Two Kickers on the Onside Kick ... Unconventional Wisdom

[JoeFin]

I thought of the onside kick from the NE game the other night when I read this article about a high school team that tends to go against conventional wisdom. I liked that both Carpenter and Fields were out there. Of course it wasn't created by the Dolphins, but it's not something you see much.

Should the Dolphins (and other teams) be looking at what this high school coach (Kelley) is doing? Seems the guy might be the Billy Beane of football.

Down 29-0 before touching the ball

For one, Kelley doesn't believe in punting. His Bruins teams go for it on fourth down, even in the most extreme situations. His playbook is filled with tricks and gimmicks. He often forbids his players to return punts, reckoning that the odds of a fumble outstrip the incremental yards that can be gained from a return. After his team scores, it almost always attempts an onside kick. There are 12 varieties in the playbook. ...

The funny thing about Kelley: He's not a mad scientist ... he's a relentlessly rational sort whose methods have backing in data. ...

With Kelley calling plays, Pulaski scored on its first drive. Naturally, the Bruins then attempted an onside kick, which they recovered. Soon, they scored another touchdown. They repeated the drill -- onside kick, recovery, touchdown -- again. And then again. With 8:35 left in the 12-minute first quarter, Cabot trailed Pulaski 29-0 and had yet to run a play from scrimmage.

Interesting read (with videos): http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/scorecasting/09/15/kelley.pulaski/index.html
​

​

​

By the way, this high school team seems to use the two kickers idea a lot. ... Maybe non-stop onside kicks and touchdowns is the way to beat the Pats.
​

 

[ciscoholgate]

I think you have to have at least four guys on any side of the ball on kick off so the 10 man overloads have been eliminated.

I always thought that the 10 man overloads were the best way to win an onside.

 

[Uruguayfinfan]

I thought of the onside kick from the NE game the other night when I read this article about a high school team that tends to go against conventional wisdom. I liked that both Carpenter and Fields were out there. Of course it wasn't created by the Dolphins, but it's not something you see much.

Should the Dolphins (and other teams) be looking at what this high school coach (Kelley) is doing? Seems the guy might be the Billy Beane of football.

By the way, this high school team seems to use the two kickers idea a lot. ... Maybe non-stop onside kicks and touchdowns is the way to beat the Pats.
​

Interesting approach there. I liked what we did there vs NE, plus the kick was GREAT! If only there was someone who was going in the balls direction. You almost can't ask for a better onside kick.

 

[dlockz]

i dont llike the idea of two kickers for one it gives u one less guy to help recover or actually make a tackle for most part.

 

[Zounds]

It would be a hard case to make to carry 2 kickers just in case you have an onside kick that probably wont work. When you defend the onside kick, you always watch the ball and not the kicker, and I think NFL teams wouldn't have a problem defending it.