forums

The General State of Kicking in CFB

Tad Footeball

Tad Footeball

1996 Interim Big East Conference Commissioner
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Messages
19,337
Am I just getting old or is it seemingly worse than ever? I just don't remember sooooo many shanks of what should be very makeable kicks while watching college football growing up. I'm not even talking gamewinning type kicking situations but just watching repeated misses of 30 yd type kicks in the 2nd quarter of regular season games too. Not to mention missed extra points too.

Perhaps we're just able to see more games than ever now and it's more noticeable. Perhaps it's exacerbated personally by our own situation.

The only things I still wouldn't understand is we're in the age of parents pushing their kids into very specialized athletic endeavors.

We've also had some demographic changes in this country and more kids than ever playing futbol- something that should translate into those kids eventually kicking on football teams.

You'd think both of those factors would have us seeing the highest quality college kickers in modern history but instead multiple fanbases of major programs are calling for their kickers to be stripped of their scholarships weekly.

<end rant>
 
Advertisement
Sigma_Cane_7 said:
Teams don’t have true ST coaches anymore. Doesn’t have the value. Kickers and Punters practice by themselves or with a GA during individuals. Good post OP.
Click to expand...

THIS....

Programs are having cb coach, striker coach, and every other thing in the book and just coach special teams as a "unit" or whatver. These kickers are basically alone most of the time...i mean you cna just look at our guy Baxa...i have yet tos ee a coach even talk to him...and who tf on our entire staff knows about kicking?.,
 
Sigma_Cane_7 said:
Teams don’t have true ST coaches anymore. Doesn’t have the value. Kickers and Punters practice by themselves or with a GA during individuals. Good post OP.
Click to expand...

You're definitely hitting on something here because look at even Baga. Their kicking game has been atrocious for years too. That can't be because they haven't been able to at least occasionally convince a top high school kid to go there. It has to at least be partially attributed to continued (or lack thereof) development of these kids once they're in college.
 
I think teams fall into a philosophy of worrying about scoring 6 points instead of 1 or 3. Everybody tries to win by such a margin that kicking is irrelevant.
 
Sigma_Cane_7 said:
Teams don’t have true ST coaches anymore. Doesn’t have the value. Kickers and Punters practice by themselves or with a GA during individuals. Good post OP.
Click to expand...
This and we have more coverage of all the misses than ever before. Every game is on TV and these kickers get ripped on social media like no other.
 
gogeta4 said:
THIS....

Programs are having cb coach, striker coach, and every other thing in the book and just coach special teams as a "unit" or whatver. These kickers are basically alone most of the time...i mean you cna just look at our guy Baxa...i have yet tos ee a coach even talk to him...and who tf on our entire staff knows about kicking?.,
Click to expand...
The last part you said is the big thing. We can have a coach to coordinate special teams but they aren’t going to do much to help the kickers correct flaws and such because they don’t know jack **** about it. We, and most other schools, really need to find someone that knows kicking that can work with these kids in some capacity.
 
Advertisement
Agree with the OP. How many games have we lost because of missed "kicking" points. Last night Kentucky out played the gates and lost because their kicker missed a 30yd chip shot with 50+ seconds remaining.

Maybe somethings in the "water."
 
Tad Footeball said:
You're definitely hitting on something here because look at even Baga. Their kicking game has been atrocious for years too. That can't be because they haven't been able to at least occasionally convince a top high school kid to go there. It has to at least be partially attributed to continued (or lack thereof) development of these kids once they're in college.
Click to expand...

The last part is monumental. Kickers are viewed as being at their peak once they arrive to college and all they need to work on his their mental focus/toughness. Sadly, some of these kids mechanics need work or completely rewiring but there’s not a soul in the staff to address it. Whoever said we need to hire an staffer to help coach kicking is spot on. **** is getting ridiculous. **** its important enough for a NFL team to have a ST but not college???
 
the kicking and officiating has been really bad this season so far all around. the Michigan state game was a real **** show
 
Advertisement
Good points on this thread.
I would also that in this age of specialization, alot of the younger coaches never had to punt or kick during their playing days, so you don't have a coach on staff who can spend a few hours every week imparting their knowledge and experience.
 
About 10 years ago, a son of a friend of mine wanted to be a kicker. He hired a guy that some of you may remember. Can’t remember his name but he was wheelchair bound and was supposed to be a kicking savant. The kid just didn’t have the leg and gave it up.

All that to say isn’t that what a lot of kids who want to be kickers are doing nowadays? Kind of like the QB clinics and personal coaches.
 
Don't know if I'm wrong but doesn't Ohio State have a guy that they hired that teaches their guy how to punt? I think the coach was a previous Rugby player or something.
 
Back
Top