Is Danny Smith the right guy for the ST gig?

[Buford]

He's been around for what seems forever. But have Special Teams ever really been that special? I'm not saying he's the guy who stunk on punts or kicks the past few years. But doesn't he have a voice in eval talent for those roles? Whenever we kickoff, I expect the other team to get around the 30, maybe further. Whenever we return kicks, I pray we get past the 20, and maybe get lucky by the 30.

Am I the only guy who thinks that Danny should have never made it to this season? I mean, how hard is it to find a good special teams coach?

[ouvan59]

Every year tons of people panic in preseason because we stink in special teams. Smith's teams have typically been very good on coverage during the season. We have been terrible punting and place kicking but our coverage teams have generally been very good. The reason we stink in coverage every preseason is because they are trying a ton of new people.

[pvkeeper19]

I would rather be near the top of the league in field goal kicking than in kick and punt coverage. I would wager that translates into more points gained due to made field goals than lost due to field position given up.

[zoony]

Smith is a good coach I think, working with poor talent on teams.

In his time we've not had a legitimate punter or place kicker, and we've had nobody resembling a return threat (except Santana)

Actually, you could say he's somewhat of a miracle worker.

[Buford]

Smith is a good coach I think, working with poor talent on teams.

In his time we've not had a legitimate punter or place kicker, and we've had nobody resembling a return threat (except Santana)

Actually, you could say he's somewhat of a miracle worker.

Is he saying to the Front Office "Hey, the talent for teams is poor?" or is he saying they will always be better than last year? I think he's overrated.

I will say this. I think Thomas looked like he was "this close" to doing something on KR's.

[IbleedBnG83]

We have had a very good special teams group for a while. He doesn't get talent, he works with what he has.

I think he is the BEST thing going for our ST.

[Mickalino]

Remember LeCharles McDaniel.

I'm just glad that guy's gone.

Whew

[tr1]

Our kickers have sucked pretty bad recently.

How many times would a good punt have gotten us out of a bad situation?

[zoony]

Is he saying to the Front Office "Hey, the talent for teams is poor?" or is he saying they will always be better than last year? I think he's overrated.

I will say this. I think Thomas looked like he was "this close" to doing something on KR's.

Well, the average fan can see that our kicking has been atrocious. I don't think Smith needs to (or should) say anything.

That's on Snyderatto.

[AKM311]

Danny is highly regarded in the league. Our poor ST play is not only his problems.

[SIXX99]

As far as coverage goes, I think our coverage teams will be fine during the regular season. But smith has never had a good kicker and untill now he has never had a good punter. Our returns are never gonna make Sportscenter unless Santana takes them back and that is sad when we have guys like Thomas who untill now never get a shot to do it. The only question I have had about Smith was why he is allowing/allowed Randle El to return punts as long as he has.

[ouvan59]

I would rather be near the top of the league in field goal kicking than in kick and punt coverage. I would wager that translates into more points gained due to made field goals than lost due to field position given up.

I would agree but you have to be good at both. The FG kicking is more personnel related than coaching IMO.

[nightbird]

I thought he was one of the best ST coaches in the league.

He's gotten good production on returns from Rock Cartwright -- a former Big 12 fullback.

Randle-el has been terrible but I think that's more of a Randle-el problem -- Tana has certainly busted some big ones during limited opportunities.

Our coverage units have been superb with Khary Campbell and James Thrash leading the way.

Those two guys are gone now and Danny is trying to replace them with Mitchell, who hasn't made a tackle since high school, Cody Glenn, a converted college half back, and Robert Henson.

He's got input on the roster, but no more than other coaches I'd think.

[McD5]

I don't believe so.

Sure, our punt return blocking and running have been near league worst.

But the real problem emerging now is both kickoff and punt coverage on defense.

Is he mediocre? Maybe

Would you pick him ahead of most ST coordinators? Of course not.


And who was the President of the US the last time we blocked a punt? That one blocked field goal, yes.

A punt? 10 years ago maybe?

[techboy]

Whenever we return kicks, I pray we get past the 20, and maybe get lucky by the 30.

That's an error in perception, then, because Cartwright was near the very top in kickoff return average, even if he rarely broke big returns. It seems like he always got out to the 30 or more.

I think the biggest problem for a long time has been the blocking on punt returns, especially the two guys that are supposed to slow down the punting team's gunners on each side. I'd sit at the games and watch the other team's gunners just blow right through, and by the time Randle El caught the ball, he had to dodge 2 or 3 guys.

I really don't think it was Randel El's fault at all. Pointing to Moss isn't fair, because Moss is freakishly good at doing stuff Randel El shouldn't have to. Look at the return against the Lions. Moss had to dodge out of the way of 3 players (including his own guy hitting him ) before he could even start the return.

I guess the blocking comes back to Danny Smith, so I'm not happy with his performance there. Everything else I'd think has been as good as expected, given the limited personnel.