I am one of the biggest Leach supporters around but he needs to stop this BS...

[99jc]

Mississippi State football?s kicking woes made their first appearance in Saturday?s trip to Arizona. Though MSU pulled away for a 39-17 win, Massimo Biscardi?s two missed extra points served as a harsh reminder of last season?s struggles.

But Ben Raybon settled concerns in relief. He made three extra point attempts, a pair of field goals and recorded eight touchbacks in as many kickoffs.

However, coach Mike Leach didn?t commit to Raybon being the starter ahead of MSU's trip to LSU (1-1) on Saturday (5 p.m., ESPN).

?I?m not sure,? Leach said Monday. ?I think he certainly did some good things. We'll see in practice and evaluate.?


Leach joked Saturday about needing to recruit holders capable of handling lefty kickers. That role belongs to punter Archer Trafford, who had experience with a lefty at Air Force.

Raybon transferred to MSU (2-0) in January from Northern Colorado, where he made 8 of 14 field goals in 2021.

I think the evaluation should be done in the game itself....RAYBON checked all the boxes under pressure what else do you need? Come on man!

[BrunswickDawg]

Mississippi State football?s kicking woes made their first appearance in Saturday?s trip to Arizona. Though MSU pulled away for a 39-17 win, Massimo Biscardi?s two missed extra points served as a harsh reminder of last season?s struggles.

But Ben Raybon settled concerns in relief. He made three extra point attempts, a pair of field goals and recorded eight touchbacks in as many kickoffs.

However, coach Mike Leach didn?t commit to Raybon being the starter ahead of MSU's trip to LSU (1-1) on Saturday (5 p.m., ESPN).

?I?m not sure,? Leach said Monday. ?I think he certainly did some good things. We'll see in practice and evaluate.?


Leach joked Saturday about needing to recruit holders capable of handling lefty kickers. That role belongs to punter Archer Trafford, who had experience with a lefty at Air Force.

Raybon transferred to MSU (2-0) in January from Northern Colorado, where he made 8 of 14 field goals in 2021.

I think the evaluation should be done in the game itself....RAYBON checked all the boxes under pressure what else do you need? Come on man!

And what if Raybon shanks the majority of his kicks in practice this week? Would you feel comfortable with him at that point? No, you wouldn't.
Both Raybon and Maximus Bacardi are 5th year Seniors - they know the drill. If they can't get it done then next man up.

[Matt3467]

Apparently Biscardi has a history of missing XPs. He was supposed to be a huge boost in our woeful kicking department. We're the only team out of 130 that have missed two XPs. The only other team that is doing worse is East Carolina and they've missed 3. Ordinarily I'd say he just had a horrible night but with how bad he missed them and seeing he's no stranger to it we need someone sure footed and Raybon filled in nicely hitting all 3 XPs and both FGs.

[Commercecomet24]

Biscardi has a history of missed xps every one knew that coming in. He also has a history of being money in clutch situations and long fgs. Raybon looked good Saturday night so leach is doing what he should and making them compete. Leach makes it known no ones job is safe and you can be benched if you don't produce. He's making them compete for the job as he should. We've had coached in past who would just keep rolling people out there with better people sitting behind them. I like how leach doesn't let anyone get comfortable

[TrapGame]

I think that's just Leach being Leach. I'd bet Raybon is the guy going forward. Massimo may get some PAT tries vs Bowling Green but I'd be a little shocked if Leach has him kicking vs LSU.

[R2Dawg]

Leach had how many years to fix kicking? Whatever happens, Leach is responsible. Why do so many continue to give a HC a pass on utter failure?

The victim mentality and no accountability of our culture today I guess. Someone is responsible and it is the guy we pay millions a year to field a competitive football team.

[Commercecomet24]

Leach had how many years to fix kicking? Whatever happens, Leach is responsible. Why do so many continue to give a HC a pass on utter failure?

The victim mentality and no accountability of our culture today I guess. Someone is responsible and it is the guy we pay millions a year to field a competitive football team.

I'm certainly not giving leach a pass.
He brought in Ruiz his first year and Ruiz was money so first year was excellent so not a failure at all in 2020 in fact best kicking game we've had in awhile. Ruiz got hurt last year and was never the same and his backup was terrible so last year was a bad year. He brought in 4 kickers this year and he's making them compete so he's trying to fix the problem and it's too early to call this year an utter failure. 2020 kicking game was very good, 21 not so much, 22 still to early

[R2Dawg]

I'm certainly not giving leach a pass.
He brought in Ruiz his first year and Ruiz was money so first year was excellent so not a failure at all in 2020 in fact best kicking game we've had in awhile. Ruiz got hurt last year and was never the same and his backup was terrible so last year was a bad year. He brought in 4 kickers this year and he's making them compete so he's trying to fix the problem and it's too early to call this year an utter failure. 2020 kicking game was very good, 21 not so much, 22 still to early

Yeah I wasn't aiming comments at anyone in particular but I see these type things in every Leach thread. I agree with your post, yeah he tried some stuff but something is what he is doing - other coaches, something isn't working. Maybe it isn't a priority or he has the wrong coach he has trusted to find a kicker?

[CovertDawg]

Raybon was 8-14 on FG last year at Nothern Colorado. He looked awesome on Saturday but Leach knows that is just one game.

[Hot Rock]

Almost every coach has kicking woes from time to time.

All A&M had to do was hit a 47 yarder and they would have tied it up with 4 minutes to go vs App State. Saban has had plenty of kicking problems over the years.

Thing is: with scholarship limitations the way they are, you hate to devote scholarships to them because so many end up being busts.

Leach addressed it by getting several new kickers here and making them compete. Will it work, I hope so. Kicking can be an issue any given day.

[Commercecomet24]

Yeah I wasn't aiming comments at anyone in particular but I see these type things in every Leach thread. I agree with your post, yeah he tried some stuff but something is what he is doing - other coaches, something isn't working. Maybe it isn't a priority or he has the wrong coach he has trusted to find a kicker?

I agree kicking can be frustrating but I will say if you watch a lot of college football, kickers are a crap shoot. Heck even the golden boy Saban with all his gazillion coaches and analysts has had problems with reliable kickers in the past. Kicking in college football just isn't consistent pretty much anywhere. I'm just glad at least leach is trying to find one. Biscardi has a history of being a money kicker on fgs in clutch and long situations but everyone pretty much knew his history with xps. He's almost like a great 3 point shooter who can't hit free throws. Anyway I know we're all hoping our kicking issues get solved and quickly

[Matt3467]

Leach had how many years to fix kicking? Whatever happens, Leach is responsible. Why do so many continue to give a HC a pass on utter failure?

The victim mentality and no accountability of our culture today I guess. Someone is responsible and it is the guy we pay millions a year to field a competitive football team.

'86-90 with Felker: 53/82 (65%) on FGs & 97/106 (92%) on XPs

'91-03 with Sherrill: 163/256 (64%) on FGs & 317/337 (94%) on XPs

'04-08 with Croom: 36/60 (60%) on FGs & 121/123 (98%) on XPs

'09-17 with Dan: 117/173 (68%) on FGs & 421/433 (97%) on XPs

'18-19 with Joe: 21/28 (75%) on FGs & 91/92 (99%) on XPs

'20-present with Leach: 26/39 (67%) on FGs & 81/83 (98%) on XPs

I think Leach is doing fine.

[Commercecomet24]

'86-90 with Felker: 53/82 (65%) on FGs & 97/106 (92%) on XPs

'91-03 with Sherrill: 163/256 (64%) on FGs & 317/337 (94%) on XPs

'04-08 with Croom: 36/60 (60%) on FGs & 121/123 (98%) on XPs

'09-17 with Dan: 117/173 (68%) on FGs & 421/433 (97%) on XPs

'18-19 with Joe: 21/28 (75%) on FGs & 91/92 (99%) on XPs

'20-present with Leach: 26/39 (67%) on FGs & 81/83 (98%) on XPs

I think Leach is doing fine.

You know it's amazing that everyone considered Jackie a special teams guru(and I love Jackie) but our kicking game(fg and xps) was really average to below average with him.

[BrunswickDawg]

I agree kicking can be frustrating but I will say if you watch a lot of college football, kickers are a crap shoot. Heck even the golden boy Saban with all his gazillion coaches and analysts has had problems with reliable kickers in the past. Kicking in college football just isn't consistent pretty much anywhere. I'm just glad at least leach is trying to find one. Biscardi has a history of being a money kicker on fgs in clutch and long situations but everyone pretty much knew his history with xps. He's almost like a great 3 point shooter who can't hit free throws. Anyway I know we're all hoping our kicking issues get solved and quickly

And Biscardi's issues with PATs aren't even THAT bad - he missed 9 over his first 3 seasons and 1 last year. Career wise that's about the same % as Hazelwood & Westerfield. We have had some great PAT guys of late who never missed like Ruiz but FG have always an adventure. Christman is our best ever and he still missed 20% of his FG attempts.

But just to show how universal that is - Kevin Butler - one of the best ever - only made 78% of his FG at UGA.

[Matt3467]

You know it's amazing that everyone considered Jackie a special teams guru(and I love Jackie) but our kicking game(fg and xps) was really average to below average with him.

Yea the numbers surprised me too. We had statistically our worst year in 35 years (furthest I went back) kicking fgs under him in 1996 we were 8/18. Next up would've been under Mullen in 2013 where we went 10/21.

[R2Dawg]

'86-90 with Felker: 53/82 (65%) on FGs & 97/106 (92%) on XPs

'91-03 with Sherrill: 163/256 (64%) on FGs & 317/337 (94%) on XPs

'04-08 with Croom: 36/60 (60%) on FGs & 121/123 (98%) on XPs

'09-17 with Dan: 117/173 (68%) on FGs & 421/433 (97%) on XPs

'18-19 with Joe: 21/28 (75%) on FGs & 91/92 (99%) on XPs

'20-present with Leach: 26/39 (67%) on FGs & 81/83 (98%) on XPs

I think Leach is doing fine.

Good homework but the numbers don't tell the whole story. Some missed kicks not kickers fault - snap, blocking, etc.

Many of those misses are way out hard angle. You can't do a single data comparison. I been watching for about 45 years and kicking is as bad as I've every seen it.

[R2Dawg]

You know it's amazing that everyone considered Jackie a special teams guru(and I love Jackie) but our kicking game(fg and xps) was really average to below average with him.

JWS was ST (kicking being part of that). He had the mad Dawgs kickoff team. He won some big games on kicks. Again the numbers don't tell the whole story.

[Commercecomet24]

JWS was ST (kicking being part of that). He had the mad Dawgs kickoff team. He won some big games on kicks. Again the numbers don't tell the whole story.

I agree Jackie was good at other parts of special teams but fg kicking was always an adventure and that's the one I was referring too.

[Commercecomet24]

And Biscardi's issues with PATs aren't even THAT bad - he missed 9 over his first 3 seasons and 1 last year. Career wise that's about the same % as Hazelwood & Westerfield. We have had some great PAT guys of late who never missed like Ruiz but FG have always an adventure. Christman is our best ever and he still missed 20% of his FG attempts.

But just to show how universal that is - Kevin Butler - one of the best ever - only made 78% of his FG at UGA.

Yeah if you only watch us you feel like we're the only one with kicking problems when it's pretty much all over cfb.

[DEDawg]

Biscardi has a history of missed xps every one knew that coming in. He also has a history of being money in clutch situations and long fgs. Raybon looked good Saturday night so leach is doing what he should and making them compete. Leach makes it known no ones job is safe and you can be benched if you don't produce. He's making them compete for the job as he should. We've had coached in past who would just keep rolling people out there with better people sitting behind them. I like how leach doesn't let anyone get comfortable

I don?t understand why we don?t just let Biscardi kick FG and Raybon kick XP. Who cares if it?s unconventional, this isn?t the NFL we don?t have to have 53 active we can carry 2 kickers every game day for exactly this.