[youtube][/youtube]
Since that kick return in 2000 by Julius Jones, Notre Dame has returned just two kickoff’s for touchdowns – both by Vontez Duff (96 yards vs. Purdue in 2001 & 92 yards vs. Navy in 2002). And if knowing that Notre Dame has returned just 2 kickoffs for touchdowns in the last six seasons doesn’t depress you enough, its been 174 consecutive kickoffs without the Irish taking one all the way (8 in 2002, 46 in 2003, 41 in 2004, 34 in 2005, and 45 in 2006).
The last two seasons especially its been a rare treat for the Irish to return to close to mid field. There are some young players on the team who may have the ability to become good return men – Armando Allen, Munir Prince, and Golden Tate from these last two classes immediately come to mind. With David Grimes stepping into a full time receiver role, he will likely not see any time on kickoffs this year. George West was solid and showed some promise on returns in 2006, but didn’t really show that extra gear very often.
The problem, however, is not just the return men. Blocking on kickoffs has been anything but solid. All one has to do is look at that 2000 Nebraska game to see how a team can overcome a gap in talent against elite teams. Special teams can change a game around, and until Notre Dame has a defense that can go shot for shot with high powered offenses, an emphasis should be placed on fixing the special teams.
Brian Polian hasn’t done much with the special teams since he was placed in charge of them two years ago. It’s time for him to crack or get off the pot. New defensive coordinator Corwin Brown has special teams experience from his days at UVA, but it’s not really fair to ask one coach to fix the special teams AND the defense… is it?
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
He’s still just a sophomore. He’s got time. Jones was a junior in this clip and this was his only kick return for a touchdown in his career.
Still wating…09/21/08