By EPA/game, no ACC team was better on KOs than Pitt, none worse than BC. On punts, best was VT, worst was GT.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Georgia Tech netted 31.17 yards-per-punt last year — the worst mark in FBS. In fact, in the playoff era, only 2017 Arizona was worse among P5 schools.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
If you fair catch a kickoff, the offense starts its drive at its own 25-yard line. I note this because VT's average starting field position following a kickoff was its own 24.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
No team had better average starting field position on drives beginning with a KO than Syracuse (28.9).
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
No team had better KO coverage than NC State (24.4). Pitt was right behind (24.7). BC and UVA were worst in ACC.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
On drives that began with a KO or P, Miami's D allowed 1.69 points/drive – same as FSU. On all other drives, the Canes allowed 3.23 points/drive, worst in the ACC and 122nd nationally.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Like turnovers, starting field position is one of the metrics most closely correlated to wins and losses. Of course, like turnovers, it's also one of the metrics that tends to regress to the mean YoY. All of which is to set up the following tweet…
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Duke's average starting field position margin was +7.4. The next best in the ACC was Florida State at 3.3. Of the many things about Duke's 2022 that seem unsustainable, that might top the list.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Duke started 18.7% of its offensive drives in plus territory. Just 5.4% of Duke's opponent drives began in plus territory. Both stats led the ACC.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
One-third of Miami's offensive TDs last year came on drives that started at midfield or better. Just 5% of Virginia's did.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Virginia punted 12 times in plus territory in just 10 games.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
BC and FSU each missed eight field goals last year and four each inside 40. UNC missed five FGs inside 40 yards, most in the ACC.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Oregon State and Liberty were the only teams to finish with a winning record and a worse FG% than Florida State.
If we only look at drives that began with a kickoff or punt, Duke again had the best avg starting field position margin — but just +4.5. NC State was 2nd at +3.7. Worst was GT at -5.4.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
NC State had 11 FGs made of 40+ yards last year. Lou, GT, Duke, Wake and BC combined had 11.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
The ACC overall was just 12-of-39 on two-point tries last year (31%). The FBS average was 41%.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Wake's Ivan Mora and VT's Peter Moore each had just 15% of their punts returned last year. Opponents averaged just 2.9 yards per return on Moore’s punts, tops in ACC. Mora led the ACC w/4.08 seconds of hang time.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
MJ Devonshire had 5 punt returns of 20+ yards last year. Only Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry had more (7) among P5 players.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Duke's Jaylen Stinson and NC State's Julian Gray lead returning ACC players in KO return yards (380 each).
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Going for it on 4th down isn't technically special teams, but a complementary piece. So, noteworthy: UNC had 23 drives w/a 4th-down conversion last year. No other ACC team had more than 13 (WF & Duke).
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
UNC had 14 TDs and 3 FGs on drives that included a fourth-down scrimmage play last season. That equated to 106 points — 22% of the Heels’ season total. Only Texas Tech (129), WVU (122) and SMU (110) had more.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
Go rate on 4th down (success %):
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
UNC, 33.0% (65.7%)
WF, 31.6 (43.3)
FSU, 29.9 (34.8)
Lou, 28.6 (40.0)
Duke, 25.5 (62.5)
Mia, 23.9 (50.0)
UVA, 20.0 (38.9)
Pitt, 19.6 (40.0)
GT, 18.0 (52.4)
BC, 16.7 (50.0)
NCSU, 16.7 (40.0)
VT, 14.0 (42.9)
Cuse, 13.0 (33.3)
Clemson, 11.7 (41.7)
Tentative special teams rankings (breaks for tiers)
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
1. Pitt
2. Duke
3. Wake
–
4. NCSU
5. VT
–
6. Cuse
7. Mia
–
8. Clemson
9. UNC
10. FSU
11. Lou
–
12. UVA
13. BC
14. GT
Tentative All-ACC specialists
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) July 18, 2023
1st team
K: Ben Sauls, Pitt
P: Peter Moore, VT
KOR: Julian Gray, NCSU
PR: MJ Devonshire, Pitt
2nd team
K: Andres Borregales, Mia
P: Ivan Mora, Wake
KOR: Will Shipley, Clemson
PR: Trebor Pena, Cuse
by David M. Hale 