RETURN OF THE RETURN GAME?
April 24, 2011 01:31 PM | General
Can the return game become another offensive weapon for West Virginia this year? Daron Roberts thinks so.
While talking to reporters after practice last week, the Mountaineers' new return game coordinator said he wants his kick and punt returners to think end zone after they catch the football.
"My philosophy is the catch is a given, first and foremost," he said. "Once that happens, we want to score."
At different points in time, the return game has been a reliable way for West Virginia to get additional points, from John Mallory and Danny Buggs in the late 1960s and early 1970s, to Willie Drewrey in the early 1980s, to the Terry brothers Nate and Shawn a decade ago.
Effective returners can come in different shapes and sizes from the tall an angular such as Mallory, Buggs and the Terry brothers, to the more diminutive such as Drewrey and Pacman Jones.
But all of them had one thing in common - make one cut and go.
Many think Tavon Austin has the ability to be the next good one, his 98-yard kickoff return to open the 2009 Connecticut game as a freshman turning out to be one of the deciding plays in the game.
"I want to see guys who to catch the ball and get up field," said Roberts.
Plus, being a good returner can also pay big dividends down the road for those aspiring to play professional football, says Roberts.
"The guy in the room who gas the tie-breaking vote on roster decisions is always the special teams coach," explained Roberts, a former Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs aide. "If the special teams coach says he doesn't get anything from you, you're out, regardless if you're offense or defense."
While talking to reporters after practice last week, the Mountaineers' new return game coordinator said he wants his kick and punt returners to think end zone after they catch the football.
"My philosophy is the catch is a given, first and foremost," he said. "Once that happens, we want to score."
At different points in time, the return game has been a reliable way for West Virginia to get additional points, from John Mallory and Danny Buggs in the late 1960s and early 1970s, to Willie Drewrey in the early 1980s, to the Terry brothers Nate and Shawn a decade ago.
Effective returners can come in different shapes and sizes from the tall an angular such as Mallory, Buggs and the Terry brothers, to the more diminutive such as Drewrey and Pacman Jones.
But all of them had one thing in common - make one cut and go.
Many think Tavon Austin has the ability to be the next good one, his 98-yard kickoff return to open the 2009 Connecticut game as a freshman turning out to be one of the deciding plays in the game.
"I want to see guys who to catch the ball and get up field," said Roberts.
Plus, being a good returner can also pay big dividends down the road for those aspiring to play professional football, says Roberts.
"The guy in the room who gas the tie-breaking vote on roster decisions is always the special teams coach," explained Roberts, a former Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs aide. "If the special teams coach says he doesn't get anything from you, you're out, regardless if you're offense or defense."
Alumni Series | Violet Hewett
Friday, May 01
SWIM: What it Means to Represent West Virginia
Wednesday, April 29
SWIM: What it Means to Become a Mountaineer
Wednesday, April 29
Gold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
