SDS Article

[War Machine Dawg]

SEC SIDs rank the best player at every position for 2014. (http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2014/sids-rank-best-sec-players-2014/) Totally ridiculous that Dak isn't in the discussion and there's absolutely no mention of Tubby, who is arguably the best returning WR in the SEC this season. Thought it was interesting that Bell is on the punter list.

[missouridawg]

SEC SIDs rank the best player at every position for 2014. (http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2014/sids-rank-best-sec-players-2014/) Thought it was interesting that Bell is on the punter list.


Why? Bell has been excellent when punting.

MSU message boards need to separate Field Goal Kicking from Special Teams. Our special teams have been pretty solid, inclusive of punting, punt coverage, and kickoff coverage. Kickoffs have been average. Field goal kicking has been terrible.

Bell is a great punter.

[smootness]

Well, to be fair, it wasn't a 'best of' for every position. They have most of the positions, but instead of 'Best QB,' they have categories like 'Best Passer' and 'Best Leader' and 'Most Versatile'. And he was listed as the 'next' on 'Most Underrated'.

We're Mississippi State, some people aren't going to buy that we have a great QB until he goes out there and beats them on the field and proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

[War Machine Dawg]

Why? Bell has been excellent when punting.

MSU message boards need to separate Field Goal Kicking from Special Teams. Our special teams have been pretty solid, inclusive of punting, punt coverage, and kickoff coverage. Kickoffs have been average. Field goal kicking has been terrible.

Bell is a great punter.

I totally agree that Bell is a great punter. But he only punted for maybe 5 games all of last season. Just didn't think the sample size would have been enough for him to garner enough attention to be in the punting discussion.

And unfortunately, you can't separate FGs from STs. They're as much a part of it as punting, KO, KR, and PR. And oh by the way, we were also last in the nation in PR last season and near the bottom in KO return. The ONLY thing we've been objectively good at is punting and punt coverage. KO has been mediocre, but not horrible.

[MadisonDawg]

Nick Marshall as the second best passer?

[War Machine Dawg]

Nick Marshall as the second best passer?

Makes me wonder what the hell the SIDs were doing while games were being played.

[Covercorner2]

Why? Bell has been excellent when punting.

MSU message boards need to separate Field Goal Kicking from Special Teams. Our special teams have been pretty solid, inclusive of punting, punt coverage, and kickoff coverage. Kickoffs have been average. Field goal kicking has been terrible.

Bell is a great punter.

We also had a punt blocked for a TD in the Eggbowl. Just sayin

[sandwolf]

The ONLY thing we've been objectively good at is punting and punt coverage.

Punt coverage was solid, but its hard for me to label our punting as good when they gave up 2 safeties and a touchdown in crucial situations last year.

[War Machine Dawg]

Punt coverage was solid, but its hard for me to label our punting as good when they gave up 2 safeties and a touchdown in crucial situations last year.

I can agree with that, too. But overall, we do a great job of pinning teams deep and forcing them to drive the length of the field on our D.

[sandwolf]

We also had a punt blocked for a TD in the Eggbowl. Just sayin

And a punt blocked (or mishandled by the punter) for a safety against both A&M and Kentucky, if I am not mistaken.

[sandwolf]

I can agree with that, too. But overall, we do a great job of pinning teams deep and forcing them to drive the length of the field on our D.

Agreed......if you take out those 3 plays that I am talking about, then our punt team was all around excellent. But those 3 plays were some monumental ****-ups.

[Coach34]

I totally agree that Bell is a great punter. But he only punted for maybe 5 games all of last season.



B.Swedenburg
25
1063
42.5
53
3
7
6
7
0


Devon Bell
24
990
41.2
62
2
9
14
4
1





Bell had 14 of his 24 punts downed inside the 20- and STILL averaged 41.2 per punt. It's very easy to see why he is getting all the attention he is

[bluelightstar]

Our punting has actually been really good every year except last year I think (under Mullen). Last year wasn't terrible in terms of yardage, but critical mistakes (getting multiple punts blocked, etc.) made the unit look worse than it was.

[missouridawg]

Agreed......if you take out those 3 plays that I am talking about, then our punt team was all around excellent. But those 3 plays were some monumental ****-ups.

I get your point totally, but it's not like these situations are complete breakdowns by the entire unit. All 3 of these instances involveda punter who mishandled the snap. The snaps weren't bad... it was someone not catching ball... which, to me, is something that's more a fluke than a problem.

Had those 3 mishandled snaps occurred on the 25 yards line, no one would even be talking about them. They just happened in the end zone, so everyone remembers them.

[hacker]

Our punting has actually been really good every year except last year I think (under Mullen). Last year wasn't terrible in terms of yardage, but critical mistakes (getting multiple punts blocked, etc.) made the unit look worse than it was.

We were excellent punting last year. I only remember 1 punt block. Maybe two. It happens, and it doesn't negate what we did the other 40 times we punted. What is your "etc?" You listed one thing then said "etc"

[Coach34]

we had one punt blocked that I remember- and the other was Bell dropping the ball or whatever...both just happened to be punts from the end zone

[bluelightstar]

We were excellent punting last year. I only remember 1 punt block. Maybe two. It happens, and it doesn't negate what we did the other 40 times we punted. What is your "etc?" You listed one thing then said "etc"

Blocked punt against A&M, blocked punt against Ole Miss, fumbled a punt against Kentucky. And I'm sorry, I don't think "excellent punting" includes special teams mistakes like that in 3 different games. I think it needs to be addressed, and I weigh it heavily when I'm considering how the unit did as a whole. I'm probably remembering wrong but I am quite sure mistakes like that in punting never happened before under Mullen, which is partially why I'm not all that concerned. I doubt we see it again this year.

[War Machine Dawg]

B.Swedenburg
25
1063
42.5
53
3
7
6
7
0


Devon Bell
24
990
41.2
62
2
9
14
4
1





Bell had 14 of his 24 punts downed inside the 20- and STILL averaged 41.2 per punt. It's very easy to see why he is getting all the attention he is

Once aGAIN, I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it. He completely deserves it, as all of us well know. I'm mostly just surprised the SIDs payed attention long enough to notice how good Bell is at punting. And further makes me question why Tubby was snubbed on this list. Hell, all the guy did was run, throw, and catch a TD in the same game two times this season, along with putting up 923 receiving yards. How does a guy who can do that not get mentioned as being among the elite WRs in his conference?