Kicking game

[Junkhead]

I just read in the paper that Brandon Walker is now 1-10 on 30+ yd fg attempts. Ouch. 6-15 overall.

 

[loomis41973]

Abysmal describes the entire kicking game.

 

[Folsteam_Ahead]

this is the only part of our game that has me worried. i feel like the other areas can be worked on during the season and allow us to have complete games offensively and defensively, but our kicking game is atrocious. we're not even sniffing 50% on field goals. thank god we have a good punter.

 

[Golden_Domer88]

Decent Punter*


But has anyone ever thought of going to the soccer teams and finding someone that knows how to kick a ball? Seems pretty simple. Instead of wasting scholarships on these kickers we have.

 

[tko]

hopefully nick tausch can bring a necessary boost to the kicking game.

 

[mick2]

yea not having a kicker does suck

 

[NDFan78]

Decent Punter*


But has anyone ever thought of going to the soccer teams and finding someone that knows how to kick a ball? Seems pretty simple. Instead of wasting scholarships on these kickers we have.

My thoughts exactly. Grab a soccer player and try him out, he couldn't be any worse. So far this year Walker is 0-3.

 

[ARALOU]

I think not having an accurate kicker puts added pressure on the offense to score touchdowns. Especially in close games or game winning/tying drives. Hopefully it will improve. Sometimes all it takes is making a big kick under pressure giving confidence.

 

[wahoo]

There is no excuse why a school like ND can't recruit and/or develop a kicker. Hell get a woman off the soccer team if you have to!

 

[irish4ever]

What kicking game? Besides pretty good punters, ND hasn't had a kicking game for several years! It's not only the kicker's fault, there have been repeated bad snaps, mishandling of snaps, inadequate blocking, etc. The keystone cops have nothing over the Irish place kicking attempts! If I wasn't an Irish fan, it would be hilarious to say the least!

 

[Irish Rogue]

I agree with the Golden Domer 88, they should look at a soccer player. This all boils down to coaching, we have not had a good kicker in years, poor accuracy and weak kick-offs result in losses, WAKE UP COACHES.

 

[Bubba]

I agree with the Golden Domer 88, they should look at a soccer player. This all boils down to coaching, we have not had a good kicker in years, poor accuracy and weak kick-offs result in losses, WAKE UP COACHES.

Not sure I follow. So is it the coaches? Or, do we need to find new players?

I'm not sure either of our kickers started out with a scholarship. Hopefully we can keep the commitment from Tausch and he will be able to turn our kicking game around. Unlike skill positions, I think kickers can come in as Freshmen and be ready to contribute quickly.

 

[Junkhead]

Not sure I follow. So is it the coaches? Or, do we need to find new players?

I'm not sure either of our kickers started out with a scholarship. Hopefully we can keep the commitment from Tausch and he will be able to turn our kicking game around. Unlike skill positions, I think kickers can come in as Freshmen and be ready to contribute quickly.

Both Burkhart and Walker are and always were on scholarship. They just haven't played like they deserve it so far.

 

[Bubba]

Both Burkhart and Walker are and always were on scholarship. They just haven't played like they deserve it so far.

WOW...bummer! I did not know that.

 

[irish4ever]

Let's keep this in perspective. It's not just the kickers here at fault. Sure they have missed plenty over the last several years and many were considered "gimmies". But there has also been plenty of bad snaps, bad holds on the snap and also some breakdown on the line of protection. The whole kicking game needs to be resurrected, not just the kickers!

 

[BeatSC]

I'm just gald we can make the extra points. What I think is worse than the field goal kicking is our total inability to keep the ball even inside the 10 on the few kickoffs we have. Teams all over the country have kickers who can get it into the endzone. I am amzed that these 2 guys are on scholarship. Even Ty had better kickers than this.

 

[Folsteam_Ahead]

my mom says to this day that she hasn't trusted a kicker at ND since the 70's. unfortunately, that means i've never trusted one having been born in '82.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Is it really just the ability to kick that makes a good kicker? Soccer players don't have 300 pound guys hurtling at them, not just trying to block their kick, but also trying to take their heads off. Kind of similar to the argument of putting a really huge sumo wrestler in a hockey goal. There is a little more to the position and if the transition were so easy, everyone would be doing it more often.

 

[kicker20]

Is it really just the ability to kick that makes a good kicker? Soccer players don't have 300 pound guys hurtling at them, not just trying to block their kick, but also trying to take their heads off. Kind of similar to the argument of putting a really huge sumo wrestler in a hockey goal. There is a little more to the position and if the transition were so easy, everyone would be doing it more often.

You make a very good point. Most soccer players will never have a penalty kick in front of 80,000 people. Also, a common misnomer is that a soccer player and a kicker both kick the same way because they call it soccer style. You would have a much better chance of a goalie being a good punter, than finding a good kicker. Also remember that most soccer shots are not on goal so they miss. They also have a hard time getting a fg off in 1.28 seconds.Being a former Irish kicker from 1995-98, I have learned why we don't have great kickers. Ist, they bench the kickers to fast and they will develop a negative thought pattern while they are running out to kick a game winning fg. 2. this has changed in practice and you see the improvements in the game. coach Weis takes an active role in all facets of special teams. This gives not only the kicker and punter that they matter, but also the coverage teams that the head coach is watching.3. If you start a kicker as a true freshman, be realistic that they have the freshman getters like me in 1995, just like a freshman GB.
go Irish Kevin Kopka

 

[Junkhead]

You make a very good point. Most soccer players will never have a penalty kick in front of 80,000 people. Also, a common misnomer is that a soccer player and a kicker both kick the same way because they call it soccer style. You would have a much better chance of a goalie being a good punter, than finding a good kicker. Also remember that most soccer shots are not on goal so they miss. They also have a hard time getting a fg off in 1.28 seconds.Being a former Irish kicker from 1995-98, I have learned why we don't have great kickers. Ist, they bench the kickers to fast and they will develop a negative thought pattern while they are running out to kick a game winning fg. 2. this has changed in practice and you see the improvements in the game. coach Weis takes an active role in all facets of special teams. This gives not only the kicker and punter that they matter, but also the coverage teams that the head coach is watching.3. If you start a kicker as a true freshman, be realistic that they have the freshman getters like me in 1995, just like a freshman GB.
go Irish Kevin Kopka

Thunderfoot? Welcome and thanks for the post!

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

You make a very good point. Most soccer players will never have a penalty kick in front of 80,000 people. Also, a common misnomer is that a soccer player and a kicker both kick the same way because they call it soccer style. You would have a much better chance of a goalie being a good punter, than finding a good kicker. Also remember that most soccer shots are not on goal so they miss. They also have a hard time getting a fg off in 1.28 seconds.Being a former Irish kicker from 1995-98, I have learned why we don't have great kickers. Ist, they bench the kickers to fast and they will develop a negative thought pattern while they are running out to kick a game winning fg. 2. this has changed in practice and you see the improvements in the game. coach Weis takes an active role in all facets of special teams. This gives not only the kicker and punter that they matter, but also the coverage teams that the head coach is watching.3. If you start a kicker as a true freshman, be realistic that they have the freshman getters like me in 1995, just like a freshman GB.
go Irish Kevin Kopka

Are you sure you don't have any eligibility left? You were great! We could use you! Welcome aboard!

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

It is very easy to blame only the kicker, but I have seen ND botch so many snaps it unbelievable. I was with a team once that had the snapper and holder do nothing but practice the snap and hold for at least a half hour nonstop every day. The kicker only kicked when he felt like it. The result was complete confidence in each other throughout the season, and I believe it was a 100 per cent PAT and FG year, with only an average kicker, but super snapper and holder.

Maybe ND needs to get 3 guys together that do only that: snap, hold, kick. Nothing else. And do nothing else at practice other than snap, hold, kick.

 

[roto-stud]

Walker kicks well in practice but can't find his accuracy during games... I continually have read that Weis puts pressure on him with his kicks at the end of practice, forcing the team into extra wind sprints if he misses... great kickers need ice water in their veins... maybe next years recruit will be the answer.