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Jonathan Rutledge of Auburn hired for Husker special teams

2019 Stat comparison, national ranks:

Obviously, this is not all there is to special teams, but focusing on the field position types of stats....

Kickoff Returns:
Auburn: 66th
Nebraska: 107th

Punt Returns:
Auburn: 18th
Nebraska: 66th

Opponent Punt Returns:
Auburn: 130th
Nebraska: 7th

Opponent Kick Returns:
Auburn: 96th
Nebraska: 63rd

I'm not so sure this is an overall upgrade from last season. Auburn was really good at punt returns -- but not much else. They had to be one of the worst teams in FBS in kick and punt return coverage combined (they were the very worst in punt return coverage).

I suppose an analyst is better than no analyst, but there isn't much promising to gather from this limited data set.
 
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2019 Stat comparison, national ranks:

Obviously, this is not all there is to special teams, but focusing on the field position types of stats....

Kickoff Returns:
Auburn: 66th
Nebraska: 107th

Punt Returns:
Auburn: 18th
Nebraska: 66th

Opponent Punt Returns:
Auburn: 130th
Nebraska: 7th

Opponent Kick Returns:
Auburn: 96th
Nebraska: 63rd

I'm not so sure this is an overall upgrade from last season. Auburn was really good at punt returns -- but not much else. They had to be one of the worst teams in FBS in kick and punt return coverage combined (they were the very worst in punt return coverage).

I suppose an analyst is better than no analyst, but there isn't much promising to gather from this limited data set.
I'm not exactly sure what a Special teams Analyst analyst does. Auburn assistant coach Larry Porter was the Special Teams Coordinator last year, so I assume he was the guy drawing up the schemes for special teams.

On the surface this hire really doesn't move the needle one way or the other for NU in my opinion.
 



I think it starts with the mindset that special teams is as important as offense and defense. We are way off that mark.

An Analyst has the ability to do everything a coach can do except be on the field with the players and go on the road recruiting them.

They can watch film, design practices and schemes, grade and evaluate performances.

With the number of walk-ons and size of our roster, we should probably have an army of Analysts, and maybe groom experienced walk-ons like Sullivan to be our additional practice coaches.

Bama has an army of analysts and I would guess they even have sophisticated communications between the analysts and the coaches and players on the field as well to give feedback during practices.

Can't find much on Rutledge, but he was at Missou prior to going to Auburn
 



I think 90% of special teams is depth and spending quality time on it in practice. From watching our special teams last season, I’m convinced that we don’t have it or didn’t do either.

Football programs had good special teams long before administrations brought in a bunch of special teams analysts.
 
2019 Stat comparison, national ranks:

Obviously, this is not all there is to special teams, but focusing on the field position types of stats....

Kickoff Returns:
Auburn: 66th
Nebraska: 107th

Punt Returns:
Auburn: 18th
Nebraska: 66th

Opponent Punt Returns:
Auburn: 130th
Nebraska: 7th

Opponent Kick Returns:
Auburn: 96th
Nebraska: 63rd

I'm not so sure this is an overall upgrade from last season. Auburn was really good at punt returns -- but not much else. They had to be one of the worst teams in FBS in kick and punt return coverage combined (they were the very worst in punt return coverage).

I suppose an analyst is better than no analyst, but there isn't much promising to gather from this limited data set.
Not sure if you are a pessimistic person or just have extremely high standards but, to me, +41, +48, +123, and +33 in the 4 areas you listed would seem to be a HUGE IMPROVEMENT.
 



I think 90% of special teams is depth and spending quality time on it in practice. From watching our special teams last season, I’m convinced that we don’t have it or didn’t do either.

Football programs had good special teams long before administrations brought in a bunch of special teams analysts.
Best way to tell depth on a team is take a look at their special teams. We didn’t have any in 2019 (combined with awful coaching).
 

BS is a good suggestion - drive down to Manhattan & buy him a cup of coffee or prune juice & chat about ST.... perhaps JR could spend a few days hanging out with Frank Beamer too... & take good notes :Coffeecup:
 
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