Illinois football coach Lou Tepper welcomed his Fighting Illini back to campus this week with a message: think punt.
It might not seem the most stirring call to duty as the Illini begin preseason workouts in Champaign. But errors in the punting game helped to send Illinois to a defeat in the John Hancock Bowl last year, and Tepper insists on improvements before the Illini wade into their opener against Northern Illinois Sept. 5.
”It`s something that needs to be worked on,” Tepper said this week.
”We`ve tried to sell (the players) on the great value of it and the time commitment we have for it.”
To underscore the importance of special teams, Tepper plans to devote the first 30 minutes of each preseason practice to punts, kickoffs and returns, as well as the first 30 minutes of evening meetings. Many schools run through special-teams drills at the end of practice, when players are tired and having trouble concentrating.
”Rather than push it to the end when people are tired, we give it a pre- eminent spot,” said Tepper, who begins his first full season as head coach. ”I really think that (the players) will see that the kicking game has a very special place in our minds.”
Punting isn`t Illinois` only focus as it begins two-a-day workouts on Friday. Tom Beck, Tepper`s offensive coordinator, is installing a beefier running game aimed at taking pressure off passer Jason Verduzco. And defensive coordinator Denny Marcin is trying to replace an entire front line lost to graduation. Under Tepper`s direction, the Illini defense was best in the Big 10 in 1989, allowing only 288 yards a game, but it dropped to fourth in 1990
(319 yards a game) and sixth a year ago (329 yards per game).
The Illini have room to improve in many areas, but Tepper has identified the punting game as the most critical. Like the Illini, the punt team was mostly mediocre last year. The Illini finished fifth in the Big 10 in net punting, averaging 33.7 yards per kick and sixth in punt returns with a 7.2-yard average. Punter Forry Wells` 38.7-yards-per-kick was fourth in the conference.
Wells, a junior from Belleville, will be back. Gary Voelker, a junior walk-on from Oswego, comes into camp as the leading punt returner, but he`ll be challenged by senior John Wright, one of the team`s best all-around athletes.
Punting might be one of the least interesting exercises in football, but a botched boot can be costly. If Tepper needs to provide evidence, he can turn to tapes of last year`s 6-3 loss to UCLA in the Hancock, his debut as head coach. The Bruins` first field goal came after they blocked a punt in Illinois territory in the first quarter, and they took the lead for good after Filmel Johnson fumbled a punt return at his own 11-yard line early in the fourth quarter.
Many schools fill out the punt team with youngsters or with players who aren`t good enough to start elsewhere, but Tepper said that as many as eight offensive and defensive starters may make his unit. Tepper hopes it`ll be considered a badge of honor by the veterans instead of a chore.
”The punt team is done by invitation only,” Tepper said.
