When? How many penalties? What are you talking about, mobius? Jackson averaged 39.9 yards a punt in 2004, 41.1 yards in 2005, and is averaging 42.4 yards so far in 2006. 3rd best average in the SEC. Jackson is getting punts off and punting them long. LSU is dead last in the SEC in net punting because LSU has one of the worst punt return defenses in the country, #113 of 119, allowing 15 yards a return. We ain't tackling the return man.
Now this might be a factor. Do you have any stats for hang time? I can't find them, but I haven't noticed a big drop in hang time.
Sorry meant net punting not average punt although I am a bit surprised it is up this year. His punts have declined though, most of them are returnable where as the high boomers last year were not. I know net punting is down per the above stats but I have no numbers showing average hang time but I can assure you it is down as well. Do you think our punting game is as good this year as it was last? That's the real question.
Punting sux, lets do like USC did a few years ago and stop punting... we got the offensive tools and defense to just go for it on every fourth down..
I don't think hang time is an official statistic, and unlike during some NFL games, college broadcasts don't usually show it. By my own observation, I feel like the hang time is down. But lets do some counts during the Alabama game and see what kind of hang time CJ is getting. We can talk about it next week. :yelwink2:
Alright, so I figured I would do a little research and post some numbers instead of just talking out of my ass. Per nmnathletics.com 2005 LSU average punts were 40.9 yards and net punting was 39 yards. http://www.nmnathletics.com/src/data/lsu/assets/docs/fb/05stats/teamcume.htm?DB_OEM_ID=5200 2006 LSU average punts are 40.4 yards and net puting is 31.9 http://www.nmnathletics.com/src/data/lsu/assets/docs/fb/06stats/teamcume.htm?DB_OEM_ID=5200#TEAM.TEM So if the punt formation is the main thing that has changed, and it was changed to improve coverage, why is our punt coverage down. Obviously the punts must have less hang time (I personally have noticed this) or the formation is not helping coverage. Either way, to me, I think the formation is hurting us.
Or we aren't tackling very well, or the downfield pattern is flawed, or . . . I'm not entirely sure, but I'm not ready to blame it on the formation, yet. Brad Peveto has to get this poor punt defense thing fixed, though.
I didn't see any in the last game, but we've had one or two in the big ones - Florida and Auburn, especially. At Auburn - 4th and 14 at AUB 33 (1st quarter) LSU penalty 5 yard illegal procedure. - 4th and 6 at AUB 49 (3rd quarter) LSU penalty illegal formation on Richard Dickson At Florida - 4th and 7 at LSU 49 (2nd quarter) LSU penalty 5 yard illegal formation. You rarely see this with a regular formation...
Well, we are doing some of that. Jackson is not listed on the SEC official punting statistics because one must average 3.6 punts per game to qualify and LSU is just not punting that many times!
True, it's not necessarily the formation, just the first thing you notice when pointing out the difference between the two years.
