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FSU Football: Breaking Down Special Teams Performance In 2016
Sep 5, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles place kicker Ricky Aguayo (23) kicks a field goal against the Mississippi Rebels during the first half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
FSU football had shaky special teams play in 2015, and it looked like that trend continued in 2016. We breakdown how they performed this season.
Special teams are a lot more than field goals and punting. FSU football has always been known for its athletes, and its best athletes play special teams which can be a big key in the field position game.
To casual fans, field position doesn’t mean anything, but as we’ve discussed it’s hard for offenses to drive long distances consistently and score.
We’ll cover all three facets of FSU special teams in this piece with advanced stats from Football Outsiders. It’s by far the weakest phase of the game for FSU football, and has been for a while.
Let’s take a look at something that needs to improve drastically and fast if FSU wants to beat elite teams consistently.
PRE: Punt Return Efficiency, the scoring value generated per opponent punt.
The FSU football special teams were terrible in this category, yes even worse than last year when they were No. 99 nationally. This season they were No. 123
The ‘Noles did improve their punt return average from 4.54 to 7.41 when compared to last year.
Do you want to know how many yards opposing teams averaged against FSU on punt returns?
Opposing teams averaged 18.60 yards per punt return against FSU.
That’s absurd.
There’s no reason for a team like FSU to be ranked this low with the talent they have on the roster. It has to be a matter of coaching and making sure guys stay in their lanes on punt returns, and blocking the gunners of opposing teams on punt return opportunities.
KRE: Kickoff Return Efficiency, the scoring value generated per opponent kickoff.
The FSU football fell off in this area compared to last season when they were No. 23 nationally. This season they check in at No. 59.
Kermit Whitfield was the primary returner again in 2016. He had 26 returns for 595 yards for a 22.88 average.
That’s seven more return opportunities, but about four yards less per return on average. Kermit Whitfield has exhausted his eligibility, so it’ll be interesting to see who feels his spot next season.
Whitfield was one of the better returners in FSU history, but never seemed to recapture this true season form where he ran two kickoffs back for touchdowns and averaged 36.41 yards per return.
Keith Gavin, who had the huge return in the Orange Bowl, looks to be a prime candidate to fill in
KE: Kickoff Efficiency, the scoring value generated per kickoff.
The FSU Football team did pretty well in the Kickoff Efficiency category. The team checked in at No. 17 nationally and were No. 16 last season.
Basically this means that opponents had very little chance to return a kickoff for a touchdown. True freshman Logan Tyler has a huge leg and showed it of most of the time, kicking the ball deep or out of the end zone.
Tyler had 57 touchbacks which was good for 63 percent of the time. Last season, Roberto Aguayo had touchbacks on kickoffs 55.95 percent of the time (47 touchbacks).
Aguayo was special in that he could kick it deep or make the ball land at the one yard line or on the goal line to force a return. That would allow FSU to get down field and get the tackle well before the 25 yard line which obviously was valuable field position for the defense.
PE: Punting Efficiency, the average values generated per punt based on the field position of the punt team and the field position at the conclusion of the play.
FSU Football finally had a decent punting game last season with senior Cason Beatty, but he was replaced by true freshman Logan Tyler.
Tyler averaged 40.31 yards per punt which is two yards more than Beatty in his freshman season. However, Beatty averaged 45 yards per punt last season, so there was an expected drop off.
The ‘Noles ranked No. 124 in the nation in Punting Efficiency.
Tyler has a big leg, but punts often lacked hang time which allowed opposing teams the opportunity to get good returns.
That’s why opponents averaged over 18 yards per return. Tyler is a very good athlete and I have no doubts he’ll improve next season and Beatty did for him.
However, let’s hope it doesn’t take him getting into his fourth year before he’s not a liability.
Sep 5, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles place kicker Ricky Aguayo (23) kicks a field goal against the Mississippi Rebels during the first half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Roberto Aguayo is the best kicker in the history of FSU football and arguably the best kicker in the history of college football.
His brother Ricky isn’t there yet as he struggled at times as a true freshman.
Aguayo made 19 of 26 field goals (73.1 percent) and often struggled kicking in home games.
Logan Tyler was used for field goals of longer distances and was 1 of 2 on the season. FSU football is accustomed to having reliable field goal kickers over the last decade, and this is an area FSU can hopefully expect improvement next season.
Aguayo doesn’t have the leg of his brother, but there’s room for him to get stronger. The hope is that he can improve enough in that department so there isn’t a need for two kickers.
I’m not a fan of bringing a kicker into the game for long field goals when he hasn’t been kicking that much. On another note, I wish Jimbo would stop settling for long field goals when it’s fourth and 1.
Oct 8, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Kermit Whitfield (8) carries the ball past Miami Hurricanes linebacker Michael Pinckney (56) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. FSU won 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
NFP: Net Field Position, (NFP) is the difference between the average starting field position for the team’s offensive possessions (OFP) and its opponent’s offensive possessions (DFP) measured in terms of yards from the end zone.
This is another area where FSU football regressed in 2016. The ‘Noles checked in at No. 90 nationally in regards to field position. The ‘Noles were No. 53 in 2015.
So basically, no big returns coupled with giving up big punt returns is the story here. Luckily, the FSU offense was No. 2 in the nation and helped offset terrible field position a great deal of the time.
However, this is an area that FSU will need to improve upon. The Orange Bowl game against Michigan is a prime example as FSU was near its own goal line for much of the second half.
Michigan’s punter had some booming punts that made the FSU offense work against a good defense for much of the game.
That resulted Michigan getting good field position on offense, and only having to move the ball 20 yards before they were in scoring range.
If FSU football had the ability to flip the field with good punts, FSU likely would have blown Michigan out.
Sep 5, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles kicker Ricky Aguayo (23) is congratulated by Florida State Seminoles offensive lineman Keith Weeks (66) after he kicked a field goal during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Florida State Seminoles defeated the Mississippi Rebels 45-34. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Conclusion
The 2016 edition of FSU Special Teams were not very good overall, and simply terrible on punt returns. There are a fewer questions going into 2017 than last season though.
I expect Aguayo to get better in his role, and Tyler should progress as Beatty did in the punting game.
The biggest thing is developing a punt return game. FSU football needs to get back to the days of special teams being a threat to do damage instead of a liability.
If they can do that and limit teams in regards to field position, that will be huge for a defense that should be among the best in the nation.
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