Barion Brown (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kentucky special teams coach Jay Boulware takes an analytical approach to every aspect of the kicking game that can alter the outcome of a game.
Recently on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk, Boulware explained how the depth of an opposing team’s kickoff is not what determines how successful UK might be returning the kick and why Barion Brown has a green light to return kickoffs from the end zone if the circumstances are right.
“When I see a team hit a flatter ball without great hang time, we just adjust the return man further back. Having a ball in hand plus grass is not what you are looking for (on the kickoff team). You don’t want to give a great return man a bunch of space,” said Boulware.
Brown has 1,016 kickoff return yards in two seasons at UK and holds the UK records and tied the SEC records for most kickoff return touchdowns in a career (4) and season (3). He led the nation in kickoff returns last season by averaging 36 yards per runback — the 17th best average in college football for a season since 1976.
“I tell Barion if the kicker does not have a great leg and even if the ball is in the end zone and he’s the return man he can bring it out because the coverage cannot get down the field that quick,” Boulware said. “That’s why he brought kicks out of the end zone last year.
“It’s the same with punt returns. You look for flat balls. In the SEC you do not get many but there are some and when you get a chance on those balls you have to take advantage with a big return.”
4 Responses
Boulware knows what’s he doing – that special teams by committee was a big of a blunder for Coach Stoops.
It’s been a problem for sure, Paul.
Special Teams run by proxy, with various position coaches giving their 10 cents worth has been a MAJOR flaw for many of the Stoops’ seasons. I’m not sure if the current coach is dedicated 100% to special teams or if he is also a position coach. If he is not 100%, then Stoops has still not learned the lesson. How many Top 10 or Top 25 or Top 8 SEC teams have gone even one season without a dedicated Special Teams coach?
its a no-brainer and if UK had an efficient AD, he would be all over Stoops about such things just as he would have been all over the fraud for not putting UK first. The AD kicked out with Pope, but needs some serious accountability and participation in sports when the HC is way off base.
bit of
Opposing teams will do whatever they can to make sure Barion doesn’t get to return the ball. They might even kick them a little shorter but very high to give the kicking team more time to get to him. I will call this. He will break the SEC record this year as a true junior and that’s incredible. In 2 years he’s passed up everybody who’s been here 4 and 5 years. He also had one called back for a blocking penalty 2 years ago. I just hope he gets a chance to return some kicks this year. I know if I was the opposing coach I would do whatever to not let him return it.
Comments are closed.