Punters

[missingnumber7]

Ok, so I know that we are getting down in the weeds, but when we get to playing against teams that are going to push us a lot harder than we have been so far this season field position becomes huge. If you look back at our seasons when we have done good we have had punters that were amazing. Peterson to Drago. Field position becomes a huge issue. Is Matt Voigtlander really our best option? I mean Bohl couldn't have recruited a kid to come in that had punted before. Or was it simply that he was already on scholarship and they wanted to find something for him to do? He is really inconsistant. I punted for an NAIA school in college and I was about as consistant as he is. Granted when he gets the boot to it it goes, but when he gets the shanks...its rough.

[IzzyFlexion]

Seemed a lot better against Ill. State. (too lazy to look up stats)
Biggest strength when he does make contact is hang time. I'll take a 40 punt and a fair catch over a 50 yarder with a return any day.

And, one of these days..........I believe we'll see a situation where it makes sense to utilize Matt's athleticism with a fake. I hope that happens soon. I don't think "saving that as a one time surprise" is as good as planting the seed of "uh oh. They're punting.......remember what they did vs. XXXX last week." With that preparation by the opponent, a big and costly return is minimized considerably.

[missingnumber7]

Seemed a lot better against Ill. State. (too lazy to look up stats)
Biggest strength when he does make contact is hang time. I'll take a 40 punt and a fair catch over a 50 yarder with a return any day.

And, one of these days..........I believe we'll see a situation where it makes sense to utilize Matt's athleticism with a fake. I hope that happens soon. I don't think "saving that as a one time surprise" is as good as planting the seed of "uh oh. They're punting.......remember what they did vs. XXXX last week." With that preparation by the opponent, a big and costly return is minimized considerably.

I agree with the potential of the fake being there its an extra thing to think about, but with the formation that we run and knowing that you are starting off 15 yards behind the LOS...dunno. And Punters in the past have gotten 50 yard Fair Catches.

5 31
5 41.8
1 31
6 38.2

Thats his games this year...I don't know if those are gross or net numbers. But I do know that a 31 yard average on 5 punts...isn't acceptable at this level, and that even if its NET yards 38.2 is below average. #50 for FCS is 39.32 and 38 and up are over 40. Again...don't know if this is net or gross, it makes a huge difference as to who the yardage is put on if his gross average is 45 and his net is 38, but judging from the direct shanks that go out of bounds that I have seen...I would be willing to bet that is the Net yards.

[4mcruenomore]

Does Drago still devote some unpaid time helping these guys out?

[bisonaudit]

Maybe they'll just sack up and go for it on 4th and short more. That's generally the better play anyway. Evidence is abundant that the traditional approach is way to conservative.

[DePereBisonFan]

I agree with the potential of the fake being there its an extra thing to think about, but with the formation that we run and knowing that you are starting off 15 yards behind the LOS...dunno. And Punters in the past have gotten 50 yard Fair Catches.

5 31
5 41.8
1 31
6 38.2


The shank against Minnesota was devastating at the time. That followed Heagle's injury and Minnesota marched down the short field and scored to pull within 7. Good thing we only had to punt once in that game.

[stevdock]

I agree with the potential of the fake being there its an extra thing to think about, but with the formation that we run and knowing that you are starting off 15 yards behind the LOS...dunno. And Punters in the past have gotten 50 yard Fair Catches.

5 31
5 41.8
1 31
6 38.2

Thats his games this year...I don't know if those are gross or net numbers. But I do know that a 31 yard average on 5 punts...isn't acceptable at this level, and that even if its NET yards 38.2 is below average. #50 for FCS is 39.32 and 38 and up are over 40. Again...don't know if this is net or gross, it makes a huge difference as to who the yardage is put on if his gross average is 45 and his net is 38, but judging from the direct shanks that go out of bounds that I have seen...I would be willing to bet that is the Net yards.

For the first game his 5 punts for 31 yard average was considerably worse based on him shanking his first punt. I want to say his first was between 10-15 yards but the rest were all around or over 40 yards.

[56BISON73]

Does Drago still devote some unpaid time helping these guys out?

Yes he does. As a matter of fact we had a conversation where he told me they asked him to come in and help voit. He said voit is a better punter than he was. Now I certainly dont know about that because I never saw him shank a punt like voit does on occation. But voit does have a good leg when he gets in to one.

[HerdBot]

He will be fine and has been improving. Perfect practice makes perfect.