Can we PLEASE stop bashing our kickers?
The ignorance on this board regarding specialists is astounding and drifting into the utterly ridiculous. Don’t you have anything better to do? …… like discuss the upcoming game or possibly the remainder of the season.
As a player with over 20 years of experience kicking and punting and as a coach with another 20 years teaching punting and kicking, I (almost) always enjoy any conversation regarding specialists. It is a too often misunderstood part of football so I am happy to help spread the right information. If you want to know something about this part of our game, just ask.
First understand “great kickers” are as rare as “great quarterbacks”. The few that can kickoff into the end zone and make 90% of their kicks are playing for the big schools, and even the biggest schools sometimes struggle with poor kicking, just like they struggle with inconsistent quarterbacking, inexcusable play calling and terrible defense. It’s called football and it is NOT perfect, neither are the players or coaches on any team in the country. These are college kids not professionals so keep your perspective. The simple truth is you either love The Hornets or you don’t.
Please allow me to streamline this thread:
1) Bad mouthing our players in an attempt to displace them so your “relative” can get a shot is not the way to go. If your guy can do the job, send him out to practice. I’ll be happy to evaluate him. If he has potential I can help him prepare for this level of ball, including proper biomechanics, working as part of the unit and focusing in the moment….. plus I have some great advice about dealing with ignorant fan comments.
2) Putting 100% of the blame on one player for any failed play is wrong. There are ALWAYS other factors involved in live action. Often they are un-noticed by the untrained eye. Bloggers here have proclaimed they were in position to see “perfect snaps and holds” but that’s not accurate. There is even an article bashing our kicker but ironically the picture in the article clearly shows problems beyond the kickers’ control. Other pictures available show more so look and learn before you speak.
3) Soccer style kicking replaced “straight on” for several reasons including much greater accuracy based on a wider sweet spot on the kicking foot. One of the few draw backs to soccer style is the difficulty making the “drop kick” which is still allowed but rarely attempted. There are fewer than a dozen guys in the country that can do it so that’s why it’s never done.
4) Here at Sac State Football we don’t recruit girls, out of state players or kids with fluky talent but little track record of football success. Please stop scouring the earth for more players, thanks anyway.
Hornet specialists (Bobak, Heath and Diniz) have earned their starting positions through hard work and consistent effort on and off the field. They care more than you could imagine and they’re working very hard to improve. The coaches (and parents) want better results in the games and plenty of pressure is being applied, believe me. There are competent replacements already on the roster if needed, but currently our coaches trust these guys with the ball …….. and so should everyone else.
GO Hornets
PS. Beat Northern Colorado!
hno:
