Special teams

[johnnd05]

This thread is devoted to news and views on ND's special teams for the '07-08 season.

Based on today's open practice, the guys at Kelly Green seem to think that Brandon Walker will be our next field-goal kicker.

 

[Sir John]

I think he is the go to guy by several 'respected opinions' from several guys and sites I have visited. I always visit Kelly Green as well.

 

[johnnd05]

I think he is the go to guy by several 'respected opinions' from several guys and sites I have visited. I always visit Kelly Green as well.

Sounds good - thanks for the insight, Sir John!

 

[bostonirish1908]

I think Brandon Walker will be our next field goal kicker, Burkhart will be our place kicker

 

[johnnd05]

I think Brandon Walker will be our next field goal kicker, Burkhart will be our place kicker

?

Aren't those the same role?

 

[johnnd05]

Kicking conundrum

They sailed wide left – a lot. And if it continues, Notre Dame could have trouble making field goals this year.

Sophomores Nate Whitaker and Ryan Burkhart along with freshman Brandon Walker are competing to win the kicking job and the three combined to go 6 for 14 on field goals at the end of practice.

Whitaker made field goals from 35 and 45 yards but missed his three closer ones. Walker connected from 25, 30 and 33 but missed his two deep ones. Burkhart missed all four of his attempts wide left.

Weis said Whitaker has been the most consistent daily in practice, but both Burkhart and Walker have shown glimpses.

“We’re not ready to cut the team as far as making a decision on who the guy is,” Weis said.

 

[johnnd05]

Hold it

The Irish have an interesting quandary, if you can call it that, on special teams: They have left-footed and right-footed kickers competing for the starting job, meaning Weis has to work Sharpley and punter Geoff Price into the role of the holder.

"I'm using one guy to hold for the righty kickers and one guy to hold for the lefty kickers, because the technique is just the opposite," Weis said.

As critical as a hold can be, the kickers seem unfazed about any personnel shuffling.

"You just have to trust in your holder that it's going to be there," sophomore Ryan Burkhart said.

 

[SillyIrish]

Sophomores Nate Whitaker and Ryan Burkhart along with freshman Brandon Walker are competing to win the kicking job and the three combined to go 6 for 14 on field goals at the end of practice.

I cringe at that 6-14 number.

 

[portlaNDgal]

Special teams scare the crap out of me. Not just kicking, both returns and return "defense" were terrible last year. Special teams became progressively less special after the Penn State game. Geoff Price is the only bright spot.

 

[GoshenGipper]

I heard this stat on last week's Irish Tuesdays and I thought it would make a good poll, so I figured I'd put it in this thread.

ND hasn't returned a kickoff back for a touchdown since Vontez Duff did it in 2002 against Navy, a span of 52 games. Who will be the next one to do it?

 

[johnnd05]

A completely different mindset

Last year at this time, Geoffrey Price was just trying to win a job and keep it.

This year, Geoff Price—he lost the full name reference somewhere along the line—has greater aspirations.

"Last year was just, 'Let's make sure I do it right and hold my job,'" smiled Price, the affable fifth-year senior from Hurst, Texas. "Now I want to punt well enough to play in the NFL."

Price is right on target with his goal. His 45.4-yard average was sixth best in the country last year, which is particularly remarkable when you consider that Price did not see action in '05 behind veteran D.J. Fitzpatrick.

Now that he's established, he's working on fine-tuning his game.

"Last year was just consistency and making sure I hit a good ball," Price said. "This year I'm trying to refine it and work on placement and increased hang time to make sure I get my net a little higher. I didn't have too many touchbacks last year, but there were definitely times I had a touchback and I shouldn't have."

In addition to ranking among the nation's top returning punters, Price is unique in another respect. He's incredibly strong for, well, for a punter.

"About 330," said Price when asked his maximum bench press. "I try to work out hard.

"It goes back to my middle school and high school days because in Texas, they start you young on the weights. In high school, I was primarily a safety, so I was always lifting. I just got into it. It's something I like to do. I like to push myself.

"Luckily, I'm a pretty big guy and I can throw around some weight. It's not as much as some guys, but it's pretty good for my position."

 

[johnnd05]

From eTruth:

Weis was equally vague — but equally decisive — when it came to the kicking competition. It looks as if there will be one kicker handling the kickoffs and a different one doing the field goals.

“I think the three-man competition really turned into a two-man competition," Weis said. "I think when it’s all said and done, one will be doing one and one will be doing the other. It’s really playing itself out where we just go by what we see. We have one more big special teams practice we’re having with them prior to true Georgia Tech week, and that’s Sunday night.”

 

[johnnd05]

We heard this morning that Notre Dame's football team is down at least one player -- Australian punter Xavier Burton has been cut from the team, his father e-mailed this morning. Burton's athletic career isn't over, though. Mark Burton said his son is going to play rugby for Notre Dame. Some stuff we were saving for a story on Burton but will now divulge. He is the son of a naval officer and attended 10 schools -- including ones in Germany and Papua New Guinea. Before coming to Notre Dame, he graduated from as a Midshipman from the Royal Australian Naval College. The Irish rugby team will be getting a standout, though, as 50 players from one of his schools -- St. Joseph's College in Sydney -- have played for the Australian national rugby team, known as "The Wallabies."

(link)