The importance of a solid FG kicker

[messageboardsuperhero]

This is sort of a continuation of Shotgun's post a few days ago.

Over the past two years, we are 21 of 36 on FGs for a robust 58%. Let's says we theoretically had an average SEC kicker who made 70-75% of these kicks- this would increase our made FGs by about 5-6, and that doesn't even count the amount of kicks we haven't even tried because of our lack of confidence in our kickers (ie. 4th quarter of Bowling Green). Honestly, I think not having an SEC caliber kicker has costed us around 24-27 points since last year.

I say all this to illustrate how tremendously we undervalue decent kicker. They can be so easily overlooked for some reason, but think about it this way- how many players (obviously QBs and maybe some other guys) do we have that are as important as a solid kicker? Not many position players can account for that many points. I don't care how he does it, but Dan has to find an SEC caliber kicker. They are just as important as almost any other position.

[RougeDawg]

We should fire our special teams coach. We've never had a decent FG kicker under DM. wait!?**

[drunkernhelldawg]

Not just the field goal kicker. The kicking game turns and even decides a lot of FOOTball games.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

If we had a decent kicker in 2008 we would have gone bowling. Granted...that would have meant we kept Croom.

[ShotgunDawg]

This is sort of a continuation of Shotgun's post a few days ago.

Over the past two years, we are 21 of 36 on FGs for a robust 58%. Let's says we theoretically had an average SEC kicker who made 70-75% of these kicks- this would increase our made FGs by about 5-6, and that doesn't even count the amount of kicks we haven't even tried because of our lack of confidence in our kickers (ie. 4th quarter of Bowling Green). Honestly, I think not having an SEC caliber kicker has costed us around 24-27 points since last year.

I say all this to illustrate how tremendously we undervalue decent kicker. They can be so easily overlooked for some reason, but think about it this way- how many players (obviously QBs and maybe some other guys) do we have that are as important as a solid kicker? Not many position players can account for that many points. I don't care how he does it, but Dan has to find an SEC caliber kicker. They are just as important as almost any other position.

Very good post, and I really have no clue why we don't make field goals at the same pace of other SEC teams. To me, it simply comes down to a kicker evaluation problem. There are plenty of good kickers out there, they go other SEC schools, Sunbelt schools, and many don't play college football at all. They are in fraternities. I think Alabama even went through a stretch a few years ago where they have trouble kicking field goals as.

I think the main trouble that coaches run into when signing a kicker is it is a tough position to evaluate. High school kickers kick off a tee and college kickers kick off the ground, and how each individual adjusts to that can differ. The other struggle that coaches run into when evaluating this position is grading out the makeup of the kid. When evaluating every other position, except QB, you really only ask these questions: 1. How fast is he? 2. How big is he? 3. How hard does he play? But with kickers the whole mental makeup question comes into play, does this kid have the poise and confidence to kick at the highest level? and most coaches are terrible at evaluating real makeup, because none of them can define what good makeup is. Character and makeup are completely different things that aren't related. One can be a good person and good guy, but have terrible makeup.

To me, a good kicker has to have similar makeup to a baseball closer: most people think good closers are high energy, foot stomping, aggressive people, but that isn't the makeup characteristics that make him good, and they don't explain Mariano Rivera. Good closers have 2 main personality traits:

1. Unwavering confidence - must be able to take the mound and always believe you are the best, even when you aren't

2. Low guilt factor - Much like serial killer, good closers and kickers must have a low guilt factor. They must be able to miss the biggest kick of their life, blow the biggest save of their life, and not care. It sounds illogical, but it's the only way they can walk out there the next time they kick and be able to execute. Papelbon wasn't a good closer because he breathed hard and went crazy, he was great because he didn't care.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Just offer the guys that go to the best kicking camps. They rate them for you.

[ShotgunDawg]

Just offer the guys that go to the best kicking camps. They rate them for you.

Tough to evaluate makeup at a camp. A camp his like hitting golf balls off the driving range. No pressure, no fans, no team to let down, and kicking become repetitive. It's the same reason Devon Bell makes 27-28 FGs in practice and can't make one in a game.

I like going the JUCO route. Find the guy that has done it, and just go with him. It will keep you from having to evaluate a very difficult thing to evaluate.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Tough to evaluate makeup at a camp. A camp his like hitting golf balls off the driving range. No pressure, no fans, no team to let down, and kicking become repetitive. It's the same reason Devon Bell makes 27-28 FGs in practice and can't make one in a game.

I like going the JUCO route. Find the guy that has done it, and just go with him. It will keep you from having to evaluate a very difficult thing to evaluate.

Honestly Sobiesk may be pretty good. He was rated highly by Kohl's kicking camps. Would not mind seeing him get a full season next year.

[SallyStansbury]

This is sort of a continuation of Shotgun's post a few days ago.

Over the past two years, we are 21 of 36 on FGs for a robust 58%. Let's says we theoretically had an average SEC kicker who made 70-75% of these kicks- this would increase our made FGs by about 5-6, and that doesn't even count the amount of kicks we haven't even tried because of our lack of confidence in our kickers (ie. 4th quarter of Bowling Green). Honestly, I think not having an SEC caliber kicker has costed us around 24-27 points since last year.

I say all this to illustrate how tremendously we undervalue decent kicker. They can be so easily overlooked for some reason, but think about it this way- how many players (obviously QBs and maybe some other guys) do we have that are as important as a solid kicker? Not many position players can account for that many points. I don't care how he does it, but Dan has to find an SEC caliber kicker. They are just as important as almost any other position.



I have really enjoyed this thread. Good work by the poster who first brought this up for discussion.

You know what we have in common with Croom and Mullen: both are stubborn as shit.

Mullen gave a scholarship to Bell and calls himself special teams coach. If it turns out that Bell isn't getting it done, Mullen sees himself as being wrong twice, and Mullen is never wrong.

If we had an actual special teams coach, (and for arguments sake assume it wasn't some Yankee BFF of Mullen) Mullen would be screaming at him saying "Your kickers sucks, you better find someone else who can kick!!!!!" That would lead to rapid improvement. We unfortunately don't have that situation we have a stubborn coach who talks of mental aspects, execution, etc.....and keeps doing the same stubborn shit again and again. It is frustrating for a fan to watch it unfold like that. Dan could change a few things about his management of the team and solve dumbassed problems like this; however, I am not holding my breath.

[RougeDawg]

I have really enjoyed this thread. Good work by the poster who first brought this up for discussion.

You know what we have in common with Croom and Mullen: both are stubborn as shit.

Mullen gave a scholarship to Bell and calls himself special teams coach. If it turns out that Bell isn't getting it done, Mullen sees himself as being wrong twice, and Mullen is never wrong.

If we had an actual special teams coach, (and for arguments sake assume it wasn't some Yankee BFF of Mullen) Mullen would be screaming at him saying "Your kickers sucks, you better find someone else who can kick!!!!!" That would lead to rapid improvement. We unfortunately don't have that situation we have a stubborn coach who talks of mental aspects, execution, etc.....and keeps doing the same stubborn shit again and again. It is frustrating for a fan to watch it unfold like that. Dan could change a few things about his management of the team and solve dumbassed problems like this; however, I am not holding my breath.

Pretty much sums up Mullen. Glad to have you on board. #DanMustGo

[smootness]

#DanMustGo

Can we stop with this stuff, or with the 'Dan is a dud!' It makes us look stupid.

[tcdog70]

actually it is Dan that looks stupid. He is more hardheaded than Croom. He is an absolute failure as a special team Coach. I am not saying fire Dan yet, but the season has a way to go. The Arkansas Game could be huge for Him.

On the subject of a Kicker, just go the JUCO route and get a proven Kicker. It ain't rocket science.

[deltadawg99]

I really wish that Dan would turn the special teams over to somebody else on the staff. I've never been a fan of the head coach being the special teams coordinator. I didn't realize until yesterday that Billy Gonzales was the special teams coordinator when Meyer and company were at Utah. Meyer took over the special teams roles when they all moved to Florida.

Hopefully we'll move Sallach to an office job next year and we'll hire a TEs coach that will also do special teams. On a side note I think we should hire Walt Bell from UNC as our next TEs coach. He has been with Fedora since OSU and is also the UNC recruiting coordinator. Their 1st team tight end has 46 catches for 690 yards and 3 TDs so far this year. In comparison Malcolm Johnson has 17 catches for 206 yards and 1 TD. Just saying

[maroonmania]

I have really enjoyed this thread. Good work by the poster who first brought this up for discussion.

You know what we have in common with Croom and Mullen: both are stubborn as shit.

Mullen gave a scholarship to Bell and calls himself special teams coach. If it turns out that Bell isn't getting it done, Mullen sees himself as being wrong twice, and Mullen is never wrong.

If we had an actual special teams coach, (and for arguments sake assume it wasn't some Yankee BFF of Mullen) Mullen would be screaming at him saying "Your kickers sucks, you better find someone else who can kick!!!!!" That would lead to rapid improvement. We unfortunately don't have that situation we have a stubborn coach who talks of mental aspects, execution, etc.....and keeps doing the same stubborn shit again and again. It is frustrating for a fan to watch it unfold like that. Dan could change a few things about his management of the team and solve dumbassed problems like this; however, I am not holding my breath.

Exactly, and Mullen also confuses "big leg" with good FG kicking. FG kicking first and foremost is about accuracy, not leg strength. Give me a guy who is automatic from 40 yards in and I will take my chances on the FGs longer than that. As long as a kicker can cover the distance up to 50 yards most of the time then accuracy is the primary issue.

[smootness]

actually it is Dan that looks stupid. He is more hardheaded than Croom. He is an absolute failure as a special team Coach. I am not saying fire Dan yet, but the season has a way to go. The Arkansas Game could be huge for Him.

On the subject of a Kicker, just go the JUCO route and get a proven Kicker. It ain't rocket science.

I don't think he's an absolute failure as a ST coach. There was a learning curve, and I'm not necessarily a huge proponent of the HC being the ST coach just because, but we have definitely improved in ST as a whole over the last couple of years. Yes, Bell was left as PK for too long, but ultimately Mullen made the move; and Bell actually finished last year halfway decent.

The rest of the ST have been good recently. Our punt team is phenomenal, and our KO coverage has been good recently as well (the A&M return was mostly an aberration). I wish we were better in the KO return game, but Lewis has been ok there. Aside from FGs (which have been a big problem, no doubt), the other areas of our ST haven't been bad.