SIAP: Damon Powell Punt Returner

HawkIMalaise

HawkIMalaise

Banned
This is not meant to take away anything from KMM and his two returns against WMU. However, en light of his injury and the fact Powell clearly looks like the fastest guy in the program is there a reason he is not returning kicks?
 
Interesting idea. if he can field punts, if he's got the mentality of a punt returner, he could be awesome.
 
He probably isn't our 2nd best PR. I haven't been able to find any proof of him returning punts at juco. If he was so good at returning punts, don't you think they'd have tried him at juco?
 
I imagine the staff wanted to devote his time to learning the offense and avoid putting too much on his plate.
 
I don't know anything about Riley McCarron, does he have any wheels?

Powell seems to have consistent hands (cough Don Shumpert cough) so I thought about him returning kicks.
 
Also you have to think about the stature of Powell. He is a quick guy but punt returners will get lit up from time to time. I would rather not risk injury to him.
 
Casey388 said:
Also you have to think about the stature of Powell. He is a quick guy but punt returners will get lit up from time to time. I would rather not risk injury to him.
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Why? He doesn't even start. Perhaps I was young and impressionable at the time, but am I crazy to look back and not think of one punt returner who has been electrifying as Tim Dwight was? In my mind he seemed to be in a league of his own in Hawkeye kick returning lore.
 
HawkIMalaise said:
This is not meant to take away anything from KMM and his two returns against WMU. However, en light of his injury and the fact Powell clearly looks like the fastest guy in the program is there a reason he is not returning kicks?
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I don't think speed is really a factor for the staff in picking a PR. They want a guy who won't fumble.
 
Speed/quicks don't translate into punt return specialist. It all comes down to vision and reading blocks. Certainly his hands are a big part of it too. I'd be husky any to second guess the staff on this one. Too many variables that we don't know.

Furthermore, the guy is tiny. You put him out there returning punts and he is liable to come back to the sidelines dead or missing a head or something (and no, that wasn't a shot at MSU who thinks its ok to rip a helmet off of a player).
 
Eda said:
Speed/quicks don't translate into punt return specialist. It all comes down to vision and reading blocks. Certainly his hands are a big part of it too. I'd be husky any to second guess the staff on this one. Too many variables that we don't know.

Furthermore, the guy is tiny. You put him out there returning punts and he is liable to come back to the sidelines dead or missing a head or something (and no, that wasn't a shot at MSU who thinks its ok to rip a helmet off of a player).
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Trindon Holliday says hello.
 
HawkIMalaise said:
He was implying that small guys get hurt returning punts.
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It is a possibility. Obviously a big returner can get hurt just the same. Like I said, there are also other skills that go into returning punts. KMM is doing a good job back there. He is sure handed and can make big plays. I think I would keep him back there rather than trying my luck with Powell, just to see if he'd be any good.
 
Returning punts is about more than speed. Speed helps, but reading blocks, ball security and field awareness are all part of it. Not saying Powell can't do those things, but, he may not have shown them in practice or had the chance to do so.
 
I dont care if we put Carl Davis back there, if he can catch and not fumble. Catching the punt is so much more important than actually returning it. if you can advance, thats just the cream on top. But, actually catching it and taking what they give you far trumps advancing the ball on that one.
 
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