Ga Tech Placekicking Problems

[Josh H]

Saw that we have a Punter committed, are we looking at any kickers?

 

[Gtswifty81]

Saw that we have a Punter committed, are we looking at any kickers?

Good question. The guy who I thought was going to be our kicker (Steven Verdisco) this year was injured. Hopefully he is back next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if another preferred walk on was offered. Maybe a scholarship would be offered in 2022 based on the recent struggles.

 

[alagold]

Good question. The guy who I thought was going to be our kicker (Steven Verdisco) this year was injured. Hopefully he is back next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if another preferred walk on was offered. Maybe a scholarship would be offered in 2022 based on the recent struggles.

GC had better coach the kicking team to block or it doesn't matter much about the kicker. On our way to record FG %.

 

[takethepoints]

GC had better coach the kicking team to block or it doesn't matter much about the kicker. On our way to record FG %.

Given how low the kicks are coming out, I don't think Saban could make much difference. Of course, Wesley Welles is still on campus …

 

[SoMsJacket]

Given how low the kicks are coming out, I don't think Saban could make much difference. Of course, Wesley Welles is still on campus …

If the coaches thought Wells could kick, he would still be on the team.

 

[jacketjp]

If the coaches thought Wells could kick, he would still be on the team.

Wells can kick. He was 9 for 9 in 2018 on FGA, including 4-4 between 40 & 49, and 39 of 39 on XPs. Then the coaches started playing mind games to artificially manufacture "competition", completely dismissed Wells's previous on-field performance based on performance in practice, and replaced him with an inferior kicker. I'm a big fan of CGC, but he managed our kicking team as poorly as humanly possible. I can't imagine doing any worse there.

 

[smokey_wasp]

Wells can kick. He was 9 for 9 in 2018 on FGA, including 4-4 between 40 & 49, and 39 of 39 on XPs. Then the coaches started playing mind games to artificially manufacture "competition", completely dismissed Wells's previous on-field performance based on performance in practice, and replaced him with an inferior kicker. I'm a big fan of CGC, but he managed our kicking team as poorly as humanly possible. I can't imagine doing any worse there.

This is pure speculation and it is much more likely that Wells simply didn't have it anymore. You telling me Wells' confidence was forever shattered because CGC let another guy take one kick? Good lord.

 

[SoMsJacket]

Wells can kick. He was 9 for 9 in 2018 on FGA, including 4-4 between 40 & 49, and 39 of 39 on XPs. Then the coaches started playing mind games to artificially manufacture "competition", completely dismissed Wells's previous on-field performance based on performance in practice, and replaced him with an inferior kicker. I'm a big fan of CGC, but he managed our kicking team as poorly as humanly possible. I can't imagine doing any worse there.

That was 2018, this is 2020.
Did you observe the kickers in practice? Did you chart their performance? How do you know this happened? Ever thought Wells developed the yips, lost his confidence, etc. Happens to major league pitchers, pro golfers, etc. Just another wild conspiracy theory.

And, Good Lord

 

[jacketjp]

This is pure speculation and it is much more likely that Wells simply didn't have it anymore. You telling me Wells' confidence was forever shattered because CGC let another guy take one kick? Good lord.

1. It's not at all speculation. It's based on comments CGC made himself.
2. A kicker that went 48 for 48 doesn't just magically lose the ability to kick and cease "having it".
3. No, I didn't state anything of Wells' confidence. I'm telling you that Wells was the superior talent and got benched based on performance in practice, which was based on artificial, manufactured scenarios to force competition. And it's my opinion that performance in those artificial scenarios shouldn't override demonstrated performance on gameday. Kicking is a mental game and some kickers are "gamers". Wells was benched in favor of King, who proceeded to go 3 of 7 on FGAs while Wells rode the bench. I think it was obviously a poor decision, given that performance by King and where we are now based on those decisions. You can disagree on this part, which is speculative, but I find it hard to believe that Wells would have done any worse than 3 of 7.

That was 2018, this is 2020. Did you observe the kickers in practice? Did you chart their performance? How do you know this happened? Ever thought Wells developed the yips, lost his confidence, etc. Happens to major league pitchers, pro golfers, etc. Just another wild conspiracy theory.

1. There's no conspiracy theory. My statements about manufacturing competition and creating artificial scenarios to do so are from statements CGC made himself. The rest of my statements are facts about measured performance.
2. You're missing the point. I don't care what they did in practice. I care how they perform on gameday. It should have been Wells' job to lose based on gameday performance. I know that's not how most other positions are managed, but kicking is a unique animal. More like golfing, as you point out, but our coaches managed our kickers the same way they managed our DTs. Based on the end results, both in 2019 and now, during which our kicking game is abysmal, I think it's quite clear that we've managed our kickers poorly.

 

[smokey_wasp]

We are going far afield of 2021 recruiting, so I will save my responses if this discussion gets split off. But I think we have already beaten this to death in the past, regardless. Wells missed a FG and XP last year, was shanking in warmpups consistently and then left the team. Make of that what you will but I think it seems obvious this isn't on Collins. Whatever CGC said about competition in practice was probably just a way to try and protect the kid rather than just coming out and saying he's got the yips or whatever.

 

[LargeFO]

Good question. The guy who I thought was going to be our kicker (Steven Verdisco) this year was injured. Hopefully he is back next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if another preferred walk on was offered. Maybe a scholarship would be offered in 2022 based on the recent struggles.

Noah Jones from Cairo is a beast. I'm not sure why we aren't offering him a ship but seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[LargeFO]

He's already a good punter as well. Could conceivably handle both.

 

[BuzzStone]

3. No, I didn't state anything of Wells' confidence. I'm telling you that Wells was the superior talent and got benched based on performance in practice, which was based on artificial, manufactured scenarios to force competition. And it's my opinion that performance in those artificial scenarios shouldn't override demonstrated performance on gameday. Kicking is a mental game and some kickers are "gamers". Wells was benched in favor of King, who proceeded to go 3 of 7 on FGAs while Wells rode the bench. I think it was obviously a poor decision, given that performance by King and where we are now based on those decisions. You can disagree on this part, which is speculative, but I find it hard to believe that Wells would have done any worse than 3 of 7.


2. You're missing the point. I don't care what they did in practice. I care how they perform on gameday. It should have been Wells' job to lose based on gameday performance.

This this and this again. Practice and game time are different. Some may have it in practice but just can't live up to the pressure of a game time kick. We don't have a kicker, that is clear. Now we need the coaches to fix the problem they created.

 

[yeti92]

How is it that we had a perfect kicker and with the new staff he suddenly sucks, and then we brought in 3 or 4 walk on kickers rated highly out of high school and had a transfer, and they ALL magically suck too? That's too much of a trend to ignore imo

 

[Lee]

A kicker that went 48 for 48 doesn't just magically lose the ability to kick and cease "having it".

Google Rick Ankiel and then come back to the conversation. I think he was a little more talented then Wells (no offense). What happened to him?

I experienced the yips as well. Almost 20 years after I started playing the game and pretty close to the highest level. It happens. Most the time you can’t explain why, I still can’t. It doesn’t mean that Wells doesn’t have the potential to be a good kicker, weve seen that. But if you’ve never experienced the yips, or seen someone first hand with them, it’s hard to explain. Just know it’s true.

 

[KJ_Buzz]

What if Wells wanted to be more like Butker and worked on getting more distance on his field goals during the off season. This lead to him trying different techniques to get that length and that is what screwed him up. I don't know that this is what happened but it is as likely a sanario as the coaching staff messed him up.

 

[smokey_wasp]

Google Rick Ankiel and then come back to the conversation. I think he was a little more talented then Wells (no offense). What happened to him?

I experienced the yips as well. Almost 20 years after I started playing the game and pretty close to the highest level. It happens. Most the time you can’t explain why, I still can’t. It doesn’t mean that Wells doesn’t have the potential to be a good kicker, weve seen that. But if you’ve never experienced the yips, or seen someone first hand with them, it’s hard to explain. Just know it’s true.

Even more recent was the Cubs' Jon Lester who could pitch just fine but just couldn't throw to first base whatsoever. Lol

I am just giving in to being off topic at this point!

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

How is it that we had a perfect kicker and with the new staff he suddenly sucks, and then we brought in 3 or 4 walk on kickers rated highly out of high school and had a transfer, and they ALL magically suck too? That's too much of a trend to ignore imo

The staff tinkered with his footwork in an effort to improve timing. It isn't working.

 

[Jim Prather]

The staff tinkered with his footwork in an effort to improve timing. It isn't working.

That makes perfect sense, but how do you know this? Do you know him or his family?

 

[SoMsJacket]

1. It's not at all speculation. It's based on comments CGC made himself.
2. A kicker that went 48 for 48 doesn't just magically lose the ability to kick and cease "having it".
3. No, I didn't state anything of Wells' confidence. I'm telling you that Wells was the superior talent and got benched based on performance in practice, which was based on artificial, manufactured scenarios to force competition. And it's my opinion that performance in those artificial scenarios shouldn't override demonstrated performance on gameday. Kicking is a mental game and some kickers are "gamers". Wells was benched in favor of King, who proceeded to go 3 of 7 on FGAs while Wells rode the bench. I think it was obviously a poor decision, given that performance by King and where we are now based on those decisions. You can disagree on this part, which is speculative, but I find it hard to believe that Wells would have done any worse than 3 of 7.



1. There's no conspiracy theory. My statements about manufacturing competition and creating artificial scenarios to do so are from statements CGC made himself. The rest of my statements are facts about measured performance.
2. You're missing the point. I don't care what they did in practice. I care how they perform on gameday. It should have been Wells' job to lose based on gameday performance. I know that's not how most other positions are managed, but kicking is a unique animal. More like golfing, as you point out, but our coaches managed our kickers the same way they managed our DTs. Based on the end results, both in 2019 and now, during which our kicking game is abysmal, I think it's quite clear that we've managed our kickers poorly.

Now you are comparing kickers and DTs? Wells was kicking poorly in practice, lost his job. Was given a second chance and missed a FG (badly) and a XP. Again, you weren't at practice, you have no idea about practice management, individual performance, coaching kickers, etc. If Wells was kicking at his 2018 levels, he would be on the field. Your "analysis" is all conjuctuer.

Sidenote; college programs routinely bring in 5-6 walkon kickers every year. Majority can't handle the pressure and very, very few see the field. Even the highly recruited one.