall and look for a crease. It's more similar to running the football on an offensive play.

On a punt return, the blocking is more similar to the kind of blocking that takes place in the open field. Receivers are also more familiar with running wide on a route and then cutting it up....which has similar attributes to a picket fence return. However running backs also take pitchouts wide and cut back. However, there also tends to be more open space on punt returns at times and receivers are more used to running in open space.

There have been lots of occasions in the past when defensive backs (eg: the recent Darnell Clash thread, Garney Henley) that proves that defensive backs can also do the job well. However, in general terms I'd be looking for a receiver first and a defensive back second on punt returns and on kickoff returns I'd be looking for both a running back type and a receiver type first. However, who is going to look an exceptional defensive back returner gift horse in the mouth...if you happen to have one!! :wink:
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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