Monday, March 25, 2013

Step it up Spring: Special Teams




We're just one day away from Head Coach Pete Mangurian's much-awaited spring prospectus and evaluations of the returning Lions for 2013.

Yes I am excited.

While we wait for that, let's look at the key returning special teams players and assess what they need to accomplish this spring:


Kickers

Rising senior placekicker Luke Eddy has probably the strongest leg I've ever seen on a Columbia kicker. His issue has been consistency, but he stepped it up in 2012 with a big improvement in that area.

Eddy was a perfect 7-7 in FG's between 20-29 yards and an impressive 10-11 in FG's between 20-39 yards. He was 3-8 between 40 and 49 yards, but honestly I can't think of one FG he missed that cost the Lions a game last season. He was a near-perfect 13-14 on PAT's.

If Eddy can get his numbers up to a more respectable 50% level on the longer kicks in 2013, he will go down as one of the best kickers in Columbia history.

On kickoffs, Eddy improved greatly last season. His average kickoff length was greater and he had six more touchbacks than he had in 2011, (albeit with the new kickoff position being the 35 yard line last season).

The other two returning kicking specialists are both primarily punters, with no FG or PAT attempts among them. So this job appears to be Eddy's for now and the spring should belong to him as he tries to show his improvement to the coaching staff.

Punters

Rising senior Paul Delaney is one of the toughest players to ever take the punting job at Columbia. And last year, he stepped it up by increasing his punting average by four yards and kicking much more consistently.

But that consistency still needs to improve a bit more and that's where Delaney needs to step it up this spring.

Fellow rising senior Tyler Feely didn't get a chance to kick at all in 2012, after punting eight times in 2011. The spring should give him a chance to prove he deserves another look.

Returners

Columbia's primary punt returner, rising junior Alec Fisher, stepped it up in 2012 by more than doubling his punt return average and generally fielding punts more sure-handedly. He still needs to work on that latter aspect of his game this spring. Fisher also was a decent kickoff returner last year.

Rising sophomore Brandon Blackshear also showed some good skills fielding a small number of punts last year but his name is suddenly off he roster.

The primary kickoff returner last season was rising sophomore Trevor Bell, and he was electric at that position. Fellow rising sophomore Travis Reim actually had the longest kick return of the season at 49 yards and he showed some serious skills in this area as well. The spring should see a very good competition among Bell, Reim and even Fisher for the primary kickoff returning slot.

Overall, the Lion special teams seem generally better than they have in about four or five years. And with no real graduation losses in this area, Columbia seems like it's in a position to use its special teams to make a winning difference in games this fall.



31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Blackshear is not shown on the 2013 roster.

oldlion said...

Coach M spoke emphatically on his website today about the need to control the flow of information about the team. Basically a loose lips sink ships message. I endorse his message.

Anonymous said...
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RedTiger61 said...

The above comment from Anonymous is fake .... the real link is on Coach M's blog website at http://petemangurian.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/a-note-to-our-fans/

Roar Lion said...

Did anyone else notice that Eric Stock, who played OG last year at 227 lbs, is now listed as a DL? That's an interesting move.

Anonymous said...

That's what Stock played before last year

oldlion said...

Hopefully Stock is more like 257 this year.

oldlion said...

Coach's comments on each roster are very interesting and unprecedented. He identifies guys with the biggest upside, among other things.

lionrock said...

Yes, I agree, very informative, interesting and certainly unprecedented. Coach Mangurian's efforts to improve communications with the fanbase are much appreciated by this diehard Columbia Football Fan. He's smart, creative and unafraid to use the written word to improve the team.

Anonymous said...

He wants to control the media by issuing his own information and stifling the rest. It's a zero sum game at best for him and he is smart enough to know that in the long run that won't work. Never does.

ungvar said...

His comments probably work to bolster what he's saying in private to the team members. A smart strategy that will yield a great spring practice and set the team up for a good fall campaign.

Regarding the previous anonymous comment that Coach M. wants to control the media, baloney. What evidence can the poster offer that he's trying to stifle other media sources?

oldlion said...

I agree with Ungvar. Anonymous sounds like a Penn infiltrator.

ungvar said...

Jake, any comments on the coach's commentary?

Jake said...

I agreed with everything the Coach said. In fact, i thought our evaluations were uncannily similar.

ungvar said...

To your credit, they were indeed.

Care to speculate on how much weight our guys will gain by the spring check-in? We hear so much about guys having a good or great off-season. Love to know what that really means.

Jake said...

That I cannot guess. But we'll get that info soon. I think rosters will be updated again.

WOF said...

All I saw was his commentary that the more info he gives on players helps to scout for his opponents. Are you guys being tongue in cheek or did I miss something,which is entirely possible...

ungvar said...

I don't think he's giving too much away that's truly actionable. A lot changes between now and opening day. I expect we won't be treated to anything so detailed from now on.

oldlion said...

Those comments are also a motivational tool.

Anonymous said...

Those comments will also stay with them when they apply for jobs and employers google their name... It might be a little too invasive to have their business out in public...

oldlion said...

Question for Jake and others: how is the new DC doing so far? Are the guys taking to him? Does he look like a good hire?

oldlion said...
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Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

I am starving for an for a new post. Jake when can we expect and update on the update?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jake said...

I am in Los Angeles this week and will hope to post again on Monday.

jock/doc said...

CU baseball swept the DH over Harvard on Sat!!
2 big games games vs Dart today-- see you at Baker
Field

ungvart said...

Must say I'm impressed with the new women's basketball coach, Stephanie Glance, coming from Illinois State. Great hire -- Diane M. gets a thumbs up for this one.

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/basketball/women/isu-losing-women-s-hoops-coach-glance-to-columbia-u/article_fd92423e-9b15-11e2-94b0-0019bb2963f4.html?comment_form=true

lionrock said...

Yes, I agree with you that by any reasonable standard Stephanie Glance looks like a great hire for Columbia University Women's Basketball. Nice to see Columbia get a big name college coach with impeccable credentials. Welcome to the Big Apple, Coach Glance!!!

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