When will the kicking game improve?

[panther42]

I don't know that I have ever seen such a lack of focus on special teams, especially the kicking game, that I have during the CGC era. Even when we made it 20-21, I was under the impression that we were going to miss the extra point because I have seen it happen more times over the past year than I would like to remember. During CGC first year our kicking game didn't kill us but it certainly didn't help. 2 kickers combined to go 3-8 on field goals, and 23-24 on extra points; 32 total points. Last year we went 26-29 on extra points, and 3-8 on field goals; 35 total points. This year we are off to a smoking start going 3-3 on extra points, but missing all 3 field goals.

I am in no way putting this on the kickers, because they are doing the best they can....most of the time. It just seems like our blocking schemes on special teams are horrendous, and they haven't gotten any better over the past 3 years.

 

[tsrich]

I think we'd be better off having the kickers and special teams run their own practices. We've gone thru enough kickers to know it's the staff not the players.

 

[yeti92]

Wiesehan? More like jeez man. As in jeez man, you are really bad at your job.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

The last 3 years it feels like every kicker at Tech becomes a head case, even two different kickers that were supposed to be among the best in the nation.

I’ve always heard that kickers need a certain level of TLC and that each one is different. When Butker was here the coaches found extra ways to make practice fun for him and got the whole team involved in rooting for him. I know every kicker does not have Butker’s skill level but they all need an approach that brings out their best.

 

[smokey_wasp]

In fairness, Cimaglia slipped on one and Stewart's 60 yarder was never going to happen, no matter how far he is kicking in practice. Incredibly frustrating, but I still think Cimaglia is going to be an improvement this year.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

In fairness, Cimaglia slipped on one and Stewart's 60 yarder was never going to happen, no matter how far he is kicking in practice. Incredibly frustrating, but I still think Cimaglia is going to be an improvement this year.

We’ll see.

 

[g0lftime]

kickers are like golfers and need confidence in their technique. can be fragile with a couple of misses. I think Cimaglia will be just fine.

 

[Pointer]

I really don't think many college football coaches know any kicking mechanics in the way they know about throwing mechanics. What you then need is a player who can kick the range you want and accurately. Most college coaches do not have the capacity to work on this aspect beyond scheduling the mandatory practice time.

What they can do to help a kicker is create high pressure game situations in practice to help prepare the kicker mentally, especially if the physical and muscle memory qualities are already there.

Does anyone know if we are doing that with the kickers? I recall when Butker was here, they would end practice with him making a high pressure kick that determined if practice was extended (or extra sprints or something). This is the type of stuff a coach can do for a kicker.

 

[Techster]

I'm still not over the Wesley Wells debacle. A kicker that was perfect the year before this staff arrived, then looked like he'd never kicked a football in his life once the new staff got here. On top of that, Wells left football altogether with multiple years of playing left.

Just like I said with CPJ and recruiting, at some point when you have constant struggles in an area, you need to identify the common denominator.

 

[g0lftime]

Hire a sports psychologist to work with the kickers. Virtually all the pro golfers have them. A lot of it is mental. We should know how valuable the kicker can be. Just ask a DWAG fan about Butker.

 

[TooTall]

So the 50+ yards punt average (true freshman) is a problem? Or, is it the perfect PAT with a ton room to spare by the same guy who just barely hooked his first attempt and slipped (like 10 other players did throughout the night) on his second attempt? Or is the 100% of kickoffs being touchbacks? Is it the punt coverage that allowed 0 yards of returns? Where is the special teams problem? The "game winning attempt" was doomed from the decision to try it so it's an outlier. I'm fine with the rest that I saw, esp after I rewatched and saw the kicker on his a$$ when his foot hit the ball on his second attempt.

Facts don't care about your feelings.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

So the 50+ yards punt average is a problem? Or, is it the perfect PAT with a ton room to spare by the same guy who just barely hooked his first attempt and slipped (like 10 other players did throughout the night) on his second attempt? Or is the 100% of kickoffs being touchbacks? Is it the punt coverage that allowed 0 yards of returns? Where is the special teams problem? The "game winning attempt" was doomed from the decision to try it so it's an outlier. I'm fine with the rest that I saw, esp after I rewatched and saw the kicker on his a$$ when his foot hit the ball on his second attempt.

Facts don't care about your feelings.

You are correct. They don't. The facts are that 2/3ds of our kicking game did well. The 3rd that actively scores points failed miserably though, whatever the reasons. That's a fact that doesn't care about our feelings either. As @smokey_wasp posted earlier, I also think Cimaglia will be fine as the season progresses, but after the first game, the title question for this thread is fair.

 

[smokey_wasp]

Speaking of punting, the announcers said Austin Kent was punting, but the box score says it was Shanahan. I presume it was Shanahan and the kid has a huge leg. Once he learns to take a little off, he is gonna be really good.

 

[TooTall]

Speaking of punting, the announcers said Austin Kent was punting, but the box score says it was Shanahan. I presume it was Shanahan and the kid has a huge leg. Once he learns to take a little off, he is gonna be really good.

Agreed 100% but as first game as a true freshman I'll take it everyday!

 

[Techfan02]

Remember when CPJ didn't worry about special teams and gets a guy like Butker who is now top in the NFL!!!!!!!!!

 

[pinglett]

Hire a sports psychologist to work with the kickers. Virtually all the pro golfers have them. A lot of it is mental. We should know how valuable the kicker can be. Just ask a DWAG fan about Butker.

 

[bke1984]

In fairness, Cimaglia slipped on one and Stewart's 60 yarder was never going to happen, no matter how far he is kicking in practice. Incredibly frustrating, but I still think Cimaglia is going to be an improvement this year.

Trying from 60 with any of our kickers is poor coaching. We had a better shot at winning with a Hail Mary than that. Just another strike for CGC

 

[wrmathis]

Remember when CPJ didn't worry about special teams and gets a guy like Butker who is now top in the NFL!!!!!!!!!

there are a few chiefs fan that dont like how butker misses XPs. loves he hits FG but hate he has missed a few XPs. he was only 89% last year which was tied for 28th

 

[GT_05]

I'm still not over the Wesley Wells debacle. A kicker that was perfect the year before this staff arrived, then looked like he'd never kicked a football in his life once the new staff got here. On top of that, Wells left football altogether with multiple years of playing left.

Just like I said with CPJ and recruiting, at some point when you have constant struggles in an area, you need to identify the common denominator.

I’d love to know what happened with WW. He was our only glimmer of hope in the kicking department since Butker departed. I shouldn’t want to do cartwheels when we get an extra point but I’ve felt that way since 2019. Geez.

 

[DeepSnap]

In fairness, Cimaglia slipped on one and Stewart's 60 yarder was never going to happen, no matter how far he is kicking in practice. Incredibly frustrating, but I still think Cimaglia is going to be an improvement this year.

Fuad Reveiz's Revenge...... shades of Oct 25, 1986, when UT's A-A PK slipped on a slickery Grant Field and missed a sure walk-off game winning FG in a 14-13 win for the good guys in front of only 28, 432.

Hang around long enough & you'll see just about everything.