Didn't mean to suggest kicker isn't important. In fact, I think it is VERY important. Was just suggesting the use of "Points leaders" stats is not a particularly telling stat in that regard.
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That's why I said Sobiesk was BECOMING that guy that the coaching staff had confidence in from 45 in. No, we didn't have a lot of longer opportunities come up but early in the year its obvious the staff didn't trust Sobiesk from longer range. That's the only reason I could see why they would stick Westin Graves out there to kick a 40+ yard FG when he hadn't kicked all year. Slowly but surely though he did earn that trust and by year's end I felt good about Sobiesk kicking anything that was 40 yards to just over that. Now we are back to square one on finding a guy that is consistently accurate. We've got several guys with booming legs but they are like a long driving golfer that can't find the fairway.
Explain Dan going with Bell on the long field goal attempt against Kentucky and going for it on fourth down ad nauseum when in between the 50 and 35.
Sobiesk was accurate within his range- but his range wasn't very long.
I'm not upset with Dan about that- after all, as Clint Eastwood says, a man has got to know his limitations.
Twice in this thread I've read that we punted well last season; I remember us punting poorly, a lot.
Also, I heard the staff told high school coaches promoting their kickers before last season that we we were set at FG kicker and not looking for one. So I think they were sold on Cook replacing Sobiesk if and when it was needed.