Kicker Observations

[RangerRocket]

I've been surprised by the poor kicking of your kicker ("BigBird") given all the hype before the season started.

Last week against Miami he walked onto the field to attempt the last second field goal and didn't seem to want to get wet or dirty. He walked on to the field dodging puddles and the mud. I thought he should have taken the opportunity during the timeouts that Miami callled (to attempt to ice him) to practice a couple of simulated kicks out in the mud to see what the conditions were like and make any adjustments that he could have. Instead, he fell on his @$$ when his plant foot slipped out from under him on the actual field goal attempt.

Tonight I observed that his kickoffs were extremely short, something we always bitch about with our kicker. Our kicker has some nice kickoffs tonight for once, and we didn't give the opposition the usual short field position on the 35-40 yard line.

I did notice that your guy only uses about a 5 yard approach before he kicks off. I watched our guy and he was about 7-8 yards behind the ball when he started his approach. I thought your guy would be booming them into the endzone and he didn't. Just found that to be an interesting observation tonight.

Partridge is the second coming of Cole Magner. Tough kid who kept you in the game with some great catches.

[TG1996]

I thought the same thing about the kickoffs tonight. The first time I noticed it, I thought we were lining up for a 3rd quarter onside kick. I don't know if we were just trying to kick it short to not give up a return or what... at least he kept them in bounds and the coverage team did a pretty good job of getting down on them.

Rojas had about as solid a day punting the ball (the worst being the liner on his first attempt) as he's had all season. So that was nice to see. Oh, and he should get an Oscar for selling the daylights out of that fake!

[Bleeding Orange]

Actually, your kicker had his lead approach foot on the 9. Ellis (Big Bird) starts 5 yards back because, for som totally inexplicable reason, he is being coached to kick it high and short. People can say whatever they want about this game tonight, but BG lost it from the opening kick, giving Toledo the ball on the 35 or so. Sure, we held Toledo to a 3-and-out on the opening series, but they were kicking from beyond their own 40. We lost the field position battle (which is HUGE when two teams with totally inept offenses are playing one another) from the opening gun. It is really hard to fault Big Bird for any of this when he is being coached to do it.

I will give you last week against Miami, though. The fact that Ellis wasn't out there falling on his ass a few times during those timeouts was totally inexcusable. The freakin' game was on the line. Get your ass dirty and get the job done. Period.

[Redwingtom]

...Last week against Miami he walked onto the field to attempt the last second field goal and didn't seem to want to get wet or dirty. He walked on to the field dodging puddles and the mud...

Tonight I observed that his kickoffs were extremely short...

You're an idiot. The kick coverage scheme was to kick the ball short so it would be easier to cover. Against Miami he was trying to keep his cleats clean.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I just feel bad for the freshman kickers to be thrown into such an inept situation. When you take into account the incredible incompetence of our coaching staff in regards to special teams, I think both of the freshman kickers have performed admirably this season.

[h2oville rocket]

...Last week against Miami he walked onto the field to attempt the last second field goal and didn't seem to want to get wet or dirty. He walked on to the field dodging puddles and the mud...

Tonight I observed that his kickoffs were extremely short...

You're an idiot. The kick coverage scheme was to kick the ball short so it would be easier to cover. Against Miami he was trying to keep his cleats clean.

Would that make TG an idiot too? Or just Ranger because he's from UT?

[Dayons_Den]

I think he is being instructed to kick it high and between the 10 and 20 so our coverage can get down field. We have had a problem covering longer kicks. I wouldn't put that on Ellis.

[RangerRocket]

...Last week against Miami he walked onto the field to attempt the last second field goal and didn't seem to want to get wet or dirty. He walked on to the field dodging puddles and the mud...

Tonight I observed that his kickoffs were extremely short...

You're an idiot. The kick coverage scheme was to kick the ball short so it would be easier to cover. Against Miami he was trying to keep his cleats clean.

Funny, you've got exactly the same reputation over on the Toledo board. Your analysis of "trying to keep his cleats clean" is hilarious RWT. Even the ESPN crew were making the same comments about his reluctance to just walk on the field. You're just a sore loser in more ways than one........

[Flipper]

So ESPN was wrong too...I don't really have a problem with Ellis trying to keep the mud out of his cleats by avoiding the most obvious piles of muck.
I think Mark May was just engaging in the usual "kickers are sissies" criticism linemen like to trot out to make their oafish size and brutish demeanor socailly acceptable.

So far as the kick offs go. I've seen Ellis in put the ball inside the five and inside the endzone in warm ups. H eha sthe leg to kick it deeper. Our coaches are telling him not to.

Personally, if it were me coaching the team, I would have lined up in a more covential punt formation and asked the PK to just kick it as far as he can to whatever area you're trying to cover. (left right or center). All this crapola with the spread punt formation and the spot kick offs just confuses the situation.

Rojas seems to get the yips this year...that odd formation we use had to contribute to that.

[Redwingtom]

...Last week against Miami he walked onto the field to attempt the last second field goal and didn't seem to want to get wet or dirty. He walked on to the field dodging puddles and the mud...

Tonight I observed that his kickoffs were extremely short...

You're an idiot. The kick coverage scheme was to kick the ball short so it would be easier to cover. Against Miami he was trying to keep his cleats clean.

Would that make TG an idiot too? Or just Ranger because he's from UT?

If the shoe fits.

At least TG mentioned that "I don't know if we were just trying to kick it short to not give up a return or what... at least he kept them in bounds and the coverage team did a pretty good job of getting down on them.

Yes, that is what we were doing. We have been doing it quite a bit this season.

[TG1996]

I am clearly an idiot, just not from that statement, thank you.