Dein erstes Forum » opened 16 points higher than the Bulls/Jazz game

LINCOLN, Neb. -- For weeks, Nebraska coach Mike Riley has been lamenting his teams inability to consistently return punts. Hes not the only coach with that problem as the punting game undergoes a dramatic transformation, with different kinds of formations and Australian kickers seemingly everywhere.The number of punt returns per game in the Bowl Subdivision since the start of the 2015 season is the lowest on record, and average yards per return also have declined.I think thats the most interesting thing in the last less-than-a-decade in college football, really -- the change in punting, punt formations, how the punts come out, Riley said.Nationally, last years per-team average was 1.57 returns a game. This seasons average is 1.59. Prior to 2006, it had never been lower than 2.23. Also, the average punt return has been less than 9 yards for seven straight seasons.In the Big Ten this year, there have been 1.85 returns per game per team. The average runback has fallen to 7.87 yards, lowest among the Power Five conferences, and only Michigan and Iowa average better than 9.Michigan star Jabrill Peppers is the Big Ten leader at 17.5 yards per return. Iowas Desmond King is next at 8.74. There are only 33 players in the FBS averaging 9 yards or better; there were 68 in 2002.One of the reasons for the drop, Riley said, is that punt-return units are facing formations that spread the field, compromising their ability to hold up coverage people at the line of scrimmage and set up blockers for a return.The different punt formations, punt styles that have come up have really made the punt-return team almost more of a defensive unit, making sure you cover everybody, Riley said. Theyre spread over the field, they go in motion, and that never used to happen in a punt. Everybody would stand back there with a personal protector, a couple of wingbacks, a couple of gunners. You knew where everybody was. You could rush or you could hold up, so its a little more complicated now.Another factor is that the art of punting has evolved with the invasion of highly skilled Australian punters into the college game.In the Big Ten, Ohio States Cameron Johnston and Marylands Wade Lees are starting for their teams. Daniel Pasquariello is the backup at Penn State, and Rutgers has Tim Gleeson, who has been injured. Johnston is fifth in the FBS at 47.2 yards per punt. Ahead of him are two of his countrymen, national leader Mitch Wishnowsky of Utah and third-place Michael Dickson of Texas.The Aussie punters typically are older and come from rugby and Australian rules football backgrounds. They often kick while moving, taking a handful of steps to the right or left before letting it fly, a far cry from the relatively immobile punters American fans are so used to. Rugby-style punts arent pretty, but they are effective, rolling toward the boundary and giving the coverage unit enough time to get downfield to limit return opportunities.They also execute sky punts that fly high and roll out, low punch shots into the wind that hit the ground and go another 15 yards, feathery pooch punts that pin opponents deep and floating, hard-to-catch knuckleball punts.Dan Orner, a private coach from Charlotte, North Carolina, who works with NFL and college punters and kickers, said the directional punt with a hang time of 4.8 to 5.1 seconds is still in high demand. But Orner said the influence of the Australians is undeniable.While were throwing the ball around at tailgates, Orner said, theyre kicking it around.The Australian influence, Orner said, has pushed American punters to add to their repertoires.Marylands Lees is the oldest player in the FBS and one of the most recent Australians to arrive. Hes a 28-year-old freshman and a former professional Australian rules football player.The only way to pass to a teammate is to kick the ball, Lees said of his old sport. To pass to my teammate, I have to kick him the ball while Im being tackled or trying to evade my defender. Accuracy and precision have to be spot-on. Thats why we can get so accurate.Lees said he first kicked an American football less than two years ago. He worked with a coach in Melbourne who helps connect Australian punters with U.S. colleges. Most of his punts are rugby-style, but he is comfortable doing whatever special teams coordinator Pete Lembo calls for in different situations, based, among other things, on where the return man is lined up and where the ball is on the field.All I have to do is just execute the punt and hope to get a fair-caught ball, Lees said, and Ive done my job.---More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org Julian Draxler Germany Jersey . 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A five-game slate is on tap in the NBA for Thursday, and were here to help you win in daily fantasy contests.Below youll find the players our experts are building their teams around, as well as some players who will be highly owned but should be faded. Our panel today consists of Renee Miller, Joe Kaiser and Kyle Soppe.Building blockKyle Soppe -- John Wall, PG, Washington WizardsSo youre telling me there are other options to build around than the fourth-most-used player against the least-efficient defense that played last night? Im not listening to that idea on a short slate tonight. Yes, I know that Wall also played last night, but the Wiz kept his minutes in check (24, his fewest since Valentines Day last season) and are expected to let him play his normal amount this evening against the Knicks. Washington is aiming to monitor his minutes during back-to-backs for health reasons, which is fine, but its an important distinction to draw as they are not doing it for production reasons. Wall actually averaged more points and rebounds (while sustaining his percentages and assist totals) on zero days rest last season than on any other amount of rest. Wall hasnt double-doubled in nearly two weeks, a streak that I feel ends tonight.Renee Miller -- Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail BlazersPoint guard is unusually tough, or easy, tonight, depending on how you look at it. Many of the normally reliable options face ugly matchups with slow-paced, defensive-minded backcourts such as Utah, Miami, New York, Milwaukee and Washington. That leaves Lillard and James Harden, facing off in tonights highest point total (and closest) game, as my top guard options. Lillard has been at his best this season at home in competitive games. I think we get the more important half of that equation right tonight, and I feel comfortable with Lillard in all formats given the alternatives.Joe Kaiser -- Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ersEmbiid sat out Wednesdays win over Washington and should have lively legs for tonights big matchup against Karl-Anthony Towns and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. While Embiids salary is rising on DraftKings and FanDuel, he remains a solid value on botth sites as he continues to make the most of every minute on the court.dddddddddddd He has a floor of around 20 and a ceiling of close to 40, which makes him a very nice option on Thursday, particularly on FanDuel, where hes cheaper.Player to fadeKyle Soppe -- Dwyane Wade, SG, Chicago BullsIts not you, its me. And by you I mean Wade and by me I mean the Jazz. Utah boasts one of the premier defenses in basketball and with them facing another bottom-10 team in terms of pace of play, I expect this to be an ugly game for fantasy purposes. The limited number of possessions will put the onus on efficiency and Im just not buying that from Wade in this spot. The 28.6-percent career three point shooter has taken 21.1-percent of his shots from distance this season (not to mention no more than five free throw attempts in six straight), not a trend I am buying long-term. Wade has yet to produce more than five dimes in a single game this year, so if the points arent there, it is going to be difficult for him to reach value tonight. If youre looking for a pivot, Id look to the Wolves Zach LaVine in what projects to be the second-highest scoring game of the night (with an implied total that opened 16 points higher than the Bulls/Jazz game)Renee Miller -- Taj Gibson, PF, Chicago BullsI include Gibson here because I already trash-talked a bunch of point guards Im not using above, and because I so often rely on him as an affordable, safe play. Gibson has his down games, and they come against formidable frontcourt defenses like Miami last week and Utah tonight. This game should be slower in pace than even the Bulls are used to, and if youre looking to save salary at a forward slot, which I think is smart, look no further than across the court at Trey Lyles tonight.Joe Kaiser -- Derrick Rose, PG, New York KnicksRose hasnt reached 30 DFS points in any of the last five games, and I dont see it happening tonight on the second of a back-to-back against a Washington team thats the best in the league at preventing DFS points to opposing point guards. ' ' '