Has anyone seen a kickoff returned past the 20 yard line? If I had stats access (or do I? maybe a page I haven't found yet for this?), I'd love to know the average kickoff distance and return. With recent changes, kickoffs into the endzone may be at the correct percentage, but players are returning them from deep in the end zone too often?

But it sure seems like in my games the average field position after a kickoff is somewhere around the 15 yard line.

Tennessee is averaging 22 yards per KR in MFN4. You can see the individual players stats. Go to league home, player stats, then choose returns from the drop down list.

I personally believe it is ok, that everyone is doing the same thing and it isn't working... GM adjustments are needed. I have done a little testing in one league and seen about 5 yard improvement in my KR average. I would suggest you watch the returns carefully, see what is happening, and try to make adjustments.

On this note, however, I have not seen a big return yet. Don't know whether it is us or the sim...

22 yards per KR when taken 5 yards deep in the end zone is still only out to the 17 yard line. There may be an issue with not enough long returns, but the bread-and-butter problem appears to be never taking a knee in the endzone, the only kicks resulting in touchbacks seem to go out of the back of the endzone.

To add to it, the statistics that I'd like to see to confirm or deny this:

- Average length of kick on a kickoff
- Average return
- Average field position after return
- Percentage of touchbacks
- Percentage of touchbacks when the ball is kicked into the endzone
- And for detail, percentage of kicks that players return by distance into the endzone received

The first 3 I'd love to have always available: box scores and team stats.

Checked, and I do have the first for my kicker: 70.4. So his average kickoff is 5 yards deep into the endzone. I don't think that's resulted in very many touchbacks.

I'll see if I can pull some of those numbers tomorrow for MFN-2. As for running kicks out of the end zone, the deeper he catches the ball the higher the probability that he takes a touchback - or at least it should be that way. I'll also double check and make sure that is correctly happening.

Here is some info on kickoff distance and touchbacks - the first # is the kickoff distance, the second number is the # of kickoffs at that distance, the third is the # of touchbacks, and the 4th is the number that were not touchbacks. This is all of MFN-2 history (including preseason).

| 49 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 54 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 55 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 56 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 57 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 58 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 59 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 60 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 61 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 62 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| 63 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| 64 | 83 | 0 | 83 |
| 65 | 65 | 2 | 63 |
| 66 | 71 | 9 | 62 |
| 67 | 63 | 20 | 43 |
| 68 | 112 | 49 | 63 |
| 69 | 87 | 42 | 45 |
| 70 | 150 | 83 | 67 |
| 71 | 124 | 81 | 43 |
| 72 | 162 | 121 | 41 |
| 73 | 115 | 94 | 21 |
| 74 | 488 | 472 | 16 |
| 75 | 210 | 208 | 2 |
| 81 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 86 | 1 | 1 | 0 |

BTW, I don't want to imply that I'm happy with kickoff returns, right now I feel they are acceptable but are not where they should be. Not so much the # of touchbacks, but just the general return results.

This is special teams in general (as well as a little replay stuff), but it comes from watching kickoffs and trying to figure out what strategy to implement for best ST results.

1) Change Gunner, ST Blocker, ST Rusher to KR Team, PR Team, KO Team, P Team. I put in guys I wanted to be blocking on KO, and don't see them, Instead, I see my list of gunners in key blocking positions on the KO. I'd prefer to know who is going to be out on the field.
2) Elaborate on where the players will be set up on special teams. You need 10 guys on the KR team, plus the KR. Say the 1st guy on the list will be the guy in front of the KR, #2 is the left guy in the middle row, #3 left middle, middle, #4 right middle, middle, #5 right guy, middle row, #6 left guy, front row, etc... So we know, when we set up our special teams, where everyone will be. Since there are no special teams plays, we can set up a left return or a right return by placing guys in specific positions.
3) Allow the return man to run away from guys. I can't remember a kickoff where the return guy didn't run straight up the gut, often running past his blocking, as though he was in a hurry to get tackled. One return I did see, there was nice blocking in front of him, and instead of veering right or left to open area, he rushed right into the blocking, getting tackled. Basically, I'd like to see more elusiveness from the return man, especially in KO. I've see a few PR where the return man ran away from the coverage...
4) Is it possible, on the replays, to allow us to see the player's numbers? I like to watch in a zoom level where I can see the whole field. For offense and defense, this allows me to see what is happening on the plays. so, seeing player # can tell me which player is letting himself get out of position, isn't making a block, isn't covering well, etc. On ST, it allows me to see which players are set up where in the formation.
5) Reverse in replay. You can watch the replay, but you can't go backwards a little within the play if you miss something. You have to keep running the play again. :)
6) Special teams plays. Maybe some special teams plays... return right, return left, return middle, counter left return, counter right return, all out rush to block a punt, a trick play, like a side to side lateral play... The trick play can't be run more than once a game and would have a very, very small chance to be run at all... Same with coverage.. onside kickoff, fake punt, cover left, cover right, max protect on a punt... This isn't a big deal to me at this time, but it would be nice to have special teams choices ;)
7) Lastly, and this has been talked about before... better punting. Directional punting, and a punter kicking it higher and shorter when the ball is on the opposing side of the 50, rather than just kicking it into the endzone. I'd like to see a little more directional kicking, also, on kickoffs. But, using the intelligence of the kicker/punter to adjust his kick to the situation... a punter kicking it out of bounds, a kicker kicking off to one side of the field... that sort of thing.

I think special teams is pretty boring and uninspirational at this time. Wouldn't mind seeing some things to make it 1/3 of the strategy of the game, and more interesting :D

Good comments. I plan to make ST a focus in the 0.2 version. I'm putting your comments into my notes for reference.