Lumpy Chucklelips
09-12-2017, 01:01 PM
We all know the struggles we have faced here. I believe we're on the verge of having a good kicking game this year. It's taking a couple of games for things to shake out, but I believe we're on the right track.
Kickoffs - Cook kicked off 10 times Saturday. 0 returns. 16 ko's for year, 12 touch backs. 75%. Avg per ko is 64.8 Day has had 2 ko's for an avg of 65.0 yards per. 2 ko's, 2 touchbacks.
Punting - Cook; 7 punts on year, 45.7 yards per punt. 3 inside the 20. Played 2 games and have had 0 return attempted by opponents.
Field Goals - Day has attempted all 4 of the field goals in 2 games. Has made 2 of 4, avg. of 50% Misses - 32, 47. Made - 40, 36.
Xtra Points - Day; 8-10 Christmann 4-4
Kickoff Returns - Gray; 1 return for 52 yards. Mixon; 3 returns for 42 yards, avg. 14 yards. Myles; 1 return for 23 yards.
Punt Returns - Myles; 5 returns for 18 yards, 3.6 avg.
My overall thoughts...the only deficiency that I see, and I actually think it's minor, is FG and XP kicking. Day missed his first FG attempt as a collegian. True freshman, knows the kicking woes that has faced MSU for a few years now and wanting to be the guy that breaks that trend, but feels the weight of 55,000 people on top of him, and he loses focus on mechanics and misses the kick. I give him a mulligan. Comes right back and nails a 40 yarder. Then gets pushed back to a 47 yarder, which is pretty much 50/50 for an experienced kicker, and misses it. Again, first game. I had concerns, but still know the potential he has. Second game...1 attempt and nailed it from 36.
On Extra Points, Day hit 5 of 5 first game. Christmann hit 1 of 1. Game two Day hits 3 of 5. Christmann hits 3 of 3. After Day missed his two, Dan went with Christmann on the last 3 attempts.
It will be interesting to see who Mullen trots out on extra points this weekend. I'm sure we'll continue to see Day on FG's. It's going to be nerve wrecking for a while, but the only way you get experience kicking is to actually kick. I do see the potential in Day and feel like we're going to have a good kicker for a long time. One stat that stands out to me although it's a small sample size is kickoff avg yardage. You have a Sr. who booted 10 kickoffs into the end zone with 0 returns on Saturday night and then you had a Fr. in Day kickoff twice with the same avg per kick. That shows me the strength he has in that leg. Here's a tidbit to chew on...Brent Rooker hit .257 with 2 HR's his first season to play regularly. Greatness sometimes takes time. We will just have to be patient for a little while longer.
The only other area that we need to see improvement on is in the return game. When is the last time we had a weapon in the return game? I think Mixon can be that guy on kickoffs but has yet to prove me right. I hope he eventually does. Punt returns....to me our weakest link. Even when Ross was returning punts it seemed like Mullen had him back there to just make sure we caught the punt. Somebody please tell Dan that Smokey is now gone....and he can open his eyes again. It's early and we haven't had a lot of chances on returns yet...I do remember one in the first game we should have returned. After having seen Deddrick Thomas break a couple ankles the other night on some screens, I wonder what he could do back there.
Overall, I think we're on the verge of having the best all around special teams that we've had in a while. This weekend will go a long way in defining that statement, but I'm willing to go out on that limb.
Kickoffs - Cook kicked off 10 times Saturday. 0 returns. 16 ko's for year, 12 touch backs. 75%. Avg per ko is 64.8 Day has had 2 ko's for an avg of 65.0 yards per. 2 ko's, 2 touchbacks.
Punting - Cook; 7 punts on year, 45.7 yards per punt. 3 inside the 20. Played 2 games and have had 0 return attempted by opponents.
Field Goals - Day has attempted all 4 of the field goals in 2 games. Has made 2 of 4, avg. of 50% Misses - 32, 47. Made - 40, 36.
Xtra Points - Day; 8-10 Christmann 4-4
Kickoff Returns - Gray; 1 return for 52 yards. Mixon; 3 returns for 42 yards, avg. 14 yards. Myles; 1 return for 23 yards.
Punt Returns - Myles; 5 returns for 18 yards, 3.6 avg.
My overall thoughts...the only deficiency that I see, and I actually think it's minor, is FG and XP kicking. Day missed his first FG attempt as a collegian. True freshman, knows the kicking woes that has faced MSU for a few years now and wanting to be the guy that breaks that trend, but feels the weight of 55,000 people on top of him, and he loses focus on mechanics and misses the kick. I give him a mulligan. Comes right back and nails a 40 yarder. Then gets pushed back to a 47 yarder, which is pretty much 50/50 for an experienced kicker, and misses it. Again, first game. I had concerns, but still know the potential he has. Second game...1 attempt and nailed it from 36.
On Extra Points, Day hit 5 of 5 first game. Christmann hit 1 of 1. Game two Day hits 3 of 5. Christmann hits 3 of 3. After Day missed his two, Dan went with Christmann on the last 3 attempts.
It will be interesting to see who Mullen trots out on extra points this weekend. I'm sure we'll continue to see Day on FG's. It's going to be nerve wrecking for a while, but the only way you get experience kicking is to actually kick. I do see the potential in Day and feel like we're going to have a good kicker for a long time. One stat that stands out to me although it's a small sample size is kickoff avg yardage. You have a Sr. who booted 10 kickoffs into the end zone with 0 returns on Saturday night and then you had a Fr. in Day kickoff twice with the same avg per kick. That shows me the strength he has in that leg. Here's a tidbit to chew on...Brent Rooker hit .257 with 2 HR's his first season to play regularly. Greatness sometimes takes time. We will just have to be patient for a little while longer.
The only other area that we need to see improvement on is in the return game. When is the last time we had a weapon in the return game? I think Mixon can be that guy on kickoffs but has yet to prove me right. I hope he eventually does. Punt returns....to me our weakest link. Even when Ross was returning punts it seemed like Mullen had him back there to just make sure we caught the punt. Somebody please tell Dan that Smokey is now gone....and he can open his eyes again. It's early and we haven't had a lot of chances on returns yet...I do remember one in the first game we should have returned. After having seen Deddrick Thomas break a couple ankles the other night on some screens, I wonder what he could do back there.
Overall, I think we're on the verge of having the best all around special teams that we've had in a while. This weekend will go a long way in defining that statement, but I'm willing to go out on that limb.