FSU Football: 3 reasons Noles should fair catch every kickoff
By Kelvin Hunt
Percentages
Willie Taggart is right that FSU football has the athletes capable of running a kickoff back for a touchdown.
However, it takes way more than someone that’s fast to be effective at returning kickoffs. The percentages of actually returning a kickoff for a touchdown or breaking a long run have to be in single digits.
In fact, only two teams in the FBS are averaging more then 30 yards per kickoff return. To make matters worse, FSU has only returned two kickoffs for touchdowns since 2009.
Both of them came in 2013 with true freshman Kermit Whitfield returning kickoffs. When was the last time FSU football was receiving a kickoff and you thought they might break a long run or even score a touchdown?
The new kickoff rules that allow teams to catch the ball anywhere and fair catch to receive the ball at the 25 yard line are just giving away free yards.
Just take the free yards and eliminate the opportunity to get a block in the back penalty or tackled at the 15 yard line. That ten yard difference is huge in terms of field position as the Noles are only averaging 19.3 yards per kickoff return.