Leatherneck Nation

Yea, as long as I can remember up until recently we've had good special teams.

Kickers:
Keith Jones (6th on the all-time points list) -> Joe Lopez (7th) -> Justin Langan (1st) -> Taylor Rowan (4th) -> Pat Smith (not in the top 10, but probably would have ended up there if he'd stayed for his last year)

Punters:
Ross Shulte (tied for 2nd on career punting average list) -> Jeff Baker (4th) -> Mike Scifres (1st). Then came Kris Coffee and Chris Fuchs (9th)...no Scifres, but they were pretty decent.

I'd say we've been spoiled. Rowan kicked for quite a few years in the AFL, Scifres...13 years with the Chargers (one of the best punters in all of football), Pat Smith obviously had Big 10-level talent and both him and Langan could have probably played at some professional level if they'd wanted to.

We've been pretty spoiled over the last couple of decades.

10 other boys on the special teams and when a kick is blocked or return taken for long gain, it usually ain't on the kicker.

Agree that it is not the kicker/punter when a kick is blocked, if its from the outside it is usually to slow from the snap and time to get kick off. If it is up the middle it is blocking. If you watch the Illinois block, it is coaching. The formation gave them a direct line to punter and the blockers were out of position. That was a formation that was not capable of defending a d1 Team. I think our Kicker is pretty good, I question the surrounding cast they give him. When you go to the game watch our special teams in pregame and watch Southern and tell me who you think looks like a better lead/coached team?

Enough Said, Read the stats LAST BY 12 Yards Net to Conference leader

PUNTING G No. Yards Avg/P Ret. Avg/R TB Net/P
1. Southern Illinois 3 9 401 44.6 16 1.8 1 40.6
2. N. Dakota State 3 14 669 47.8 63 4.5 4 37.6
3. Indiana State 3 20 775 38.8 27 1.4 1 36.4
4. S. Dakota State 3 10 395 39.5 35 3.5 0 36.0
5. Youngstown State 3 14 509 36.4 3 0.2 1 34.7
6. Illinois State 3 10 370 37.0 24 2.4 0 34.6
7. South Dakota 3 18 691 38.4 74 4.1 1 33.2
8. Northern Iowa 3 24 1044 43.5 207 8.6 3 32.4
9. Missouri State 3 29 1045 36.0 161 5.6 0 30.5
10. Western Illinois 3 22 746 33.9 116 5.3 0 28.6

My prediction for today and all future football games is inherently stolen from a poster on Bisonville:

SIU 52
WIU 13

I firmly believe that to be the best, you have to do what the best are doing plus just a little bit (a field goal will suffice) more.

This is complete shit. They need to change their punt block now and fire the special teams coach. If not fire the whole staff. I've been backing Bob until now.

Had enough.

Punting ??????????????????????

Also strange how we can run the ball with little difficulty on the first drive out of the gate. After that, little to nothing. Still say our running attack is much too predictable with a only a single back in play and Norvell not being (or showing to this point) much of a threat. So who has the wind behind 'em in the 4th quarter?

Good drive to start half. Now D needs a 3 and out.

Yes. I was hoping we'd still show more of an offense than this, though.

OK, that was beautiful.