According to the NCAA stats, Marshall finished 130 out of 130 teams in kick return defense (which is different than kickoff coverage defense).
The NCAA stats are extremely illogical in that they look at the average number of yards a team allows per kick return. For instance, pretend Team A kicks the ball to the opponent's 35 yard line each time and only allows a 5 yard return. That means would be ranked #1 in kick return defense according to the NCAA, since they do a remarkable job of allowing only 5 return yards. But in reality they are allowing their opponents to start at the 40 yard line each kickoff which is awful.
On the other hand, if Team B kicks to the goal line and allows a 10 yard return each time, they would be ranked lower than Team A since they allow twice as many return yards. However, their opponents start drives at the 10 yard line which is far better than the 40 yard line that Team A allows.
So Marshall finishing dead last in the country in this stat isn't good, but there is also quite a bit of room for illogic to be thrown into this statistic.
Conference USA's official stats look at the the average difference between how far each kickoff travels compared with the starting point of the drive. In other words, they take the number of yards gained by kicking the ball and subtract the number of yards gained on the return/touchback allowance. That's far better than the methodology the NCAA uses to rank kickoff units but still has some room for illogic to be factored in. With this stat, Marshall is dead-last in the conference in kickoff coverage.
Some Ivy League grads whom I worked with on stats have a far better method that they use which looks at kickoff efficiency. The only thing that matters is where your opponent starts with the ball. It doesn't matter if you kick it deep and allow longer returns or if you kick it short and allow shorter returns. What matters is where you're able to have your opponents start their drives. In looking this - the best stat for this special teams unit - Marshall finished 128th out of 130 FBS teams. The average starting field position for their opponents is the 29.8 yard line.
There is a very, very easy way to greatly improve this - or better yet - to make this not be as damaging to a team and give them more potential rewards/opportunities on kickoffs. Let John know I won't screen his calls if he needs some help, which he clearly does on this unit.
And for what it's worth, Marshall's kick return team finished 87th in the country based on the most logical way of measuring that unit.
The NCAA stats are extremely illogical in that they look at the average number of yards a team allows per kick return. For instance, pretend Team A kicks the ball to the opponent's 35 yard line each time and only allows a 5 yard return. That means would be ranked #1 in kick return defense according to the NCAA, since they do a remarkable job of allowing only 5 return yards. But in reality they are allowing their opponents to start at the 40 yard line each kickoff which is awful.
On the other hand, if Team B kicks to the goal line and allows a 10 yard return each time, they would be ranked lower than Team A since they allow twice as many return yards. However, their opponents start drives at the 10 yard line which is far better than the 40 yard line that Team A allows.
So Marshall finishing dead last in the country in this stat isn't good, but there is also quite a bit of room for illogic to be thrown into this statistic.
Conference USA's official stats look at the the average difference between how far each kickoff travels compared with the starting point of the drive. In other words, they take the number of yards gained by kicking the ball and subtract the number of yards gained on the return/touchback allowance. That's far better than the methodology the NCAA uses to rank kickoff units but still has some room for illogic to be factored in. With this stat, Marshall is dead-last in the conference in kickoff coverage.
Some Ivy League grads whom I worked with on stats have a far better method that they use which looks at kickoff efficiency. The only thing that matters is where your opponent starts with the ball. It doesn't matter if you kick it deep and allow longer returns or if you kick it short and allow shorter returns. What matters is where you're able to have your opponents start their drives. In looking this - the best stat for this special teams unit - Marshall finished 128th out of 130 FBS teams. The average starting field position for their opponents is the 29.8 yard line.
There is a very, very easy way to greatly improve this - or better yet - to make this not be as damaging to a team and give them more potential rewards/opportunities on kickoffs. Let John know I won't screen his calls if he needs some help, which he clearly does on this unit.
And for what it's worth, Marshall's kick return team finished 87th in the country based on the most logical way of measuring that unit.
