CFB 27 The Punt Return Game: Hidden Yardage That Wins Field Position Battles

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CFB 27 The Punt Return Game: Hidden Yardage That Wins Field Position Battles

       Punt returns are the most overlooked source of hidden yardage in CFB 27. Most players fair catch every punt or let the CPU handle returns automatically, surrendering the 5-15 yards per return that elite return specialists can generate. Over the course of a season, those yards add up to the equivalent of several additional possessions.

The returner selection is the foundation of an effective punt return game. Speed and acceleration are the most important attributes, but elusiveness and ball carrier vision are close behind. A returner with 95 speed and 90 acceleration but 70 elusiveness will get to the first defender quickly and then be tackled. A returner with 90 speed and 90 elusiveness will make the first defender miss and turn a 10-yard return into a 25-yard return.

The decision to fair catch or return is the most important choice in the punt return game. The game mechanics provide a brief window after the punt is kicked to assess the coverage and decide whether the returner has space. A fair catch is the correct decision when the coverage team is within 10 yards of the returner when he catches the ball. A return is viable when there is 15 yards or more of space between the returner and the nearest coverage player.

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The blocking scheme for punt returns is fundamentally different from kickoff returns. On punt returns, the blocking is set up to create a wall on one side of the field, giving the returner a defined lane to run through. The returner job is to catch the ball, identify the wall, and accelerate through the lane before it closes. The return is about timing and vision more than pure speed.

The field position impact of punt returns is measured in hidden yardage. A 10-yard punt return turns a net punt of 42 yards into a net punt of 32 yards, which equates to better starting field position for the offense. Over the course of a game with six punts, a 10-yard average return generates 60 yards of hidden field position advantage. That is essentially an extra possession worth of field position.

The risk-reward calculation of punt returns must account for the muff possibility. Attempting to return a punt in traffic increases the risk of a muffed catch that gives the ball back to the opponent in excellent field position. The decision to return should factor in the game situation; a return attempt in a close game carries more risk than a return attempt in a blowout.

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