CliffChristl wrote: ↑Wed Mar 13, 2024 3:59 pm
It's a fascinating question and one that David Neft, who I believe belongs on the Mount Rushmore of pro football historians, and Eric Goska, the preeminent authority on Packers statistics, have researched about as thoroughly possible based on old newspaper play-by-plays, none of which were more thorough than the Green Bay Press-Gazette's starting in 1923.
It's also a subject that I've researched thoroughly as Packers historian because of Verne Lewellen. Having read every bylined game story in the Press-Gazette, most of those in the two Milwaukee papers, and the hometown papers of the opposing teams during his years with the Packers, 1924-32, allowed me to grasp why teammates of his who remained in the Green Bay area and closely followed the Packers through the Hinkle-Hutson years considered Lewellen the greatest Packer of the Lambeau years. Or at least the equal of Hinkle. Along with being a great, quadruple-threat back, Lewellen was singled out in game story after game story in out-of-town papers as the most dominant player on the field during the years when the Packers emerged as a league power and eventual three-time champion. Basically, punters pre-1933 dictated the outcome of most games. For the most part, still operating under the APFA's original rules (college rules), two-thirds of the NFL teams averaged fewer than seven points a game in 1926, when Lewellen replaced another good punter Cub Buck after sharing duties in 1925. In 1929, when the Packers won their first title, they outscored their opponents, 198-22. Only four of 12 teams averaged more than 9 points per game. Even in college at Nebraska, Lewellen was the dominant force in most of his games. For example, Notre Dame's "Four Horsemen" teams of 1922-23 were 17-2-1. Both losses were to Nebraska (Scores: 14-6, 14-7) and Lewellen's punting, in large part, was the difference.
Some stats from Neft, Goska, pre-1933, when the ball was fatter, a premium was placed on coffin-corner punts because there were no hashmarks (I have a picture of a play from scrimmage where the ball was so close to the sideline that the three offensive players to the right of the center could barely squeeze together inside the out-of-bounds marker) and passes had to be thrown from more than 5 yards behind the line.
Example of Lewellen's punts in Packers first championship season:
1929: 85 (The down when he punted: 1st: 24; 2nd: 8; 3rd: 27; 4th: 25; Unknown: 1; Punts Returned: 25 for 151 yards, a 6.0 average)
(Note: That's why Lewellen's averages compiled by Neft might not be that impressive. On 20 percent of his punts, the Packers had the ball in opponents' territory. The line of scrimmage on one of his punts was the opponent's 19-yard line.)
1928: Lewellen punted 136 times, while the Packers made 3 field goals (The record for most punts in a season since 1939 is 114)
Goska's numbers for the Packers punts from 1931-38:
1931 – Total Punts: 126 (Down: 1st, 22; 2nd, 18; 3rd, 46; 4th, 40) Note: Lewellen shares punting with Johnny Blood
1932 – Total Punts: 164 (Down: 1st, 38; 2nd, 29; 3rd, 49; 4th, 47) Note: Hinkle and Herber replace Lewellen as primary punter
Major rule changes before 1933 season minimize the importance of punting, including passing from anywhere behind the line, 10-yard hashmarks, goal posts moved to the goal line to encourage field goals; plus a slimmer ball for passing)
1933: Total Punts: 143 (Down: 1st, 32; 2nd, 30; 3rd, 25; 4th, 56) Note: Packers punt more on fourth down for first time
1934: Total Punts: 106 (Down: 1st, 9; 2nd, 10; 3rd, 55; 4th: 26)
1935: Total Punts: 102 (Down: 1st, 12; 2nd, 12; 3rd, 28; 4th, 49)
1936: Total Punts: 73 (Down: 1st, 4; 2nd, 3; 3rd, 18; 4th, 37) Note: Packers punt more on fourth down than all other downs combined for first time
1937: Total Punts: 75 (Down: 1st, 2; 2nd, 6; 3rd, 10; 4th: 39)
1938: Total Punts: 72 (Down: 1st, 4; 2nd, 5; 3rd, 15; 4th: 47)
If you're interested, Google: Cliff Christl, packers.com, Notre Dame Box and look for Part II especially, which starts with a graphic or Goska's first half play-by-play of the Sept. 6, 1926 Packer-Bear, 6-6 tie, where Lewellen punted nine times on first down in the first half and 18 times total.
Keep in mind, Lambeau ran the Notre Dame box and was a disciple of Knute Rockne, who adhered to his own strict rules about punting and almost never varied from them.
This was included in Notre Dame Box, Part II;
In an article written for the Athletic Journal in 1921 titled “Field Tactics,” Rockne explained how he divided the field into “transverse divisions or zones and longitudinal belts” and stuck to his basic philosophy in each zone during a game. The “Danger Zone” was between the goal line and 20-yard line, and it automatically called for a punt on first down. Next was the “Transitional Running Zone,” between a team’s own 20 and 40-yard lines, and it called for a punt on second or third down. It wasn’t until his teams reached the 40, where Rockne considered it safe to open up his offense.