Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/699309
112 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW SPECIAL TEAMS leg with many of his prodigious punts. Yet he is mature enough to recognize that stats can be misleading in the punting game. Net punting is the more significant number because it factors in return yardage. There, Notre Dame ranked a more average 48th nationally, at 38.12. "There was a lot I left on the table," Newsome said. "I had a couple of rough games in the middle of the season: Clemson (most notably a 14‑yard shank that set up a score), USC, Temple; I didn't do too hot in those games and I think it really hurt our punt coverage unit as a whole. That's on me. It's really about staying consistent. Last year was an okay year, but I'm looking to improve. "Sometimes I had a tendency to out‑punt the coverage. It's great to hit a 58‑yard punt, but if they return it 18 yards, I don't want that. I'd rather have a 45‑yard punt with a fair catch." His central focus is on becoming more con‑ sistent with his hang time — a 4.5 average is the goal, from the time of the punt to the time the return man catches it — because opponents fair caught only seven of his punts last season, a figure he refers to as "awful." "I didn't have nearly as many fair catches as I should have," New‑ some said. Because Newsome's leg is so powerful, he is also having to learn the art of pooch punting. Last year against USC, it was Kizer who was twice used as the pooch punter — and both of his attempts were downed inside the Trojans' 20‑yard line in the 41‑31 Irish win. Overall, the Notre Dame punt return defense was okay during the regular season, allowing 121 yards on 18 returns. But in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State, the Buckeyes averaged 18.25 yards on four punt returns (73 yards total). Punting is a separate art in which the object is not to just try to knock the stuffing out of the ball. Directional, pooch and rugby punts are all part of the deal. "You've got to learn to play the field and know where you're at," Newsome said. "I think that's one thing I've really learned as part of being on the Notre Dame team. Knowing how to pooch punt and situational punt … it's learning to do those things and being able to punt. "When you're at the minus‑10‑yard line, you've really got to get it out there. But against USC when I'm at the plus‑ 48, you've got to pin them deeper. There are those different kind of scenarios that you've got to learn to practice. It's following through and learning the mechanics for different situations." The NFL leg is there for Newsome. Step two will be honing it with consistency that goes beyond just stats. ✦ PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★ National Title Caliber; ★★★ Playoff Contention; ★★ Top 25 Potential; ★ Too Unproven Starters ★★★ Kicker Justin Yoon, punter Tyler Newsome and return man CJ Sanders made their college debuts last season, and each distinguished himself positively overall. That doesn't assure continued success, and Notre Dame kickers in particular have a long history of faltering some the year after producing a stellar season, most recently David Ruffer in 2011. But the opening impressions were positive. Experience ★★★ In addition to the trio mentioned, long snapper Scott Daly enters his fourth season as a starter, and he has not had a snafu in 253 snap opportunities the past two sea- sons. If Sanders does not fully recover from his April hip surgery, some new options will audition as a return man. Junior quarterback Montgomery VanGorder is also new at holder for Yoon this year after DeShone Kizer excelled there last year. Depth ★★★ Notre Dame has plenty of options among return men if needed, although no one with legitimate game experience beyond Sanders. Senior walk-on John Cherson had a decent spring behind Yoon, and Newsome could aid the area in a pinch. So could tight end Nic Weishar at long snapper. Overall Grade ★★★ The nucleus of Yoon, Newsome, Sanders and Daly provide security, although Sand- ers took some ill-advised chances last year. What can't be overlooked is the Irish graduated an outstanding special teams leader in captain Matthias Farley. Same with Jarrett Grace. Some veteran leadership to complement the youth usually prevalent here might be the missing link. Last year, CJ Sanders was as one of seven Football Bowl Subdivision players — and the only freshman — with touchdowns via both a kick and punt return. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS BY THE NUMBERS 4 Different ways Notre Dame scored a touchdown on special teams in 2015: fake field goal, blocked punt, punt return and kick return. The last time that occurred was in 2002. 95 Points scored by kicker Justin Yoon in 2015 — the most ever by a Notre Dame freshman — on 50 extra points and 15 field goals. The previous record was 68 by 1989 freshman kicker Craig Hentrich. 822 Combined kick and punt return yards by freshman CJ Sanders in 2015. That ranks fifth most at Notre Dame, behind George Atkinson's 915 (2011), Vontez Duff's 911 (2002), Tim Brown's 857 (1987) and Theo Riddick's 849 (2009). YEAR-BY-YEAR FIELD GOAL KICKING LEADERS Year Kicker FGM-A (Pct.) 2006 Carl Gioia 8-13 (.615) 2007 Brandon Walker 6-12 (.500) 2008 Brandon Walker 14-24 (.583) 2009 Nick Tausch 14-17 (.824) 2010 David Ruffer 18-19 (.947) 2011 David Ruffer 10-16 (.625) 2012 Kyle Brindza 23*-31* (.742) 2013 Kyle Brindza 20-26 (.769) 2014 Kyle Brindza 14-24 (.583) 2015 Justin Yoon 15-17 (.882)) * School record