Special Teams Research, Part II

Well, the second report from the International Centre for Special Teams research is in, this time looking at the BG-Missouri game.

If you recall, this is a system I have been cooking up for some time. It awards points for positive plays and negative plays made on special teams, and gives no points to plays which are expected or in an ordinary range. You can read the explanation here if you like.

BG had a better game on special teams than it did against Troy. In the big picture, special teams made two potentially game changing plays and another set of nice plays over the game, and minimized the damages of the poor ones.

For example, we had one of the game's two biggest plays when we stuck a punt inside the 20 and then turned that into a turnover, and we also had a punt return inside Tiger territory. We also held them inside the 20 on two punts and a kickoff.

As for negative plays, we have up one long kickoff return, one kickoff out of bounds, had two lousy kickoff returns of our own and one shanked punt.

On my points system, that nets out to a +5.

Missouri ended up even, with 8 positive points and 8 negative points.

Anyway, I like this system. It helps to understand special teams and the contribution they make to winning, and gives an evaluation system that can be used across games and teams.

Itemization of plays follows.

BG Positive plays (+10)

Kickoff return by MU to 17 (+1)
Punt inside 20, MU fumbles, BG recovers (+4)
Iovenelli punt inside 20 (+1)
Kickoff return by BG to MU 49 (+2)
Iovenelli punt inside 20 (+1)

BG Negative plays (-5)

Kickoff return by MU to MU 39 (-1)
Kickoff by BG out of bounds (-1)
Kickoff return by BG to BG 9 (-1)
Kickoff return by BG to BG 17 (-1)
Iovenelli 19 yards punt (-1)

BG Neutral Plays

Kickoff returned by MU to 27
Iovenelli 37 yard net on punt
Phillips extra point
Phillips 37 yd FG
Phillips 32 yd FG
Iovenelli 39 yard net punt
BG Kickoff return to BG 27
Phillips extra point
Kickoff returned by MU to 30
BG Kickoff return to BG 23
Iovenelli 40 yard net punt
Iovenelli 39 yard net punt
BG Kickoff return to BG 27

Missouri Positive Plays (+8)

Harry punt, 58 yard net (+1)
Kickoff return by MU to MU 39 (+1)
Harry punt 69 yard net (+1)
Ressel 46 yard FG (+1)
Kickoff return by BG to BG 9 (+1)
Harry punt inside 20 (+1)
Kickoff return by BG to BG 17 (+1)
Harry punt inside 20 (+1)

Negative plays (-8)

Harry punt, 23 yard net (-1)
Kickoff return by MU to 17 (-1)
Harry punt 27 yard net (-1)
Punt MU fumbles, BG recovers (-3)
Kickoff return by BG to MU 49 (-2)

Missouri Neutral Plays

Kickoff returned by MU to 27
MU Punt, 44 yard net
Ressel 38 yard FG
BG Kickoff return to BG 27
Kickoff returned by MU to 30
MU punt, 40 yard net
Ressel extra point
BG Kickoff return to BG 23
Ressel extra point
Ressel extra point
BG Kickoff return to BG 27