Our kick return game still needs work

I'm tired of seeing our kick returners get killed moments after they catch the ball because there is no blocking. Meanwhile, when we kick, our defenders have to plow through ten blockers to catch their returner! Why???!!!! It has been this way for Hamilton for years!!!!!!!!!!!

This (and the lack of FOUR productive receivers) is my only real complaint against the Ticats in 2007.

Pretty valid complaint. We DO need better blocking, and Cory Holmes returning punts. I like Jojo as a receiver, but not as a returner. He scares me when he makes over-the-shoulder catches, lets the ball bounce, and never seems to take that CRUCIAL first step upfield and instead daces around trying to make the cover men miss.

Reminds me too much of Yeast, but I digress.

The receivers MUST run proper routes, they MUST come back to the QB in order to help him if he gets flushed out of the pocket, and they MUST fight for the ball.

Give jojo Some time...

The kid is Fast and was great KR in Collage.
I am shure with Coaching any Error can be fixed.

As a receiver, yes. I am still not convinced that he's our answer for punt returns.

I agree with sigpig that JoJo Walker has shown good potential as a receiver but, other than one nice punt return that was called back due to a penalty, he has not yet been able to break past the first wave of tacklers on punt returns for whatever reasons.

Ironically, when JoJo Walker was at Maryland (2002-2005), the first string kick/punt returner from 2002 to 2004 was Steve Suter (2001-2004), who played briefly for the Ticats in 2005. Unfortunately, Suter sustained a serious injury to his shoulder twice within the first six weeks of the 2005 season and either retired or was released by the team.

As a point of interest, here are the career college stats of JoJo Walker and Steve Suter at Maryland:

Walker
Kick Returns- 49/1081, 22.06 avg., 0 TDs
Punt Returns- 35/261, 7.46 avg., 0 TDs

Suter
Kick Returns- 52/1259, 24.21 avg., 0 TDs
Punt Returns- 121/1271, 10.50 avg., 6 TDs

Jojo seems to catch too many punts while backpedaling, then that causes him to take too long to get going forward again. Maybe he needs to line up an extra 5 yards back.

I think that if Holmes isn't going to be used on offense then he should be returning every kick.. punt or kickoff.

Put them both back there.
Then one can make that first block for the other, and there's less chance of it being from behind causing the return to be called back.
It opens up potential for reverses too.

lol you guys are to funny.

thats why they have both of them on kick return. that way one can block.

and if both had better blockers then you would see big returns.

plus you have to put your faster guy back there with punts thats not scared to get hit.
you ask me a 4.34 is real fast.

The return game is good.

JUST NEED BLOCKERS

and for the record thats what they talk about in practice all the time: Blockers

agreed. blocking is the main reason for the lack of decent returns. there aren't many returners that can consistently have long returns without blocking in front of them.

dId Yeast not take a bunch of punts,kick returns, and missed field goals for TD’s? It’s amazing how everyone finds a way to slam Yeast even when he isn’t on the team anymore.

JoJo can be coached properly at this point in his career. Yeast couldn't or wouldn't. I see MUCH more promise in JoJo than I saw in Yeast.

End of comparison. My original point stands.

Can anyone say Khalil Hill? I know some will question his bad attitude, but you can't argue with his talent. Is he playing for Saskatchewan or is he injured? Are we going to get rid of every talented player with attitude? If so, we'll have a losing team with great attitude.

Yeast gets slammed because he consistatly failed to get decent runbacks and fumbled far too often. Its a comparison. Is it fair? Its alittle early to tell but Yeast is a yardstick most can remember

Holmes needs to be in the offense more, not on punt returns.

As far as I'm concerned, Walkers' SB spot should be filled by Holmes while we've got him.

Walker could be a great return guy. He's so fast and with more play and practice could become an incredible player on thsi team going forward.

As for right now though, I think his receiver spot is best filled by Holmes.