What's the latest on our Kicking situation?

[RougeDawg]

Are we stuck with Devon Bell? Has Sobiesk taken over completely? Do we have any other redshirt kickers or recruits coming in that will be an upgrade?

This area of our team has become the biggest problem. A problem that I do not see improving if we are stuck with Bell and Sobiesk. Please tell me we have a contingency plan in place for 2014.

[thunderclap]

If we want a real shot at a big year next season, the special teams issue has to be addressed big time.

[Tbonewannabe]

Is there any kind of kicking camp like basketball has for big men? We have to improve in fg kicking or next year will be like this one with us fighting to make a bowl.

[engie]

I'm betting that we bring in a couple of JUCO walk-ons to compete for the role. Maybe 1-2 highschoolers as well.

Bell just needs a restart. He still has tremendous potential and people can "grow out" of the inability to perform under pressure. While I know it won't be a popular opinion, I still think he could be a special kicker for us that wins us a few game with some totally stupid field goals...

[CJDAWG85]

Completely agree with engie... Bell has a cannon for a leg, but needs to work on his mechanics and learn how to control his accuracy.

[EngineerDawg]

i agree engie that Bell has a high ceiling... but we also know the floor is incredibly low. I just want something in the middle come Aug 30, 2014. Someone that can provide consistency and not just the potential for a 60+ yarder. My $0.02.

[engie]

I agree. We haven't had a legitimate kicker threat under Mullen -- and that has been the difference in SEVERAL key upset potential games. It's been our biggest hole thusfar IMO. If we get that together, there is no real limit to our potential next season...

[The Croom Diaries]

Just from reading in between the lines I don't think Bell wants to kick field goals. He just wants to punt. I remember during his recruitment he talked about punting and Mullen talked about his ability to kick it out of the back of the endzone, but I don't recall them talking much (or any) about FGs. I think he views punting as his best chance at the NFL and he wants to focus on that, and I think he lobbied Mullen to punt, and that's why we saw him get as much work there as Swedenburg did. I think he was just kicking FG because the coach asked him to. I maybe completely wrong, but that's how I see it, and I don't think he'll be kicking FG next year, or possibly ever again at MSU....just punts and kickoffs.

[It_Could_Happen]

I know we have a redshirt walk on out of Jackson prep who is supposed to be solid.

[Johnson85]

Are we stuck with Devon Bell? Has Sobiesk taken over completely? Do we have any other redshirt kickers or recruits coming in that will be an upgrade?

This area of our team has become the biggest problem. A problem that I do not see improving if we are stuck with Bell and Sobiesk. Please tell me we have a contingency plan in place for 2014.

Somebody told me we were getting a kicker out of Columbia that is at least a good kicker in high school. Also said it was an academy player, but I don't know what private school is in or close to Columbia. Haven't bothered to find anything out about it.

[FISHDAWG]

I know we offered a HS kicker but so far no commitment

[Coach34]

Somebody told me we were getting a kicker out of Columbia that is at least a good kicker in high school. Also said it was an academy player, but I don't know what private school is in or close to Columbia. Haven't bothered to find anything out about it.

There is a Columbia Academy. They wear nasty orange unis

I say **** FG's and we just go for it every time

[bully99]

Logan Cooke is the kicker from Columbia Academy who's committed to State, but I think he's more of a punter than a place kicker. He told Rosebowl he and Nick Fitzgerald were going to room together. Both about 6'5".

[Political Hack]

Sobiesk had an ok year if you remove the blocked kick. He was 1 for 2 on big time pressure kicks in the egg bowl. I think he could straighten things out.

[quickstrike2]

Somebody told me we were getting a kicker out of Columbia that is at least a good kicker in high school. Also said it was an academy player, but I don't know what private school is in or close to Columbia. Haven't bothered to find anything out about it.

It is Columbia Academy. I graduated from the and know him. He is a solid punter/kickoff guy. I can't see him being a field goal kicker at State. He does have some range and obviously kicked field goals for us, but his real talent is punting.

[Schultzy]

I think Sobiesk could be good too. Th fg to tie was big on Thanksgiving and the miss was struck well for what it's worth.

Not sure about his range but still think he could be a high percentage guy.

[Johnson85]

I think Sobiesk could be good too. Th fg to tie was big on Thanksgiving and the miss was struck well for what it's worth.

Not sure about his range but still think he could be a high percentage guy.

I'm skeptical of Sobiesk because I assume he must have been showing something in practice that wasn't good for Mullen to keep going to Bell for as long as he did. But Mullen is obviously very loyal to certain players, and maybe that was more about loyalty to Bell than Sobiesk not showing a lot of potential in practice.

[Political Hack]

CDM treats Bell like his own son. He's sort of known as being a favorite of CDM's.