All of Lou Hedley’s Punts w/ Field Position Stats: Hedley is a great punter for his coverage unit more than yards average shows (3 Viewers)

[SonOfNOLA]

Idk. He’s made 4 stinkers on 28 punts, that’s 14% of his attempts, plus a couple of questionable ones, which would bring his mistake rate at a whopping 21%. That’s not quite an acceptable level.
I have to concede that GB was a brutal game, and without it the outlook would be better.

Half of the bad ones happened in the GB game on the bad field there

This just means we punt a lot

Thats why field position that the punter consistently provides for his coverage unit and defense is a better way to measure a punter’s success for the Team.
Yard average rankings, high or low, doesn’t show pre/post LOS and what those punts did for the team in field position.

 

[meily]

This is the Hedley’s actually a great team fit thread. Each week some say Hedley’s not good solely based on yards averages in box scores and league rankings. They aren’t paying attention to results of the punts: the LOS he’s punting from, the LOS his punts finishes, and having consistently good ball placement for his coverage to be in the returners face on every punt.

Hedley’s punting from his own 36.5 yard line on average. A punter won’t have a big yards average with frequent short fields to work with. He has 6 50+ yard punts, a long of 55, so distance isn’t lacking.

As a directionally skilled punter, Hedley’s not punting just for distance. He’s punting for his coverage unit and giving them punts that can be downed, minimal-no return, and try to force a muffed/fumble on each attempt.

Field position is a big part of measuring how good a punter is too. A 47-50+ yard average doesn’t mean good punter for the Team when their punts allows 15-25 yard returns a lot.

I compiled all of Hedley’s punts and their field positions. All of the NO 29-NO1 yard line range punts are after all of his game punts. He hasn’t punted from deep into his own territory behind the 20 often to have a bigger sample size to go off in that range after 5 games.


ALL LOU HEDLEY’S PUNTS WITH FIELD POSITION AVERAGES STATS

Week 1 vs Tennessee
NO26 51 yards @TEN23, out of bds
NO36 52 yards @TEN12, ret 11 yards to TEN23
NO33 49 yards @TEN18, ret 12 yards to TEN30
NO44 45 yards @TEN11, ret no gain
NO43 44 yards @TEN13, ret 14 yards to TEN27
Avg punt LOS: NO36.4
Avg opp LOS after punts: TEN23
Avg landing yard-line: TEN15
Avg Yards: 48.2
Avg return yds allowed: 9.2 yards on 4 returns
IN20: 1 of 5 att
IN20 LOS: TEN11
50+ yd: 2 of 5 att

Week 2 at Carolina
NO36 29 yards @CAR35, out of bds
MID50 40 yards @CAR10, fair catch
NO39 45 yards @CAR16, ret 3 yards to CAR19
NO6 47 yards @CAR47, ret 12 yards to NO41
CAR49 49 yards @endzone, touchback
Avg punt LOS: NO36.4
Avg opp LOS after punts: CAR28
Avg landing yard-line: CAR21
Avg Yards: 42
Fair catch: 1 of 5 att
Touchback: 1 of 5 att
Avg return yds allowed: 7.5 yards on 2 returns
IN20: 2 of 5 att
Avg IN20 LOS: CAR14

Week 3 at Green Bay [slippery field]
NO16 38 yards @GB46, ret 2 yards to GB48
NO17 49 yards @GB34, ret 4 yards to GB38, hldg/GB to GB26
NO43 47 yards @GB10, out of bds
GB42 37 yards @GB5, downed by JT Gray
NO21 35 yards @GB44, out of bds, hldg/GB to GB34
NO39 41 yards @GB20, downed by JT Gray
NO24 46 yards @GB30, ret no gain, hldg/GB to GB20
Avg punt LOS: NO31
Avg opp LOS after punts: GB23
Avg landing yard-line: GB27
Avg Yards: 41.8
Downed: 2 of 7 att
Out of bounds: 2 of 7 att
Avg return yds allowed: 2 yards on 3 returns
IN20: 2 of 7 att
Avg IN20 LOS: GB7

Week 4 vs Tampa Bay
NO17 36 yards @TB47, fair catch, hldg/TB to TB37
TB49 36 yards @TB13, fair catch
NO40 52 yards @TB8, ret 7 yards to TB15
MID50 38 yards @TB12, fair catch
Avg punt LOS: NO39
Avg opp LOS after punts: TB19
Avg landing yard-line: TB20
Avg Yards: 40.5
Fair catch: 3 of 4 att
Avg return yds allowed: 7 yards on 1 return
IN20: 3 of 4 att
Avg IN20 LOS: TB11
50+ yd: 1 of 4 att

Week 5 at New England
NO41 53 yards @NE6, fair catch
NE39 39 yards @endzone, touchback
NE41 22 yards @NE19, muffed, out of bds
NO21 44 yards @NE35, fair catch
NO47 43 yards @NE10, fair catch
NO21 55 yards @NE24, downed by Summers
NO29 50 yards @NE21, ret 6 yards to NE27, hldg/NE to NE 12
Avg punt LOS: NO40
Avg opp LOS after punts: NE18
Avg landing yard-line: NE16
Avg Yards: 43.7
Fair catch: 3 of 7 att
Downed: 1 of 7 att
Touchback: 1 of 7 att
Avg return yds allowed: no official returns
IN20: 3 of 7 att
Avg IN20 LOS: NE11
50+ yd: 3 of 7 att


LOU HEDLEY’S PUNTS FROM NO29-NO1 YARD LINES WITH FIELD POSITION STATS
NO26 51 yards @TEN23, out of bds
NO6 47 yards @CAR47, ret 12 yards to NO41
NO16 38 yards @GB46, ret 2 yards to GB48
NO17 49 yards @GB34, ret 4 yards to GB38, hldg/GB to GB26
NO21 35 yards @GB44, out of bds, hldg/GB to GB34
NO24 46 yards @GB30, ret no gain, hldg/GB to GB20
NO17 36 yards @TB47, fair catch, hldg/TB to TB37
NO21 44 yards @NE35, fair catch
NO21 55 yards @NE24, downed by Summers
NO29 50 yards @NE21, ret 6 yards to NE27, hldg/NE to NE 12
Avg punt LOS: NO20
Avg opp LOS after punts: OPP’s 31
Avg landing yard-line: OPP’s 35
Avg Yards: 45.1
Attempts: 10 punts
IN25-21: 3
Avg return yds allowed: 4.5 yards on 4 returns
50+ yd punts: 3
45-49 yd punts: 3
40-44 yd punts: 1
35-39 yd punts: 3

It was one if not the main reason why the Saints decided to go with him, which was more analytical in regard to field position.

 

[26ISTHEMAN]

It would be nice if Hedley's punts collaborated further down he field

 

[SonOfNOLA]

It would be nice if Hedley's punts collaborated further down he field

Not necessary when his punts already collaborates with his coverage and doesn’t allow much of returns. They’re landing at the 19-20 yl on average. Take out 4 of the punts vs GB’s wet field and it’s below a 15 yard line average.

If he punts any further, he’ll either outkick his coverage and give up a big return like the last punter always did. Or it’s just a touchback which defeats the purpose of giving his coverage a chance to down IN15 like he has.

He’s the perfect Team punter for a coverage unit.
Rather than just a stat padder outkicking his gunners.

 

[Madmarsha]

It would be nice if Hedley's punts collaborated further down he field

 

[Mr. Coach Klein]

We’re actually top 5 in net yards per game. 221.8 is a 33 yard increase from where we finished last season. The per attempts will fluctuate based on the LOS that we’re punting from.

Theres no categories for team LOS pre punt and opp LOS post punt on yard rankings. Team field position matters more than individual yard ranks. A consistent OPP 20 yard line average is solid.

Wait, you're trying to say us punting more than 90% of teams per game is good?

Of course we have more yards. We're 4th in punt attempts per game.

 

[SonOfNOLA]

Wait, you're trying to say us punting more than 90% of teams per game is good?

Of course we have more yards. We're 4th in punt attempts per game.

I shared a yard ranking picture in reply to the yard ranking picture you shared. Neither indicates anything.

I’m saying any yard rankings are meaningless if context of field position is missing. Can’t base good punting off of yard averages without the LOS averages.

LOS provides a better picture of consistency. Who’s a good team punter who punts to put his coverage in position to allow no gains and keep the ball where it lands vs a punter who’s stat padding averages for himself and outkicking the coverage unit.

 

[Mr. Coach Klein]

I shared a yard ranking picture in reply to the yard ranking picture you shared. Neither indicates anything.

I’m saying any yard rankings are meaningless if context of field position is missing.

If yard rankings are meaningless, why did you use it as an argument when you posted the net ypg punting. Of coarse we have more when we punt 1.5 more times a game than the avg team

I think headley can improve, but hes not a top or even top half punter at this point. 70 year old morestead is better

 

[SonOfNOLA]

If yard rankings are meaningless, why did you use it as an argument when you posted the net ypg punting. Of coarse we have more when we punt 1.5 more times a game than the avg team

I think headley can improve, but hes not a top or even top half punter at this point. 70 year old morestead is better

Yard rankings was your original post. You shared a net yards rankings first showing the Saints rank low in one category and I shared one in reply to yours showing they rank high in another net yard category.

I’m not using yard rankings for an argument at all.
I completely despise yard rankings for punting because they’re 1000% useless without specific field position stats. They do not indicate what the punter is doing for field position. It only shows a yards competition for punters which is not good for the team when they’re allowing over 15 yard returns on long punts.

Punting is a team battle for field position, not a yards rankings battle for punters. Hedley’s doing great at consistently directing punts with accuracy for his coverage unit to be in position to shut down returns and keeping the ball at the 20 YL on average.

 

[DSnfla]

Someone needs to tell Rev Deuce to get off Lou’s junk.

But wait, didn't Rev Deuce take a course that tells him everything LOL

 

[bclemms]

OP, love your enthusiasm for the guy, but I just don't see it.

Those are average numbers at best for today's punters. He's far from great.

I don't see how punting from his own 36.5 yard line on average is punting on a short field. He's got plenty of field to work with (63.5 yards), but he only averages 43.3.

And if he's trying to force muffs/fumbles on each attempt, he's not doing a very good job. Only 1 muff so far, and for all we know it had as much to do with the wind as with his kicking method.

He's bottom third in the league in net yards, which is usually a better measure that takes into account distance, hang time, field position, etc.

He's had at least 1 terrible punt in each of the last 4 games. The 22 yarder from the Pats 41 was pitiful.

I'm not saying Gilliken is any better, but there's plenty of room for improvement, and I hope we bring in competition for the position next year.

Not buying the he’s so bad he’s good argument?

 

[SonOfNOLA]

In contrast, a statistically 50 yard punter produces nice looking yards for himself for high yard avg rankings but he’s an awful punter at accurately directing punts for the Team’s coverage. Inconsistent ball placement is ultimately why he lost the job to Hedley. Good punting is measured by Team field position, not individual punter yard rankings.

Week 5 vs Cincinnati
AZ22 55 yards @CIN23, ret 8 yards to CIN 23, illegal player ob/AZ to CIN 36
AZ28 48 yards @CIN24, ret 28 yards to AZ 48
AZ30 62 yards @CIN8, ret 21 yards to CIN 29
AZ31 54 yards @CIN15, ret 11 yards to CIN 26
Avg punt LOS: AZ28
Avg opp LOS after punts: CIN35
Avg landing yard-line: CIN17.5
Avg Yards: 54.8
Avg return yds allowed: 17 yards per return