A World Without College Football Kickoffs?
by A.J Black on Jun 8, 2011 12:00 PM EDT
in Boston College Football
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Yesterday Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples wrote an article supporting Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano's proposal to eliminate kickoffs in college football. Schiano's reason for this revolutionary idea came after the devastating injury to Eric LeGrand, which he rightfully believes could have been avoided if kickoffs didn't exist.
For all college football fans the LeGrand injury was horrific and we all would want to see spinal cord/neck injuries disappear, but would getting rid of this facet of college football even be possible? Staples' argument makes sense: kick/punt returners are unprotected, defenses get a 50-70 yard sprint to make the hit, which increases injury risks. Staples also says that kickoffs can change games, which he believes detracts from the game. Why should a game be determined by that?
Whether you agree to this proposal or not, let's look at how a college football world without kickoffs would affect Boston College.
BC was dead last in the ACC in kick off return yard average last season
Think about this for a second. BC had the worst kickoff return game in the conference. They averaged four yards less than Virginia Tech (who had the most in the ACC) and all of zero return touchdowns. With an offense as limp as the Eagles, special teams are vital to put them in good field position, which they hardly ever did last year. Standardizing the kickoff game for all teams would be a huge benefit for the Eagles, who are bringing back the same set of kick returners that struggled mightily last year. Would this argument dissolve if BC had a returner like Will Blackmon? Probably, but that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon.
Injuries
Schiano's major point that kickoffs are a major cause of injuries is hard to dispute. Lesser but still critical injuries happen constantly on kick returns, and to players who make major contributions in other roles on offense and defense. Luke Kuechly covers kick returns. How would you feel if he blew out his knee on a fluke play covering a return? Montel Harris and Andre Williams both return kicks. Would you like to see them getting unnecessarily banged up returning a kick? No, I'd rather see Montel Harris run the ball 30 times. If an injury happened there, then so be it.
Keeps emphasis on Boston College's strengths: the defense
Think back to the Nevada game, what was the straw that broke the camel's back? A punt return for a touchdown. Those types of turns are frustrating as hell. BC's defense had done such a great job containing Colin Kaepernick and keeping the Eagles in the game (despite the complete inadequacy of the offense), then all of a sudden it was out of reach. Kickoff returns for a touchdown or returns that place our opponents in great field position can easily kill any chance BC has at winning the game because the offense struggles so much to put up points. Eliminating the kickoff would allow the stellar defense to dictate field position, which would be a huge benefit for BC.
Eliminating the kickoff is an idea that is hard to swallow for many traditionalists, but might make some sense, especially for a team like Boston College. It would save our star players from unnecessary injuries, keep the outcome of the game on our defense and offense and remove a part of the game that BC was struggled with.
I'd be interested to hear what Coach Spaz's point of view is on this topic or if he has ever even thought of it. Schiano's idea is definitely different, but kickoffs probably aren't going anywhere for a while. But would it honestly be that bad if it disappeared?
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Can't say I'd miss kickoffs
Will Blackmon and/or Jeff Smith doesn’t seem to be walking through that door …
But Schiano’s alternate onside kick proposal is too weird.
BC Interruption, SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
Injuries
It’s hard to dispute that eliminating kickoffs would decrease injuries, but it wouldn’t get rid of them completely. Penn State’s Adam Taliaferro was paralyzed on a routine tackle his freshman year. Fortunately, he was able to walk again.
BC Interruption, SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
Skipped a crucial part
The safety part I agree with. In terms of how this will help BC, I think you skipped a crucial part of the article. Instead of kickoffs, you would punt from the 30 yard line every time. In the argument you mention the PUNT return against Nevada, well they would have just as many chances for that. This doesnt help a terrible special teams at all, its the same or worse: (heres the post from the article)
We’ll get to the most fascinating prong of the proposal — replacing onside kicks with an offensive play — later. For now, we’ll focus on the longer kicks. Replacing kickoffs with punts would make the game more interesting, or at least as interesting as currently constituted. Since the NCAA moved the kickoff back to the 30-yard line in 2007, teams have kicked off 32,936 times. Of those kickoffs, 281 were returned for touchdowns. During that same span, teams have punted 28,857 times. Of those punts, 279 were returned for touchdowns. A kickoff went to the house one out of every 117 times, while a punt went to the house one out of every 103 times. The kicking style more likely to be returned for a touchdown is the more exciting one.
You don’t think a guy like Quigley could punt the ball into the end zone standing on the 30? He averages 45 yards a punt, right? And you wouldn’t be standing 10+ yards off the line of scrimmage.
Think he could punt the ball for a touchback more often than not.
BC Interruption, SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
Maybe unfair to Schiano to say this...
but instead of offering to change the game, why not focus on training players covering kickoffs better too avoid injury like LeGrand? That’s closer to his job description.
Why not eliminate punts too? That would make the game even more interesting, with four downs to run, instead of three and out.
FSU and Kickoffs
How about just eliminating kickoffs against FSU? FSU’s ability to return kicks changed the way BC played them last year…it was really frustrating to watch.
"Staples also says that kickoffs can change games, which he believes detracts from the game."
How in the world can this be a negative? Interceptions change games, too. So do fumbles. Should we do away with turnovers because they ’change the game?"
How can one aspect of football that ‘changes the game’ like kickoff returns (and returners who fumble also can dramatically change the game) be considered a negative and other aspects that ‘change the game’ be a positive?
Look. Football is a game that one plays (and watches) with the knowledge that injuries are possible at any time. Rules have been changed to protect the QB position. Many think (though not all… not even close to all) those changes are good. So then let’s follow and protect kick returners by doing away with the job. Then, let’s ban QB sacks from behind. QB’s are more likely to be injured when they don’t see the hit coming. So from now on, hit a QB in the back and it is a new form of clipping.
This is a slope we can glide down for ages. Make changes to protect players from the game. But there will come a time for everyone associated with the game that the game loses all relevance. Bringing an end to kickoffs and punt returns is a giant step in that direction.
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