SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY IN 2001
Five punts blocked road to success 
By: Richard Linde, 29 May 2002

At the end of last season (2001), the Washington Huskies finished in the bottom half of the Pac-10 in 3 out of 6 Special Teams categories. Although the Huskies finished third in kickoff returns and third in punt returns, those statistics were padded by long runs garnered against Idaho in a 53-3 rout, which took place early in the season. 

In spite of some memorable special-teams highlights, having five punts blocked during the season is what will be most remembered.

Tables 1 and 2 below show how the Huskies' Special Teams and players fared in the Pac-10 last season.

Table 1. Special Teams Categories in 2001

 

Table 2. Individual Categories in 2001

   

Although Derek McLaughlin finished second in punting average (Table 2), he had five punts blocked during the season. They occurred in the Michigan, UCLA, ASU, and WSU (2) games. 

This April, during the spring game, the Whites blocked a Purple's punt in the second quarter. According to Coach Rick Neuheisel, the long snapper wasn’t up to speed and some members of scout team who were on the punt team didn’t give McLaughlin adequate protection after a bad snap. The punt was blocked and McLaughlin bruised his kicking foot as a result of being bowled over.  After that, the Huskies went puntless for the rest of the game.  

During the regular season, John Anderson's field goal kicking was marred by a several failed attempts that came from the right-hash mark. Partly due to the mental thing that is associated with kicking from the right hash and the fact that he was hampered at times by a strain to the hip flexor muscles on his right side, he finished 7th in the conference in field-goal percentage. 

During the spring game, two of his field goals were successful from the right hash, and he seemed to be getting good distance on his kickoffs. This next season (2002) should be an outstanding one for Anderson, providing he stays  healthy.

Special-teams-wise there were some highs and lows last season. Here are a few of them.

 

Some of the highs:

• Idaho: After Idaho’s Brian Pope kicked a 38-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3, Roc Alexander ran the ensuing kickoff back 95 yards at the 11:39 mark in the first quarter. Washington took a 10-3 lead.





• Idaho: After Washington’s Larry Tripplett blocked a field goal attempt, Chris Massey scooped the ball off the ground and ran it back 69 yards for a touchdown, which was the last play of the first quarter. Washington took a 17-3 lead against Idaho.





• Idaho: With 3:05 remaining in the second quarter, Charles “ET” Frederick returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown against Idaho, his first of the year, the second time he’d touched a ball in a regular season game for Washington.




• California: Enjoying the warm winds that kept him loose, Derek McLaughlin cannonaded a 74-yard punt in the early going against the Bears, which is a school record. He did that backed up in his own end zone, with the ball on the Dawgs' one yard line. The previous record was 73 yards, which was held by Ryan Fleming (BYU 1999) and Don Feleay (Navy 1975). McLaughlin averaged 49.7 yards per punt, on 7 punts in the game. Charles Frederick had a 27-yard punt return.



• USC: The Huskies worked the ball to the Trojan 15-yard line, where John Anderson, pictured above, kicked a 32-yard field goal to win the game, with only 3 seconds remaining on the clock.




• Arizona: Roc Alexander ran a kickoff 74 yards to the Wildcats' 15-yard line late in the fourth quarter.





• ASU: With a first and goal to go, Washington ran the clock down to 3 seconds, and John Anderson kicked a 30-yard field goal to win the game for Washington, 33-31.





• Against Oregon State Derek McLauhlin launched 7 punts, averaging 43.7 yards per punt in a losing effort.

Some of the lows:

• Michigan scored a safety as a result of a Derek McLauglin blocked punt and took a 2-0 lead in the first quarter.





• UCLA's Marcus Reese blocked a Derek McLaughlin punt and Jybril Raymo recovered the ball on the six-yard line and ran it in for a touchdown at 2:08, giving UCLA a 21-0 lead.





• Muffed return play: Against Arizona, Mathias Wilson hit Charles Frederick in the back on a punt return causing a fumble, which was recovered by Arizona deep in Washington territory.





• ASU: In the third quarter, with Washington leading 23-17, Arizona State blocked a Washington punt and Omare Lowe wisely kicked the ball through the end zone for a safety. On the ensuing punt, the ball went out of bounds and ASU was given a short field to work with from the 50 yard line. Seconds later, Jeff Krohn connected with Shaun McDonald on a 33-yard touchdown pass and ASU had the lead, 25-24. 





• Miami: After a low snap from center, punter Derek McLaughlin was tackled in end zone for a safety against the Miami Hurricanes. The 'Canes took a 23-0 lead. The ensuing punt was run back to the Husky 15-yard line. Seconds later, the 'Canes took a 30-0 lead.





• Washington State's special teams came through in the second quarter against Washington's special teams. "Following a D.D. Acholonu sack of Pickett, Derek McLaughlin's punt was blocked by Jeremy Bohannon, who came through the right side of the Husky line past Marquis Cooper. The ball squirted forward to the 25-yard line and WSU was in business. A UW defensive holding penalty moved the ball to the Husky 15-yard line. One play later Gesser found Mike Bush and threaded a perfect pass through tight coverage by Wondame Davis to tie the score at 7-7." [Samek].





• WSU: After Washington's drive stalled at midfield. another McLaughlin punt was blocked, this time by D.D. Acholonu who ran by Omare Lowe's block enough to deflect the boot. Fortunately for the Huskies, WSU was not able to do anything with the ball.





• Texas: Against the Longhorns in the Holiday Bowl, the outcome might have been different for the Huskies had they opted not to go for a two-point conversion after taking a 19-point lead in the third quarter. Needing a field goal with just 38 seconds left to tie the score would have been a whole lot easier than needing a touchdown, as was the case, since the Dawgs were behind by four. 



Before going for the two-point conversion, Head coach Rick Neuheisel seemed visibly angered with assistant coach Steve Axman, who may have called for a one-point try. 

Willie Hurst ended up throwing a terrible pass into the end zone that went for naught, one that was worse looking than a presidential pitch to start the baseball season.  

Reference:

Samek, David, "Huskies bounce back to down WSU," www.dawgman.com, 17 November 2001.