The punt returner position for those who are squawking

[uihawk82]

Some on here are wanting the next DeJean-Dwight-Wetjen to just magically appear out of the tunnel or bench. Saturday we had two punt returns and both by RVZ and both in the 4th qtr.

First one at about 12:30 of the 4th with a nice 11 yard run back. It was a 55 yd punt to the iowa 32 and two gunners were about 8 yards from him when he caught it. He made those two miss and had nice return.

The 2nd punt return was kicked from the isu 29 at the 4:37 mark. RVZ was standing at the iowa 25 which is about 46 yards from scrimmage especially after the previous 55 yard punt. But this punt he caught at the 33 so only a 38 yard punt and he was on the move when he caught it. You know the rest, RVZ did a stop and shift to make the first gunner miss and he got a 12 yard return to the iowa 45. A very good play

We heard Lutmer didnt get enough time in August at his safety spot so the didnt take many punts. Maybe he will be the returner soon. Usually, fast, quick short guys with moves make the great returners and RVZ is not short and is fast enough but not a burner.

I am fine with RVZ until James shows he can field all the decent punts. James maybe has more speed and moves so if he wins the job that is great.

But I wouldnt bag on RVZ.

 

[TheGuy9]

a
AHHHH. But he has already returned one for a touchdown. Just sayin.

 

[uihawk82]

a
AHHHH. But he has already returned one for a touchdown. Just sayin.

I know and I said he will probably be getting a lot of practice fielding practice punts and he might be the guy.

RVZ might be safe but Evans might be the great one and Lutmer can run as he did when he picked on Mendoza the Great last year and weaved his way for about 40 yard return (too bad he couldnt have housed that INT)

 

[hawkandroll]

what ever happened to Brevin Doll? thought that dude was one of the fastest on the team...hard to believe the other factors couldn't be coached up

 

[Trakker]

what ever happened to Brevin Doll? thought that dude was one of the fastest on the team...hard to believe the other factors couldn't be coached up

He is our kick returner

 

[WeBeHerkin]

what ever happened to Brevin Doll? thought that dude was one of the fastest on the team...hard to believe the other factors couldn't be coached up

I have seen him on kick coverage

 

[WeBeHerkin]

He is our kick returner

Which is basically always kicked out of the end zone now

 

[hawkandroll]

He is our kick returner

Why not give him a shot at PR then? Is it worth having your WR2 or starting DB get smashed on a 9 yard return?

 

[Lionhawk85]

Catching punts is much MUCH harder than catching kickoffs. Punts have a more challenging trajectory, less predictable on distance, and the other team gunners possibly breathing down your neck. So the decision AND the execution are both much more challenging than kickoffs. Therefore I don’t see Doll or anyone else not very accustomed to catching balls and/or tracking (adjusting to) deep throws being a viable option.

we all know the huge momentum swing we get with a huge punt return, but the lost yardage by not catching the ball and letting it roll is a more consistent issue. Until James (or other) can demonstrate the ability to consistently make the right decision AND execute the catch without turning it over, I’m totally fine with RVZ back there even without much threat of big returns. The truth is we’ve probably been spoiled the last number of years and it’s time the offense make up for it now!

 

[herkhatescy2]

Catching punts is much MUCH harder than catching kickoffs. Punts have a more challenging trajectory, less predictable on distance, and the other team gunners possibly breathing down your neck. So the decision AND the execution are both much more challenging than kickoffs. Therefore I don’t see Doll or anyone else not very accustomed to catching balls and/or tracking (adjusting to) deep throws being a viable option.

we all know the huge momentum swing we get with a huge punt return, but the lost yardage by not catching the ball and letting it roll is a more consistent issue. Until James (or other) can demonstrate the ability to consistently make the right decision AND execute the catch without turning it over, I’m totally fine with RVZ back there even without much threat of big returns. The truth is we’ve probably been spoiled the last number of years and it’s time the offense make up for it now!

What's James got to do to demonstrate the ability to make the right decision? He has had 2 chances at a return and one was a touchdown and one bounced in front of the gunners.

 

[Sett1997]

What's James got to do to demonstrate the ability to make the right decision? He has had 2 chances at a return and one was a touchdown and one bounced in front of the gunners.

Exactly, he's had two opportunities. One was a 57 yard td, burner speed. The other he waved off! Zee backed off a couple , one costing 20 yards. He's nowhere near the threat James is. It's not close. Did they also miss the short side bad pass that James caught and did his best to try and stay in bounds? Mind boggling how most of the board could determine Zee is the better option based on the sample size. Lol
If you are going off of the two returns, it's obviously James.

 

[ItsinourTNA]

Continue to split time between the two. Use VDZ when you simply need to field it. Use James when we are up against a weaker punt team or just need a spark.

 

[Fight4Iowa]

Shut up, everyone knows James is better.

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

Seems that against UNI we should get James some more reps. I'd like to think we'll be fielding a lot of punts.

It is a REALLY difficult position to play and as we've seen it's high risk high reward. You are on a razers edge between hero and costing your team in a very visible way.

 

[Rifler]

James will be fine as he gains experience fielding the ball,... He's already got the speed and agility for moving it.

 

[Oldman74]

Exactly, he's had two opportunities. One was a 57 yard td, burner speed. The other he waved off! Zee backed off a couple , one costing 20 yards. He's nowhere near the threat James is. It's not close. Did they also miss the short side bad pass that James caught and did his best to try and stay in bounds? Mind boggling how most of the board could determine Zee is the better option based on the sample size. Lol
If you are going off of the two returns, it's obviously James.

I'm not taking a side as to who should be returning punts. However, job number one of a returner is possession of the ball. Don't turn it over. No issues there with either one. Job number two is to catch all catchable punts. It's fair to debate whether or not the ball that James let hit the ground was a catchable punt, but I'd guess that's something that was addressed in films. Being a threat to take it to the house and/or make big plays is secondary to lots of coaches. People can agree or disagree with that. I do know McNeil was a guy they were looking at in the spring as a punt returner, but according to a staff member, ball security was a concern at that time.

 

[BunchofAholes]

Don't see any info in James' bio indicating he returned punts at Furman. This may be his first year doing so.

 

[DukeSlater]

Some on here are wanting the next DeJean-Dwight-Wetjen to just magically appear out of the tunnel or bench. Saturday we had two punt returns and both by RVZ and both in the 4th qtr.

First one at about 12:30 of the 4th with a nice 11 yard run back. It was a 55 yd punt to the iowa 32 and two gunners were about 8 yards from him when he caught it. He made those two miss and had nice return.

The 2nd punt return was kicked from the isu 29 at the 4:37 mark. RVZ was standing at the iowa 25 which is about 46 yards from scrimmage especially after the previous 55 yard punt. But this punt he caught at the 33 so only a 38 yard punt and he was on the move when he caught it. You know the rest, RVZ did a stop and shift to make the first gunner miss and he got a 12 yard return to the iowa 45. A very good play

We heard Lutmer didnt get enough time in August at his safety spot so the didnt take many punts. Maybe he will be the returner soon. Usually, fast, quick short guys with moves make the great returners and RVZ is not short and is fast enough but not a burner.

I am fine with RVZ until James shows he can field all the decent punts. James maybe has more speed and moves so if he wins the job that is great.

But I wouldnt bag on RVZ.

Vander Zee is another example of KF's conservative approach. James takes it to the house, and he loses his job. RVZ is okay as you say, but having the threat of breaking a punt return makes up for a lot of deficiencies elsewhere. Catching the ball is number one, no doubt about that, but if James or Lutmer can do that and not let the ball roll for 10 or 20 yards, that would be a nice upgrade.

 

[Fight4Iowa]

Vander Zee is another example of KF's conservative approach. James takes it to the house, and he loses his job. RVZ is okay as you say, but having the threat of breaking a punt return makes up for a lot of deficiencies elsewhere. Catching the ball is number one, no doubt about that, but if James or Lutmer can do that and not let the ball roll for 10 or 20 yards, that would be a nice upgrade.

I don't see us scoring more than 1 offensive TD from a legitimate drive against Michigan. If we're going to win, we're going to need a special teams score or a turnover for 6 or that gives us an extremely short field where we get 6.

James better get all the returns against UNI to get some more experience. There's no comparison between RVZ and James. RVZ doesn't have "it" on punt return. It's clear.

 

[AndreTheHawk]

I don't see us scoring more than 1 offensive TD from a legitimate drive against Michigan. If we're going to win, we're going to need a special teams score or a turnover for 6 or that gives us an extremely short field where we get 6.

James better get all the returns against UNI to get some more experience. There's no comparison between RVZ and James. RVZ doesn't have "it" on punt return. It's clear.

Lutmer was my pick before the season started, he has some DeJean traits to him IMO. And clearly we have been spoiled with DeJean and Wetjen. But, until we can see the needle move Offensively, we need these type of guys on Special Teams.

Defense and Special Teams win most of the games for a Kirk Ferentz lead team, that's been obvious for years. That's not likely to change until Kirk is gone, so get some field flippers back there returning punts (James, Lutmer, etc.). RVZ has done OK, not ragging on him at all, but he's not a burner.

 

[Fight4Iowa]

Lutmer was my pick before the season started, he has some DeJean traits to him IMO. And clearly we have been spoiled with DeJean and Wetjen. But, until we can see the needle move Offensively, we need these type of guys on Special Teams.

Defense and Special Teams win most of the games for a Kirk Ferentz lead team, that's been obvious for years. That's not likely to change until Kirk is gone, so get some field flippers back there returning punts (James, Lutmer, etc.). RVZ has done OK, not ragging on him at all, but he's not a burner.

I think Lutmer might be too important on the defense this year so that's why he's not back there.

 

[Rifler]

I think Lutmer might be too important on the defense this year so that's why he's not back there.

No more important than DeJean was...

 

[hawkandroll]

No more important than DeJean was...

Agreed, but with DeJean the upside justified any risk and we saw how it played out...

 

[AndreTheHawk]

Agreed, but with DeJean the upside justified any risk and we saw how it played out...

How is that different with Lutmer?

 

[Fight4Iowa]

I think Ferentz is keeping a lot of tricks in the bag, defensively, offensively, and special teams wise, until we get into the thick of B1G play. This isn't his first rodeo.

 

[Stoopsbrother]

Not sure why people have a issue with James not fielding that punt against isu?

If he picks that one up he gets mauled by the gunners & he got far enough away from it to not risk touching it? What am I missing?

 

[squeezebox_1]

Seems like we have plenty of guys that have speed on the roster. Really don't know how we got to the point where RVZ is returning punts. Seems like there should have been a whole list of guys like Vitti, Doll, Darian Jones, Haddad...etc would all be better, and have experience in high school.

 

[squeezebox_1]

Not sure why people have a issue with James not fielding that punt against isu?

If he picks that one up he gets mauled by the gunners & he got far enough away from it to not risk touching it? What am I missing?

He should have fair caught that ball. That ball rolled another 15 yards.

 

[HMB Trumpet]

Don't see any info in James' bio indicating he returned punts at Furman. This may be his first year doing so.

It looks that way. Even on the punt he housed, it looked like he had some difficulty tracking the ball and caught it over to one side.

My take is the staff wants James to be the returner but he needs more reps before getting the PR1 job. Lutmer hasn’t had many practice reps, either, which explains why we haven’t seen him in a game.

 

[r_desihawk]

i've come to reconcile rvz as adequate and perhaps the right choice. james i'm sure is better once he has the ball secured but we haven't seen him demonstrate that he can do that without drama. even on the punt he housed he didn't look comfortable in judging the punt. also lutmer maybe decent but i've come to think he's overly hyped. he is not dejean not even dejean lite.

 

[AndreTheHawk]

i've come to reconcile rvz as adequate and perhaps the right choice. james i'm sure is better once he has the ball secured but we haven't seen him demonstrate that he can do that without drama. even on the punt he housed he didn't look comfortable in judging the punt. also lutmer maybe decent but i've come to think he's overly hyped. he is not dejean not even dejean lite.

Wasn't Lutmer on several pre-season All Big Ten and All American lists? They don't do that for just anyone, so there's a lot of people that do indeed think he's at least "DeJean lite". Which admittedly is a pretty high bar, but to suggest he doesn't have some really good skills just isn't true, and he's already proven that.

Time will tell, but there's a good chance Lutmer will be playing on Sunday's, maybe even before we preferred he didn't.

 

[squeezebox_1]

@herkhatescy2...LMFAO

 

[Stoopsbrother]

@herkhatescy2...LMFAO
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what point do you think you are making here? the gunner is almost the exact same distance from the ball as James! it also took a weird bounce, he got far enough away from it that there should be no issue besides the penalty falg that should of been thrown on the clowns for 15 yards.

 

[squeezebox_1]

what point do you think you are making here? the gunner is almost the exact same distance from the ball as James! it also took a weird bounce, he got far enough away from it that there should be no issue besides the penalty falg that should of been thrown on the clowns for 15 yards.

Signal the fair catch, which was stated above. He was at the 45, which is directly where the ball landed.

 

[squeezebox_1]

what point do you think you are making here? the gunner is almost the exact same distance from the ball as James! it also took a weird bounce, he got far enough away from it that there should be no issue besides the penalty falg that should of been thrown on the clowns for 15 yards.

And just so you can see it for yourself, I'll help. Its at 46:18 in the video

 

[Stoopsbrother]

And just so you can see it for yourself, I'll help. Its at 46:18 in the video

he probably should have caught it, but everyone acting like its some unforgivable sin is laughable, when he didn't catch he got out of the way.

 

[squeezebox_1]

he probably should have caught it, but everyone acting like its some unforgivable sin is laughable, when he didn't catch he got out of the way.

I don't see anyone acting like it is unforgivable, what is unforgivable at this point is the coaches not being prepped at a position we have been elite at for quite some time. James needs practice time, as he is obviously not comfortable (evidence by this clip). That is why RVZ is being touted out to fair catch 90% of the punts kicked to him.

 

[UIAlumFireFighter]

what point do you think you are making here? the gunner is almost the exact same distance from the ball as James! it also took a weird bounce, he got far enough away from it that there should be no issue besides the penalty falg that should of been thrown on the clowns for 15 yards.

Fair catch it.

So, catch it.