International Centre for Special Teams Research North Dakota Style

If you read this blog, you know that I started in 2009 using my own system for evaluating special teams play for Bowling Green.   You can read the full introduction and see the scoring system here, should such a thing interest you.  The basic idea is that you get positive points for good plays outside the middle area of the bell curve on the right and negative points on the left.  The system doesn't care if you get to the 26 or 28 on a kickoff or if you make a short FG...make a long FG or miss an easy one, now we're talking.

So, I was actually relatively dismissive of Coach Jinks' statement that special teams were pretty good in the North Dakota game, but actually BG did have a good game.  The punting was good and so was the kickoff coverage, save one return.  It was enough to take over the missed PKs and the poor kick defense on that one play and Ronnie Moore's running the ball back inside his own 20.  Oh, and we didn't have a category for it, but I deducted one point for the attempt to return the FG.

BG ended up +2 for the game.  North Dakota was +2.

Here is how it broke out.

BG Positive (+7)

49 yard net punt (+1)
45 yard net punt (+1)
BG KOR to 36 (+1)
ND KOR to 19 (+1)
48 yard net punt (+1)
49 yard net punt (+1)
45 yard net punt (+1)

BG Negative (-5)

Miss 30 yard FG (-1)
-6 PR inside 20 (-1)
Missed xp (-1)
ND KOR to 46 (-1)
Failed FG Return (-1)

ND Positive (+5)

50 yard net punt (+1)
44 yd FG (+1)
ND KOR to 46 (+1)
Punt inside 20 (+1)
Punt to BG 10 (+1)

ND Negative (-3)

ND KOR to 19 (-1)
BG KOR to 36 (+1)
Missed xp (-1)