Kickers

[No coincidences]

If you were running a football program, wouldn't finding a clutch kicker be pretty much your top priority?

Think of how many games come down to situations like this. Then think about how many coaches and programs seem to not place any kind of emphasis on finding an elite kicking prospect (who not only has a big leg but can perform under pressure).

I don't understand. You see kickers in the NFL who are absolute beasts; they make everything. I may be wrong, but kicking in the NFL seems to be as good as ever. I'm not saying elite kickers are a dime a dozen, but if you're Alabama or a program at that level, shouldn't you have the best of the best at what, for all intents and purposes, seems to be one of the most critical positions on your team?

[The Seer]

I would never let it come down to it if I had too. They choke too much.

[Ernie Mccracken]

It's a weird macho cultural thing that I don't get, either.

[ttwarrior1]

he was the #1 kicker recruit in the country

[Djstucky]

This fukkn kicker cost me the 2nd half Stanford tt over...

[AlwaysDrawing]

Cue the lonesome kicker video:

http://vimeo.com/9664891

[Hotdiggity11]

he was the #1 kicker recruit in the country

So was that guy from Boise St. before the Nevada game.

[Boscoe]

Do high school kickers still use those blocks to kick with?

[No coincidences]

he was the #1 kicker recruit in the country

I wasn't just talking about this particular game -- it's hard to put that kind of pressure on a young kid like that.

Then again, if that were true about his ranking, he would have made one of those two kicks. Period.

[Ernie Mccracken]

he was the #1 kicker recruit in the country

What does that say about kicking, in general? High school teams are the same way. Most stumble over from the soccer team and struggle to hit extra points. The fact that no one cares to develop talent for the position that typically has more scoring chances than any other is mind bottling.

[No coincidences]

What does that say about kicking, in general? High school teams are the same way. Most stumble over from the soccer team and struggle to hit extra points. The fact that no one cares to develop talent for the position that typically has more scoring chances than any other is mind bottling.

Exactly.

[paco]

Give him a break, all of Stanford University wont talk to this kid again

At least stanford covered thanx to Gundy

[InTheDrink]

Guys why do you pay attention to ttfatass's drivel?

http://rivals.yahoo.com/stanford/football/recruiting/player-Jordan-Williamson-94089

He was far from the #1 recruit

[The Seer]

Do high school kickers still use those blocks to kick with?

yes

[lakerboy]

College kicking has always been awful as far as I am concerned.

[paco]

College kicking has always been awful as far as I am concerned.

this is true. College kickers miss extra points all the time even.

[The Seer]

The best way to recruit a kicker would be to have it come down to a couple of guys. Take the one you are highest on give him a ball and say you make this 40 or so yarder right here right now then I will give you a scholarship. Basically it comes down to who can handle pressure. If the first kid can't do it then move on to your next recruit. Some schools may have to take what they can get but a school like Stanford shouldn't. There are plenty of good kickers when there's no pressure but the moment it gets that way you see the difference between who can and can't. It's a high pressure position and there is no way around that.

[paco]

Where did Robbie Gould or Janikowski play? Those guys seems accurate the most.

[The Seer]

Where did Robbie Gould or Janikowski play? Those guys seems accurate the most.

Janikowski was at FSU

[makaveli66]

Kickers are not even real football players. UNLESS they can kick clutchly like AV. Since all they do is kick, I believe a FG kicker should be able to make 50 yd FGS, especially when it matters the most.

[The Seer]

this is true. College kickers miss extra points all the time even.

MS St kicker cost me a loss by half a point

[Puppy]

he didnt just miss. he choked, twice

[Ernie Mccracken]

Punters, too. LSU and Oregon have dudes who kick 60 yard bombs on the reg. This is a huge advantage that pays dividends every single game.

[Ace_of_Spades]

College kickers are so bad.

[Romocide]

It's amazing that Boise and Ok. State were both one simple kick away from the NCG. I still think the OSU kick was good. Those 2 kicks changed the entire landscape of the college football postseason this year.

[Jago2008]

Grade Result

<dl><dt>Ticket Number:</dt><dd>159540995</dd><dt>Accepted Date:</dt><dd>1/2/2012 - EST</dd><dt>Graded Date:</dt><dd>1/3/2012</dd><dt>Wager Type:</dt><dd>Spread (or run line)</dd><dt>Wager Status:</dt><dd>Loss</dd><dt>Risk:</dt><dd>$47.00 (USD) </dd><dt>To Win Amount:</dt><dd>$1,857.90 (USD) </dd><dt>Description:</dt><dd> Basketball - NBA - Milwaukee Bucks vs. Denver Nuggets - Denver Nuggets
Basketball - NBA - New Orleans Hornets vs. Utah Jazz - New Orleans Hornets
Basketball - NCAA - UC Santa Barbara vs. Cal Poly - UC Santa Barbara
Basketball - NCAA - Long Beach State vs. UC Irvine - Long Beach State
Football - NCAA - Stanford vs. Oklahoma State - Stanford
</dd></dl> <dl><dt>Item #:</dt><dd>1</dd><dt>Wager Type:</dt><dd>Spread</dd><dt>Outcome:</dt><dd>Win</dd><dt>Sport / Period:</dt><dd>Basketball NBA / Game </dd><dt>Line:</dt><dd>Basketball - NBA - Milwaukee Bucks vs. Denver Nuggets - Denver Nuggets 1/2/2012 9:05:01 PM- (EST)
-4 -110 </dd></dl>
<dl><dt>Item #:</dt><dd>2</dd><dt>Wager Type:</dt><dd>Spread</dd><dt>Outcome:</dt><dd>Win</dd><dt>Sport / Period:</dt><dd>Basketball NBA / Game </dd><dt>Line:</dt><dd>Basketball - NBA - New Orleans Hornets vs. Utah Jazz - New Orleans Hornets 1/2/2012 9:05:01 PM- (EST)
+6½ -110 </dd></dl>
<dl><dt>Item #:</dt><dd>3</dd><dt>Wager Type:</dt><dd>Money Line</dd><dt>Outcome:</dt><dd>Win</dd><dt>Sport / Period:</dt><dd>Basketball NCAA / Game </dd><dt>Line:</dt><dd>Basketball - NCAA - UC Santa Barbara vs. Cal Poly - UC Santa Barbara 1/2/2012 10:00:01 PM- (EST)
+115 </dd></dl>
<dl><dt>Item #:</dt><dd>4</dd><dt>Wager Type:</dt><dd>Spread</dd><dt>Outcome:</dt><dd>Win</dd><dt>Sport / Period:</dt><dd>Basketball NCAA / Game </dd><dt>Line:</dt><dd>Basketball - NCAA - Long Beach State vs. UC Irvine - Long Beach State 1/2/2012 10:00:01 PM- (EST)
-12½ -115 </dd></dl>
<dl><dt>Item #:</dt><dd>5</dd><dt>Wager Type:</dt><dd>Money Line</dd><dt>Outcome:</dt><dd>Loss</dd><dt>Sport / Period:</dt><dd>Football NCAA / Game </dd><dt>Line:</dt><dd>Football - NCAA - Stanford vs. Oklahoma State - Stanford 1/2/2012 8:30:01 PM- (EST)
+175 </dd><dt>* Game Notes:</dt><dd>Fiesta Bowl - University Stadium - Glendale, AZ</dd></dl>Just had to post this, I seriously want to kill the Stanford kicker but primarily the head coach for relying on a freshman kicker WHEN YOU ******* HAVE ANDREW LUCK @ 25 YARD LINE, 1ST DOWN, AND 2 TIMEOUTS REMAINING.

[Vortexx00]

^ wow..sorry for your loss there bro....brutal

[Mac4Lyfe]

Bad beat Jago but I hope you at least hedged?? Always hedge bro.

I'm surprised Saban and Alabama don't oversign kickers. They seem to carry a few hundred guys on the team every year and could grey shirt or give a few kickers medical redshirts. Would have been real helpful in that LSU loss.

The fact of the matter is that most teams don't even give kickers full scholarships. It's a numbers game but as we've seen so many times, having a clutch kicker and a punter who can flip field position may be just as important as the QB...

[onlooker]

Seems like Florida State started recruiting good kickers after all those "wide rights" against Miami. They always seem to have a good kicker now.

[Lockitup1x]

The pressure / choke factor has got to be the biggest reason they are not developed more etc. look at the kicker leech brought onto T Tech - good kicker - just some kid out of the stands.

[Balco10]

If you were running a football program, wouldn't finding a clutch kicker be pretty much your top priority?

Think of how many games come down to situations like this. Then think about how many coaches and programs seem to not place any kind of emphasis on finding an elite kicking prospect (who not only has a big leg but can perform under pressure).

I don't understand. You see kickers in the NFL who are absolute beasts; they make everything. I may be wrong, but kicking in the NFL seems to be as good as ever. I'm not saying elite kickers are a dime a dozen, but if you're Alabama or a program at that level, shouldn't you have the best of the best at what, for all intents and purposes, seems to be one of the most critical positions on your team?

Sounds Raiders first pick on JAW back 7 years ago....

[No coincidences]

Punters, too. LSU and Oregon have dudes who kick 60 yard bombs on the reg. This is a huge advantage that pays dividends every single game.

It's such a critical part of the game -- it's like MLB teams that don't have relief pitching. How does that happen?

[BernardMadoff]

Good luck trying to scout for a clutch kicker, that would be hard to do.

[Ernie Mccracken]

Seems like Florida State started recruiting good kickers after all those "wide rights" against Miami. They always seem to have a good kicker now.

Wow. No kidding. FSU is not playing around.

'97 - '99 Seabass: Only 2 time Lou Groza Winner, highest ever kicker drafted
'01 - '04 Xavier Beitia: missed some big kicks, but on the Lou Groza list all 4 years
'03 - '06 Chase Goggans: total bust, but #1 rated kicker coming out of HS
'04 - '07 Gary Cismesia: Groza semi-finalist, 2nd team all-american, kicked a 60 yarder
'05 - 08' Graham Gano: Lou Groza Winner, NFL kicker
'09 - '11 Dustin Hopkins: current Lou Groza finalist (winner TBD)

[Balco10]

Like is Stated only the Raiders made out with a clutch kicker...1st round pick!