Punt Formation
- Thread starter tuckercat
- Start date
I've never liked that weird split formation. We've shot through for blocks in the past. It almost single-handedly won us the Michigan game in 2003. Now we're using it, too? Plus doing this line up, then shuffle and reset thing? Weird, and I don't like it.
It's designed to keep the opponent guessing: fake? punt? conventional punt? rugby punt?
So far, so good. I think that we may see an occasional fake punt. At least, I hope we do, in order to keep opponents honest.
So far, so good. I think that we may see an occasional fake punt. At least, I hope we do, in order to keep opponents honest.
We were 12-2 last year ... We're 2-0 this year ... Our punt formation seems to be working just fine. Let's enjoy the ride.
Just yet another extention of "New Kirk." Actually, I'm pretty sure Coach White scouted some other teams and installed this last year. Remember Hayden's super tight punt formations, no room for error, that pretty much lost the Rose Bowl vs. Wash in 1991.
I like it, but last week vs ISU it almost got blocked (we did a running into the kicker penalty), but that kid was almost in there for the block.
It also seems like Colduzzi (SP?) took a little while too long on a couple of them last game also. Almost like he didn't have his footwork down.
Fake punt into the horde of defenders that run through those acre-wide gaps? No, thanks.
I saw a play the other day and now I can't find it. It was from a small school game. Anyways the players were spread out in punt formation like Iowa's. They had everyone shift over to one side and the punter took off running like a rugby punt and then he just stopped and threw the ball to the guy next to the snapper #80? Apparently he was on the end of LOS and was eligible. There was one more guy beside him, but he was off the line and they only had 2 protectors. Sneaky play, but it worked and was legal. I was kind of shocked, I wonder if that is what KF is trying for?
The thinking is if you spread out your formation, the defense has to spread out so it makes it easier to identify who has what guy blocking wise. I like that part of it. However, We have seen times where teams have gotten close to blocking one and might have even got one blocked or had a real crappy punt out of our rugby kick last year(can't remember).
The real advantage is in coverage. You can send the entire front line of 7 players downfield to cover the kick after chip blocking their men. In a tradition formation there are only 2 players running downfield until the ball is kicked.
I am wondering whether you know very much about this formation. You seem to describe a run-fake. There are many fakes possible from this formation, however. The formation has been around a long time, and works well in most cases. The key with running a fake (of any kind) is whether or not the opponent gives you the right "look". Iowa has many different fake punt plays in their playbook, and came close to running them on a few occasions last year, but never got the correct look from their opponents, so they were called off.
Here is a reasonably good summary of the shield punt formation, along with discussion of some simple fakes that are available:
Here is a successful pass from shield punt-fake
Here's a good run punt-fake
