Punt Returner

[Big D]

Troy Pollard says “Hi”.

Tony Pollard says

 

[xwalker]

I did a quick fact check. he fumbled 4 times with the rams in 2017 before being stripped of punt return duties. he's fumbled 17 times in a total of 158 punt returns in his career. that 1 fumble every nine punts. not good. doesn't appear he fumbled any for the cowboys. I consider him one of these guys who is always getting injured and missing games.

Yes. I'd want to keep him as the primary returner. Austin's problem in the past with fumbling has had to do with muffs, most likely from taking his eye off the ball. We used Beasley essentially for fair catches on punts deep into our territory, and I think Cobb will take over that role. The only way we'd use Cobb for more is if Austin got hurt.

Tavon Austin has had 173 Punt Returns (including post season).

He has lost 5 fumbles on Punt Returns (4 muffs, 1 strip).

He had 3 of those in 2017 after having wrist surgery before training camp.

Date …............. Detail
2015-11-22 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by C.J. Mosley and returned for no gain
2016-12-24 ….. Tavon Austin fumbles, recovered by Mike Jordan.
2017-09-10 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by Jeremiah George and returned for no gain.
2017-09-21 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by Kyle Nelson and returned for no gain
2017-10-08 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by Neiko Thorpe and returned for no gain

His regular season PR stats:
168 for 1382 yards and 3 TDs with a long of 98.

 

[gimmesix]

Tavon Austin has had 173 Punt Returns (including post season).

He has lost 5 fumbles on Punt Returns (4 muffs, 1 strip).

He had 3 of those in 2017 after having wrist surgery before training camp.

Date …............. Detail
2015-11-22 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by C.J. Mosley and returned for no gain
2016-12-24 ….. Tavon Austin fumbles, recovered by Mike Jordan.
2017-09-10 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by Jeremiah George and returned for no gain.
2017-09-21 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by Kyle Nelson and returned for no gain
2017-10-08 ….. Muffed catch by Tavon Austin, recovered by Neiko Thorpe and returned for no gain

His regular season PR stats:
168 for 1382 yards and 3 TDs with a long of 98.

He has had 17 fumbles, though, during the regular season. Just because he lost only five doesn't mean he couldn't have lost more. He's had at least two fumbles per year every year but last year and at least three in four of his six seasons.

He only had 10 returns for us during the regular season, so that's a small sample size to know if his muff problems have improved. It's certainly better than his 2017 numbers, when he had more than normal probably because of the wrist. When his number of fielded punts has been up in the 40 or 50 range, he's consistently fumbled at least a couple. I'm not sure how many he'd field for us in a full season if we use someone else in the fair catch situations, which I think we should do based on his history (not just 2017).

 

[jazzcat22]

I don't want a muffer returning punts for my team. I would prefer he not make the team. the jet sweeps just aren't worth it. it will be interesting to see who we keep as wr's. there are some potential good rookies among the group, but as we know, rookies looking good in ota's aren't the same as rookies in games.

I hope the do away with the jet sweep, or not use it as often. Also the quick out pass where the try to get a quick pass right near where the Wr lines up but it is to the slot guy,. Not sure what the play is called. It works at time, but not all that often like they hope it would.

I think that play cost us the GB playoff game when the GB player ju,
Ed it and intercepted it. It was a 10 to 14 point swing.

 

[Typhus]

Austin and Beasley were the only players that returned Punts in 2018.

Beasley is obvious gone.

With Austin's injury history, they have to find a second Punt Returner.

College Return Stats
(#, yards, avg, TDs)
Reggie Davis

KR 47, 998, 21.2, 0
PR 34, 251, 7.4, 1​

Cedrick Wilson

KR 31, 742, 23.9, 0
PR 10, 132, 13.2, 0​

Tony Pollard

KR 87, 2616, 30.1, 7
PR 2, 11, 5.5, 0​

Jourdan Lewis

KR 24, 529, 22, 0
PR 2, -1, -0.5, 0​

Mike Weber

KR 9, 143, 15.9, 0
PR 0, 0, 0, 0​

Devin Smith

KR 13, 240, 18.5, 0
PR 5, 18, 3.6, 0​

Austin too valuable, too delicate,, huge asset when healthy.
Pollard was drafted to fill this role,, check out Memphis tape.

 

[unionjack8]

Heath

He can do it all.....

 

[big dog cowboy]

Austin and Beasley were the only players that returned Punts in 2018.

Beasley is obvious gone. With Austin's injury history, they have to find a second Punt Returner.

Need a #1 not a #2.

The name you are looking for is Pollard.

 

[Howboutdemcowboys31]

Heath

Can’t man he’s the backup kicker!

 

[Hardline]

Get Deion Sanders to come out of retirement.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Austin too valuable, too delicate,, huge asset when healthy.
Pollard was drafted to fill this role,, check out Memphis tape.

*checks tape*

Two punt returns for 11 yards

Hmmm

 

[Typhus]

*checks tape*

Two punt returns for 11 yards

Hmmm

From 2015 - 2018
87 returns
2616 yds
30.1 avg
7 tds.
Kick returns,,
now go nit pick all you want.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

From 2015 - 2018
87 returns
2616 yds
30.1 avg
7 tds.
Kick returns,,
now go nit pick all you want.

Yeah, those aren't punt returns. Kick off returns and punt returns are different things, just by the way.

Take your L my dude, and go check the tape.

 

[beware_d-ware]

KR is different from PR. KR is basically a straight-line sprint, whereas with a PR, you have to accelerate very quickly and make people miss in close quarters.

Pollard has the hands and vision to return punts, but he seems more like a lanky straight-line sprinter to me than a punt returner. He could probably do the job if called upon, but he wouldn't be my first choice for it.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Based on what I see on nfl.com, he has no fumbles on kickoffs (25 attempts).

I got it backwards. It seems bizarro. His fumbles came on punts and not on kicks
https://cowboyszone.com/threads/tavon-austin-no-fumble-problem-on-offense.406390/

But we had him return returned 10 punts and 0 kicks.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2018.htm

This one summarizes the problem for Austin - muffing punts.
https://cowboyszone.com/threads/tavon-austin-no-fumble-problem-on-offense.406390/page-2#post-8199046

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Austin and Beasley were the only players that returned Punts in 2018.

Beasley is obvious gone.

With Austin's injury history, they have to find a second Punt Returner.

College Return Stats
(#, yards, avg, TDs)
Reggie Davis

KR 47, 998, 21.2, 0
PR 34, 251, 7.4, 1​

Cedrick Wilson

KR 31, 742, 23.9, 0
PR 10, 132, 13.2, 0​

Tony Pollard

KR 87, 2616, 30.1, 7
PR 2, 11, 5.5, 0​

Jourdan Lewis

KR 24, 529, 22, 0
PR 2, -1, -0.5, 0​

Mike Weber

KR 9, 143, 15.9, 0
PR 0, 0, 0, 0​

Devin Smith

KR 13, 240, 18.5, 0
PR 5, 18, 3.6, 0​

TONY!!!!!!
Hollah and brings me a dollah

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

KR is different from PR. KR is basically a straight-line sprint, whereas with a PR, you have to accelerate very quickly and make people miss in close quarters.

Me coach never told me that!
Well, that explains a lot.
Bastid.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

while it's nice to have an electrifying punt returner, it is more important to me that the punt is not fumbled. that's why bease was our guy. sure hands. Austin has the moves, but fumbles too often on punt returns. cobb was injured last year. prefer he not do it unless it's playoff time.

Oy! What you going to do?
One or de other, as I told Mable.
Life hands us traables. TraablEs with a capital E.
And choices. Ay!
We go as destiny takes us, OK Mr. Long pants?
Hollah

 

[Bullflop]

Wilson had the best average at 13.2 per PR. He'd stand a chance of doing it.

Of course, that would be providing that he'd make the active roster in games.

If that failed to materialize, I think Pollard would be the logical choice to do it.

 

[Typhus]

Yeah, those aren't punt returns. Kick off returns and punt returns are different things, just by the way.

Take your L my dude, and go check the tape.

Im not taking no L,,, lol
Lets see how it plays out in camp, I like the options this team has now in the return dept, rather its a kickoff or punt.
Hands and speed have both improved., and BTW,, yes I do understand the difference.

 

[G2]

Can’t man he’s the backup kicker!

But he's like a Swiss Army Knife!