Kai Forbath-ND or UCLA

[jiggafini19]

Kai Forbath, kicker from Sherwood Oaks, CA has come down to UCLA and Notre Dame.

UCLA is minutes from his home. ND will allow him to kick in winter conditions. His mother is 100% for UCLA, dad is 50-50. Forbath is also a fan of USC, but has no offer from them. Should he get one, look for another Steve Brown situation where ND loses out.

Forbath wants to kick only, not punt.

Kicking is an emphasis of the Weis staff, being that one of their main goals was to improve special teams. Forbath is one of the best kickers out there. Would be a huge get.

 

[Irish Envy]

Kai Forbath, kicker from Sherwood Oaks, CA has come down to UCLA and Notre Dame.

UCLA is minutes from his home. ND will allow him to kick in winter conditions. His mother is 100% for UCLA, dad is 50-50. Forbath is also a fan of USC, but has no offer from them. Should he get one, look for another Steve Brown situation where ND loses out.

Forbath wants to kick only, not punt.

Kicking is an emphasis of the Weis staff, being that one of their main goals was to improve special teams. Forbath is one of the best kickers out there. Would be a huge get.

He looks like a surfer boy to me. I'd be shocked if he comes here when he can go to a fine school in UCLA and be minutes from home and the beach.

 

[jiggafini19]

Yeah, I'm not sure ND's chances are strong on this one.

 

[grantland]

Again, it is good to see us competing.

 

[Irish Envy]

Again, it is good to see us competing.

For sure.

And if we start winning I think it will be a moot point. The UCLAs of the world won't even get consideration. Just amazing what winning can do.

 

[jiggafini19]

Getting down to the final five, final three, final two...all well and good. Most times, these guys know where they're going anyway. But if ND can get in there, minds can change.

The USC and Tennessee games will be huge. Recruits will be at those games. Wins will be important. At the very least, ND can't get blown out. They need to play hard and compete even when they lose.

 

[grantland]

Can you imagine if start playing well and winning - on TV every week. All the high school kids tuning in every week? Good grief.

 

[jiggafini19]

Results on the field will be the next step. If ND sets the world on fire against their schedule, interest will peak just in time for bowl season, then signing day.

ND has to win their home games. Simple as that. Win at home and away games sort themselves out.

 

[brucejcarr]

Agreed, we must protect our home field.

 

[jiggafini19]

Blown out by Purdue, second half collapse against BC and a horrendous effort against Pitt last year. That won't cut it.

 

[jiggafini19]

Blown out by Purdue, second half collapse against BC and a horrendous effort against Pitt last year. That won't cut it.

Forbath saw UCLA this past weekend.

He's no closer to a decision, which is good for ND. ND is sending him things every day. He's very interested.

USC has not stuck their dirty snouts into the mix yet, which is making Forbath a little testy.

Kicking in adverse conditions appeals to Forbath, i.e. the NFL?

 

[Domer95]

That is correct. He's looking to be the next David Akers....

 

[jiggafini19]

That is correct. He's looking to be the next David Akers....

The kid from St. Rita here in Chicago is going to Iowa.

Never hurts to have a good kicker. The fact that he is torn between UCLA and ND is a good sign. ND has him thinking.

He has said they're sending him mail every day telling him how much they want him on board.

 

[Domer95]

Thus goes with CDub's emphasis on special teams......Let's remember back to Lou, who's special teams were always underrated in my book...running back kickoffs/punts for touchdowns or significant yardage (ok, it DOES help to have the Rocket)...but also in blocking kicks (remember Frosh. Bobby Taylor blocked an extra point in the "Snow Bowl" against Penn State)....and we all have seen what sharp special teams have done for VaTech....

 

[jiggafini19]

Wasn't there a period during the Holtz years when ND was hurting at kicker?

It can make or break you, that's for sure. Ask Florida State.

Ryan Burkhart, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound kicker from Nappanee, Ind. is also getting looked at by ND. He converted a couple of 50+ yarders as a junior and one of his 3 in his team's opener last weekend.

 

[BigIrish]

hmmm...i think holtz had both reggie ho and craig hentrich...don't think he had much problems with the kicking game...

 

[jiggafini19]

hmmm...i think holtz had both reggie ho and craig hentrich...don't think he had much problems with the kicking game...

Who came after Kevin Pendergast in 1993? I can almost assure you 100% that he sucked.

 

[jiggafini19]

Who came after Kevin Pendergast in 1993? I can almost assure you 100% that he sucked.

John Sanson is the guy I was thinking of. 1996-1999. Kevin Kopka and Scott Cengia were before him.

The power of Google.

8 missed extra points in 1996. 8!! 5 for 10 FG in 1997. 6-13 FG in 1999, only three missed extra points.

Nick Setta might as well have been Adam Viniateri. It wasn't Holtz, but it was recently that I remember extra points being an adventure.

 

[lucky]

Pendergast? Wasn't he the kid that missed that chip shot against Tennessee at the end of the game. Same game them hillbilly's broke Hentrich's leg. I live in Atlanta and I hear about the "Miracle in South Bend" ( that's what they call it) every year from all these Tenn. fans!!

 

[Domer95]

yeah, he's the one and that's the game. We were up I believe 34-3 going for another FG right before half, the kick was blocked, Hentrich was injured and UT ran it back in for a score...then snowballed us the 2nd half. Not a fun game to be at. I believe that Pendergast is also the guy who got into trouble w/ the NCAA for gambling.

 

[BGIF]

Holtz had good kicking most of the time. I believe there was a FG missed in the '93 BC game. Yes, Pendergast got the betting blues. Pendergast followed Hentrich in '93.

Holtz liked to save the scholarship and use walkon kickers. There was a dynamite kicker from Argentina(?) that held out for a scholarship. Holtz said no and the kicker whose name I have forgotten (Gramatica?)became a AA kicker for KSU.

ND then went through Scott Cengia, Stephan Schroffner, Kevin "Thunderfoot" Kopka, Jim Sanson who beat out Cengia but struggled badly.

It wasn't until Nick Setta that ND got stability back in the place kicking game.

 

[jiggafini19]

Ah, "Thunderfoot." I forgot all about that. Filled my heart with hope and optimism. Kopka certainly didn't set the world on fire, did he?

When extra points are exciting, that's never a good thing. Unfortunately, I had to deal with this type of kicking for three years. Believe me, it can get very aggravating after an 11 game season.

 

[jiggafini19]

Latest on Forbath:

"I think I am in the process of setting up an official visit with Notre Dame. I hope to go up for the USC game. We're starting school soon so I haven't really thought about it too much."

 

[BGIF]

Kopka, if I recall correctly, injured a knee and was only around for one season.