Special Teams 2014

Originally posted by thl408:
Obviously a lot will be decided in pre-season, but my predictions for STs are:

Out > In

Dixon > Costanzo
Moody > Borland
Dahl > Ward

That leaves the 10 guys on kickoff coverage as: Morris, Osgood, Ventrone, Costanzo, Spillman, Borland, Wilhoite, Ward, Lemonier, Skuta.

If Ward can't handle STs, then put in some other backup DB, maybe DJohnson. That's 3 guys that are designated STers in Osgood, Ventrone, and Costanzo. Not sure the staff would do that since last year there were only 2 specialized STers (Osgood, Ventrone). I think Costanzo is a direct threat to Ventrone's spot on the roster should the team only carry 2 specialized STers.

I have all 3 making the team as well and that is one hell of a ST unit (with or w/o Ward)! Thanks for the clarifications on Spillman/Morris.

Anyone want to make predictions on who will win the return duties (and why)? Does anyone have stats on ST over the past 3 years; how are the judged? Tackles, first down, pancakes (saw one related to this), # diverting the returners, penalties, etc.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by WINiner:
Thinking Ventrone, Dahl, Osgood are goners.

I tend to think that Craig Dahl will be cut.

His cap number is high---1,283,333.

With the addition of Bethea and Ward, Dahl at best is the 4th safety on the team.

CJ Spillman is better on special teams, has gotten playing time at safety and is much cheaper---158,334.

Spillman sticks and Dahl leaves.


I am not sure about Ventrone and Osgood. I would not classify them as goners, not yet anyway.
But, with the addition of Blake Costanzo, I do think that one of them will get cut.

Agreed. I think McCray may have more potential as a true S (plus Dontae Johnson and Jimmie Ward can play there as well) PLUS he's cheaper AND has serious return abilities and has the most experience in returning punts/kickoffs. He's got an outside shot here...

Agree, Dahl is a goner. If two of the rooks can prove to be worthy (on ST) in camp / preseason, then it's probably bye bye to Ventrone / Osgood as well.

Who will be our return specialist or specialists in the coming year?

Here are numbers to consider as we go forward.

David Reed WR 6-0 190

Fifth round pick by Baltimore in 2010. He played three years for the Ravens and part of a year for Colts.

He has been targeted 12 times and has 6 receptions for 68 yards. He has 2 rushes for 31 yards.

He is nominally a wide receiver, but he has more tackles than receptions.
He has 21 tackles (18 solo and 3 assists) and 4 forced fumbles.

He has returned 63 kick-offs for 1740 yards and 1 touchdown. His longest return was 103 yards.

Buck. Do you happen to have ST coverage results? I'm not even sure how they are tallied. Those charts above are very helpful BTW.

Originally posted by WINiner:

Thinking Ventrone, Dahl, Osgood are goners.

No way.

Dahl maybe. But Ventrone and Osgood are stellar.

Originally posted by JimHarbaugh:

Originally posted by WINiner:
Thinking Ventrone, Dahl, Osgood are goners.

No way.

Dahl maybe. But Ventrone and Osgood are stellar.

Got blake. one of em is expendable especially osgood with the WR's on the team.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Buck. Do you happen to have ST coverage results? I'm not even sure how they are tallied. Those charts above are very helpful BTW.

I have been thinking about looking for them. I have found one site that lists special team tackles.

I am compiling the information, but I am just about to go out, eat a good meal, and have about five drinks.

Teaser: It looks like SF had three players in the top ten for special team tackles in 2013, and Ventrone was ranked 11th.

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by NCommand:
Buck. Do you happen to have ST coverage results? I'm not even sure how they are tallied. Those charts above are very helpful BTW.

I have been thinking about looking for them. I have found one site that lists special team tackles.

I am compiling the information, but I am just about to go out, eat a good meal, and have about five drinks.

Teaser: It looks like SF had three players in the top ten for special team tackles in 2013, and Ventrone was ranked 11th.

Epic! As always, you are the man...no rush at all...heading out myself right now as well. Have a great one!

So who is going to make our starting ST roster ?

The top special team tackler in each of the pas three years had 21 or 22 special team tackles.

Here are the tackles for current 49ers over the past three years.



Wilhoite was a surprise.

compiled from

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/player-stat/defense-special-teams-total-tackles

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Buck. Do you happen to have ST coverage results? I'm not even sure how they are tallied. Those charts above are very helpful BTW.

I have been thinking about looking for them. I have found one site that lists special team tackles.

I am compiling the information, but I am just about to go out, eat a good meal, and have about five drinks.

Teaser: It looks like SF had three players in the top ten for special team tackles in 2013, and Ventrone was ranked 11th.

Epic! As always, you are the man...no rush at all...heading out myself right now as well. Have a great one!

I posted the special team tackles.

My post seems intelligible considering that I had 1 porter, 4 pisco sours, and a liquor made from chamomile.

I am at home and on my 3rd porter.

Originally posted by WINiner:
Thinking Ventrone, Dahl, Osgood are goners.

not all 3, I agree though out of our ST only type guys including Ventrone, Osgood, Costanzo, Mooris, Dahl, Spillman (not counting Skuta because he proved to be a darn good LB last year) I can't see all of them making it. IMP Spillman and Morris are locks, Spillman is good in the RZ at S and Morris has potential at CB, that leaves the 3 you mentioned. With the competition at WR, IMO it's either Osgood or Lloyd and I believe the Costanzo signing may have been to add another specialist in the event we cut Osgood with Lloyd looking so good in OTAs, Ventrone was a beast last year and Dahl has starting S experience, going to be some tough cuts this year.

Originally posted by buck:
I posted the special team tackles.

My post seems intelligible considering that I had 1 porter, 4 pisco sours, and a liquor made from chamomile.

I am at home and on my 3rd porter.

That was VERY impressive buck! Well done!

Originally posted by buck:
The top special team tackler in each of the pas three years had 21 or 22 special team tackles.

Here are the tackles for current 49ers over the past three years.



Wilhoite was a surprise.

compiled from

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/player-stat/defense-special-teams-total-tackles

Michael Wilhoite (16)
C.J. Spillman (16)
Kassim Osgood (15)
Raymond Ventrone (14)
Dan Skuta (8)

This is fascinating. http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/other-touchdowns-per-game

There is a bunch of ST team stats in this link. I wonder if we can make any sense of these stats...
Non-Offensive Touchdowns per Game
Field Goal Attempts per Game
Field Goals Made per Game
Field Goals Got Blocked per Game
Punt Attempts per Game
Punts Got Blocked per Game
Gross Punt Yards per Game
Net Punt Yards per Game
Kickoffs per Game
Touchbacks per Game
Kickoff Touchback Percentage - we are 26th in this category and once again, it hurt us in the playoffs when teams are getting returns on us b/c we can't kick the ball out of the EZ.
Field Goal Conversion Percentage
Field Goal Got Blocked Percentage
Field Goal Conversion Percentage (Excluding Blocks)
Punt Blocked Percentage
Net Yards per Punt Attempt
Gross Yards per Successful Punt
Net Yards per Successful Punt