Clark: Hide your eyes! A closer look at FSU's punt return issues in 2021

I can still hear the chant in my head decades later.

As a youngster, watching Florida State games with my dad inside Doak Campbell Stadium, fourth downs were can't-miss moments. Not only did the Seminoles have Deion Sanders and Terrell Buckley returning punts for seven straight years — pretty good athletes you might remember — but the rush unit was one of the best in the country at blocking punts as well.

Fourth downs were awesome.

You'd stand up and you'd hear the FSU cheerleaders chant: "Block. That. Punt! Block. That. Punt!"

Well, the goals aren't as high around here on fourth downs anymore.

This year, it would have been fitting if the chant had been changed to, "Catch. That. Punt!”

Because, buddy, that's how bad things were in the punt return game for the Seminoles in 2021.

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This column isn't just a chance to take shots at a segment that has been a dart board all season for fans and media alike. We all understand it needs to improve drastically. More than anything, I want to lay out just how much difference even an average punt return unit can make to the overall success of the Florida State football team.

The 2021 Seminoles made so many strides in so many areas.

For instance, here's a couple of stats I think you'll really like, especially if you're into advanced statistics.

Here are Brian Fremeau's national efficiency rankings (FEI) for Florida State over the last two years:

2020 overall ranking: 94

2021 overall ranking: 47

2020 offensive ranking: 83

2021 offensive ranking 55

2020 defense ranking: 103

2021 defensive ranking: 37

When you look at those numbers, you see just how much improvement Mike Norvell's staff was able to make in just one year. The record was better, too, of course, but we all saw with our own eyes. With Fremeau's formula, it gives us analytical insight into how much better this team was than the 2020 COVID-ravaged debacle we all watched.

So, there's a lot to be encouraged by.

Then there were the special teams. You can look up those efficiency numbers for yourself. My suggestion is start at the bottom and work your way up. Won't take you long to find FSU.

Because I'm quite certain the Seminoles had the least productive punt return unit in school history -- certainly since like Burt Reynolds and Lee Corso were running around in black and white.

And it might very well be why the Seminoles aren't preparing for a bowl game right now, with the Florida loss the latest game scarred by FSU's woes in that area.

Here's a stat that might make you nauseous, so I hope you haven't eaten recently.

In 2021, Florida State had 71 total punt return yards for the season.

And the Seminoles gave up 151 yards of bounces and rolls by not going and catching the ball.

That's right, I went back and added them all up by watching video clips! Because I'm a psychopath who loves to torture myself!

Think about that number, though. Really dive into it. Florida State gave up 151 yards (!!!) in field position this year simply by not going and catching punts. And, conversely, they advanced the ball in the right direction just 71 total yards (and 31 of those came on one return by Keyshawn Helton against Jacksonville State).

I'm going to go ahead and assume no other punt return unit in the Power 5 had twice as many bounce yards as return yards this season. Just a hunch! I know I could be wrong.

The Seminoles' defense forced 63 punts this year.

Here were the results: 17 returns for a total of 71 yards (take away Helton's long one early in the season and FSU averaged less than 3 yards per runback). There were 28 fair catches. And there were 18 balls that hit the ground.

So, doing some quick math on my phone calculator, 29 percent of all punts by opponents this year landed on the ground. When you throw in the two costly fumbles -- one to Syracuse and the other at Florida, as well as a muff you were able to recover -- that means 1/3 of all punts found the turf.

Yikes!

And here's what's important in all of this: If it's fixed, like really fixed, then FSU probably is at least a game or two better in the win column next season simply on that alone.

You could argue FSU lost the Clemson game because Treshaun Ward wouldn't go catch the ball. The Tigers gained 42 yards in field position because he let three different punts hit the ground — all three landed outside the 20-yard line, too, so it wasn't like he was running away from kicks near his own end zone.

That, to me, was the biggest problem all season for FSU.

It's one thing not to catch the ball inside your own 10 or 5. Because you're hoping the ball bounds into the end zone for a touchback. But this wasn't that.

Here are the yard lines where FSU returners let the ball bounce: 5, 33, 12, 49, 24, 30, 37, 20, 31, 22, 28, 22, 4, 10, 1, 8, 20, 15, 24.

The one that landed on the 49 rolled 18 yards! The first one that landed on the 24 rolled all the way to the 4! That's two first downs just to get back to where the ball should've been caught in the first place.

What's funny is that the second-to-last one there, the one that landed on the 15, might have been the luckiest break the Seminoles got all season. Trailing Miami by 5 with under three minutes to go, Pokey Wilson let the ball drop at the 15-yard line. It barely — and I mean barely -- rolled into the end zone for a touchback. It was almost downed at the 1.

In fact, that play and the catch he was interfered with earlier in the game (resulting in a 15-yard penalty) were the two most productive plays the FSU return unit made all season after Helton's 31-yard return.

So here's the deal: I've already spent way too many words telling you what you already know. The punt return unit was a disaster -- no matter who the coaches put back there. John Papuchis and Mike Norvell have some serious work to do to get that thing back to being even average.

But you saw those efficiency numbers from earlier in the column, right?

This head coach and his staff have proven already that they can make significant jumps in production in one season. And we all know how much special teams mean to Norvell. So, I don't doubt it will take a step forward next season.

And wouldn't that be awesome? Actually watching FSU returners take steps forward with the ball in their hands?

I don't know if there is a Deion or T-Buck or Greg Reid (who, for my money would have probably won FSU two games this year just in field position alone) out there in the portal or in high school. If there is, go find him. Go sign him. Love him. And adore him.

If not, just go get someone who will catch the ball.

It really will make a difference.

Contact senior writer Corey Clark at corey@warchant.com and follow @Corey_Clark on Twitter.

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Talk about this story with other Florida State football fans in the Tribal Council