International Centre for Special Teams Research

So, after spending the weekend on a foreign fact-finding mission, I'm back with the latest report on the International Centre for Special Teams Research, Miami of Ohio Style.

It was a game where Bowling Green dominated the typical plays, with a steady drumbeat of punts inside the Miami 20 and a nice punt return, etc. However, the overall performance was marred by BG giving up two blocked kicks. Miami's special teams have been poor all year and they were true to form out there in Oxford, as they failed to make even one play beyond the two blocks. This is strictly as results-based analysis, so it is possible that both blocks were not even good plays on Miami's part...

Anyway, BG did pick up the big fumble early in the game, which set the tone for the contest. I would say this...the special teams failures by BG were part of the team's overall inability to put Miami away, the same as with the offense. However, the fact Miami didn't come back was partly due to BG's consistent control of the special teams play.

BG Positive (+9)

BG Recovers Miami fumble on kickoff (+3)
BG Punt to Miami 11 (+1)
Miami punt 20 yard net, with 12 yard return (+1)
BG Punt to Miami 15 (+1)
Miami kickoff returned to BG 37 (+1)
BG Punt to Miami 17 (+1)
BG Punt to Miami 11 (+1)

BG Negative (-7)

BG Punt blocked/fumbled (-3)
BG Field goal blocked (-3)
BG Missed 37 yd FG (-1)

BG Neutral

BG XP
BG Kickoff returned to Miami 25
Miami Kickoff returned to BG 23
BG xP
BG Kickoff returned to Miami 29
Miami Kickoff returned to BG 28
BG Punt 41 yard net
BG xp
BG Kickoff returned to Miami 23
Miami punt 36 yard net BG, -2 return
BG XP
BG kickoff returned to Miami 30
BG xp
BG Kickoff returned to Miami 34

Miami Positive (+6)

BG Punt blocked/fumbled (+3)
BG Field goal blocked (+3)

Miami Negative (-7)

BG Recovers Miami fumble on kickoff (-3)
Miami punt 22 yard net (-1)
Miami punt 20 yard net (-1)
Miami kickoff returned to BG 37 (-1)
BG Punt to Miami 15, 12 with penalty (+1)

Miami Neutral

BG Kickoff returned to Miami 25
Miami xp
Miami Kickoff returned to BG 23
BG Kickoff returned to Miami 29
Miami xp
Miami Kickoff returned to BG 28
BG Kickoff returned to Miami 23
Miami punt 36 yard net
BG kickoff returned to Miami 30
Miami punt 43 yard net
BG Kickoff returned to Miami 34

For the season, it is BG's second straight plus performance, and in that sense is another positive step forward.

Positive	Negative	Net
Troy	+3	-5	-2
Missouri	+10	-5	+5
Marshall	+2	-6	-4
Boise	0	-4	-4
OU	+8	-12	-4
Kent	+7	-11	-4
BSU	+6	-9	-3
CMU	+2	-5	-3
@UB	+13	-9	+4
@Miami	+9	-7	+4
Total	+60	-73	-13

When looking at opponent's plays, this is the second straight week a team has had a negative score when playing Bowling Green.

	Positive	Negative	Net
Troy	+7	-2	+5
Missouri	+8	-8	0
Marshall	+7	-3	+4
Boise	+5	-7	-2
Ohio U	+13	-9	+4
Kent	+13	-3	+10
BSU	+7	-3	+4
CMU	+7	-1	+6
@UB	+6	-12	-6
@UB	+6	-7	-1
Total	+79	-55	+24