Memphis: Special Teams

For the third straight game, BG's special teams were poor.  This was probably their best game, in that they didn't allow a special teams touchdown, but in general special teams are making it harder for us to win games.

After the game Coach said we have a bunch of freshmen out there playing against guys who are "just better than them" right now.  And I guess that might be true.  It seemed like the players making the most visible mistakes were not new, but perhaps (for example) on the short kick returns there were blocking issues upfield...and the penalties might have been against new guys, too.

Anyway.  It wasn't a good day on special teams.

First, BG had a penalty on a TD and needed to kick a 35 yard PAT which he missed.  He also missed a 48 yard FG, which is less of a big deal.  Coach still has confidence in Tate--and I'd concur with that 100%.  An observation is that the issues have started since Tate started to also handle the kickoffs, but I don't imagine the two are related, but who knows.

BG had issues on two kickoff returns.  Most of the kickoffs were touchbacks and BG would have been better off if they all were.  Coppet had one return from the end zone that only got to the 5 and on another one Redding muffed it at the goal line, only got to the 13 and then BG got marched back by penalty.  

The last one was decisive, because BG went three and out and punted Memphis back to the 45 and Memphis was able to drive 44 yards for a FG that game them a lead they did not relinquish.

For that matter, BG had a penalty on a first quarter punt return that also had them starting inside the 10 and went 3 and out and Memphis drove for its first TD off that field position.

Anyway, not only are special teams not helping the team win games but they are actually making it harder.  Coach said (no really) that we can kind of expect the same growing pains next week and then things might stabilize in the MAC season.