Why can we not get a decent place kicker?

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Seems like we have not had a good one in years. I don't get it.

[starkvegasdawg]

Seems like we have not had a good one in years. I don't get it.
The dead Indians have forbidden it. It's part of our deal for building the stadium on their burial grounds.

[CadaverDawg]

Seems like we have not had a good one in years. I don't get it.

May be the teacher. Bell was a highly ranked kicker I thought? Did he suddenly forget how

[maroonmania]

I don't understand why everyone gets so wowed by leg strength when it comes to FG kicking. Just give me a guy that is deadly accurate from 40 yards in and can potentially make them up to 50 yards if needed and I am very happy. Its SO much more about accuracy than it is leg strength.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Just looking at Devon Bell's hailstate profile...it seems like he was more of a kickoff/punter in high school and Mullen tried to turn him into a PK. Can we at least get a damn field goal kicker? Can't we just offer someone on this list? http://kohlskicking.com/recruiting/national-rating-system/kickers/2013

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

Seems like we have not had a good one in years. I don't get it.

I have been asking this question every single fall Saturday for about 5 years now (if not 10).

[engie]

I'd be in favor of giving Sobeisk a chance...

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

Just looking at Devon Bell's hailstate profile...it seems like he was more of a kickoff/punter in high school and Mullen tried to turn him into a PK. Can we at least get a damn field goal kicker? Can't we just offer someone on this list? http://kohlskicking.com/recruiting/national-rating-system/kickers/2013

I watched him play his junior and senior year in high school and he could punt the shit out of the ball, same for kickoffs. His high school team was so bad I never got to see him kick field goals though so I do not know if he could ever kick them. I've never seen a punter keep a team in the game though, his ability to flip the field with his punts almost single handedly helped his team not get pounded worse than they did.

[DownwardDawg]

I don't understand why everyone gets so wowed by leg strength when it comes to FG kicking. Just give me a guy that is deadly accurate from 40 yards in and can potentially make them up to 50 yards if needed and I am very happy. Its SO much more about accuracy than it is leg strength.

But Bell can kick them through from 65 yards!!!!! 65 YARDS!!!!!!!

[Political Hack]

Sobiesk is the best FG kicker on the team... at least he was coming out of high school. Bell should handle kickoffs, long FGs, and punting next year. Sobiesk should handle everything inside 45 yards.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

I'd be in favor of giving Sobeisk a chance...

I would too.

[maroonmania]

I heard Sobiesk was a very good FG kicker at Oak Grove. I don't understand why he is not kicking at least the shorter FGs. I'm afraid the reason Bell is kicking FGs is because he has the scholarship and he won't be punting until Swedenburg is gone. Heck, I don't see the problem with letting Sobiesk kick FGs and let Bell concentrate on kickoffs until the punting job comes open. We just need a FG kicker inside 40 yards that's accurate. 2 biggest things that cost us against Auburn that hasn't been mentioned much is the differential in their FG kicker to ours and we had 5 key penalties to basically none for them.

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

Why can't we use two kickers? If Sobiesk is accurate within 40 yards then use him for <40 yarders and let Bell kick >40 yarders. I'm pretty sure other teams do that.

[Original48]

But Bell can kick them through from 65 yards!!!!! 65 YARDS!!!!!!!
http://youtu.be/c1wcnvDpdVU

[smootness]

Parkey was a stud kicker coming out of high school, #1 in the country and apparently one of the best in a while, so it's not really fair to compare ours to theirs.

But perhaps Sobiesk isn't getting it done like Bell is in practice? It's not like Bell has been absolutely horrible; he hasn't been great, and I think we should try Sobiesk just to see if he is better in games, but I'm assuming we're not holding back Sobiesk even though he's clearly outperforming Bell.

[DownwardDawg]

http://youtu.be/c1wcnvDpdVU

Well done!!!! Hahaha!!!

[PMDawg]

do they still kick off the block in HS? If so, that rule needs to be abolished. That's so easy anyone can do it. I say go with a JUCO kicker every couple of years and be done with it. At least you know the guy can kick off the ground at that point instead of a block. If you can go 75% or better in JUCO, then you should be fine for D1. It's not rocket surgery. It's the same on every level, with the exception of the block.

[engie]

It's obvious Bell's problem is choking under pressure. He's got all the talent in the world. Given this, I'm sure he's an excellent practice kicker...

[ckDOG]

I'd be in favor of giving Sobeisk a chance...

The worst that could happen is that he misses...

[Bothrops]

The dead Indians have forbidden it. It's part of our deal for building the stadium on their burial grounds.

Can we get Clint Eastwood to make a truce for us with these motherfricken indians? We need to hurry up...he's getting really old!

[state66]

Bell wasnt a great kicker in high school statistically wise he missed his fair share but hes got the best leg we've ever had from a kicker. Mullen sees the potential just like I do, we have a kid that can kick the shit out of a football now its just working on accuracy. I thought he would be better than this by now but when it all comes together he can be the best kicker weve ever had and mullen sees it. How long do we wait, I dont know but cooke is coming in next year and he punts and kicks so that will be another scholarship kicker competing.

[fishwater99]

It's obvious Bell's problem is choking under pressure. He's got all the talent in the world. Given this, I'm sure he's an excellent practice kicker...

This....

[BHildreth3]

..hes got the best leg we've ever had from a kicker. Chris Gardner and Brian Hazlewood beg to differ

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

Chris Gardner and Brian Hazlewood beg to differ

Not to mention Scott Westerfield.

[Todd4State]

This is EXACTLY why I don't like giving scholarships in the recruiting class. Invite a few of them as preferred walk-ons and whomever can do the job gets the scholarship. They're squirrely. All of them. One year they are knocking everything down, the next year they're nailing cheerleaders on the sideline. And when you give one a scholarship, you're obligated to start them.

Bell should be the kickoff guy. He's good at it. He can be the punter next year. Dan is trying to make him into the next Ray Guy super-kicker and it's probably not going to work. And in the meantime, it's costing us games.

And we shouldn't have to give these guys scholarships. Every single freaking year I'm reading on 247 about some kicker/punter/snapper that really wants to go to State and he's really good and we're gonna let him walk-on. And a lot of years there's more than one guy. If Alabama wants to swoop in and waste a scholarship on Devon Bell- hey, Nick- knock yourself out. We'll just make do with Evan Sobiesk and Michael Mordecai.

[Todd4State]

Not to mention Scott Westerfield.

Scott's greatest attribute was his accuracy and his accuracy in the clutch. Give me Scott Westerfield over alleged 65 yarder Devon Bell any and every day.