Even getting to middle-of-the-pack in all categories would be an improvement over recent years. I pulled some stats for comparison:

How LSU ranked in 2024:

10th in SEC, 56th nationally in FG%

Burrell ranked 1st in the SEC and 4th nationally with 64.8 yds/KO

LAST in SEC in average yards/punt (39.6)

15th in SEC in net punting (35.5)

1st in SEC in average yards/kick return (27.6), helped by 2 KO return TDs (Zavion Thomas led the SEC and was 4th nationally among KO returners with at least 20 attempts)

14th in SEC in average yards/punt return (4.7) (Thomas had 14 returns for 66 yards on the year)

While kickoffs and kickoff returns were a bright spot and should continue with those players coming back, punting and punt returns need to improve. Grant Chadwick (transfer from MTSU) ranked #63 nationally with a 43.4 average per attempt.and #29 nationally in net punting, so we should be somewhat better there.

On placekicking, Ramos has been solid though not spectacular but shouldn't be a particular cause for concern.

Ramos stats:
Career XP
173/176
98.2%

Career FG
45/58
77.5%

Career long 50 yards

23/29, 79.3% in 2024 (Ranked 11th in the SEC and 56th nationally among kickers with at least 10 attempts)

Anybody have intel on how our special teams is looking and whether we're likely to see improvement?

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Posted by TopWaterTiger

Lake Charles, LA

Member since May 2006

11935 posts

Posted on 8/26/25 at 12:36 pm to St8lyOaks

quote:
Even getting to middle-of-the-pack in all categories would be an improvement over recent years.

I can only hope for and agree with this statement. Its the small details like this that separate the pretenders from the contenders. LSU has had several special teams gaffs over the Kelly years that have cost them. Gotta do better with Special Teams.

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Posted by thunderbird1100

GSU Eagles fan

Member since Oct 2007

71482 posts

Posted on 8/26/25 at 12:45 pm to St8lyOaks

Returns is a pretty useless stat compared to things like net punting because there's just so few returns now and you basically either get lucky with 1 (maybe 2) returns for TDs or dont. For example look at our kick return stats prior to the last 2 games where we returned 2 for TDs. In every game before Oklahoma we had 22 kick returns for 494 yards which is 22.45 yards per return (would have been good enough for 4th in SEC), tack on the last 2 games and we go all the way up to almost 28 yards per return.

Whats so much more important is what we already were good at - kicking off for touchbacks very grand majority of the time (limiting returns altogether) and NET punting, which we sucked at with just 34.3 (ESPN stat used here) yards and gross punt of UNDER 40 yards which is just embarrassing.

Biggest improvement we hopefully make is in punting the ball, if we get lucky with a return or two, thats great, but hardly something you can count on.

Ole Miss had 10 more NET yards per punt than we had, that is VERY impactful when you consider you punt the ball about 3-4 times a game or so. That is 30-40 more yards per game Ole Miss opponents started further back after a punt than we had our teams start last season.

This post was edited on 8/26/25 at 12:49 pm

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Posted by Reeaholic

Moss Bluff

Member since Jun 2019

1247 posts

Posted on 8/26/25 at 12:52 pm to St8lyOaks

Well for starters they hired a guy to coach special teams. They also now break down at practice and go over individual drills according to each position, ie gunner, wedge, etc with each group having their own coach. The NCAA allowing analysts now to coach at practice has allowed us to do this. And given our depth at almost all positions, you should see a higher caliber player at each spot on special teams too.

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Posted by CatfishJohn

Member since Jun 2020

18557 posts

Posted on 8/26/25 at 12:58 pm to thunderbird1100

I’m hoping Barion and Zavon are given more green lights to return this year. They can flip a game.

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Posted by KamaCausey_LSU

Member since Apr 2013

16971 posts