He will cost us at least one game this year. I refuse to believe we cannot find a kicker somewhere by Monday.
Bell is a major problem
- Thread starter Hail State
- Start date
One thing that has been consistently said on this board since Mullen took over
is that Mullen needs to fire himself as special teams coach. How the **** do we not have a kicker? I'm sick of holding my breath on PATs. He'll cost us a game this year.
is that Mullen needs to fire himself as special teams coach. How the **** do we not have a kicker? I'm sick of holding my breath on PATs. He'll cost us a game this year.
I thought the same thing, how could you not reach the end zone? I sure hope Mullen figures something out and soon so where he doesn't cost State a game.
You may be right, but a guy who can't make a PAT strikes me as a guy who can't pinpoint a kickoff.
It is by design. Texas did it to Ole Miss too. Kick it short and high and you almost always pin them inside the 15 or 20.
Except for when your coverage sucks and they break one out to the 40 or worse... guess that only happened once last night.
But I think we also had mostly backups on special teams - don't remember cam, wells, slay, banks, etc being out there like normal.
And I really hope we stop returning kickoffs out of the endzone - we get it at the 25 yard line - take a freakin knee
But I think we also had mostly backups on special teams - don't remember cam, wells, slay, banks, etc being out there like normal.
And I really hope we stop returning kickoffs out of the endzone - we get it at the 25 yard line - take a freakin knee
It is. With the new rules you can almost handle the kickoff like a punt. Kick it high and put it between the goal line and 5yrd line. Gives time for your coverage to get down field and make a play. The problem is when you do that your coverage HAS to get down field and if your kicker flattens it out then you are in a world of hurt. Its a tricky play and very "iffy"
Bell will be fine
His kickoffs are perfect. We have done a good job of forcing opposing teams into poor field position on kickoffs (aside from the Auburn kick return last week). Yes, he is struggling kicking field goals, but he will be fine as he gains some confidence. He has a strong leg.
He's no John Michael Marlin.
His kickoffs are perfect. We have done a good job of forcing opposing teams into poor field position on kickoffs (aside from the Auburn kick return last week). Yes, he is struggling kicking field goals, but he will be fine as he gains some confidence. He has a strong leg.
He's no John Michael Marlin.
Lot's of kickers have strong legs. The knock I heard on him in HS was that we wasn't accurate on his kicks. And that was with high school goal posts. If he couldn't kick it though a 20' upright, how's he going to kick it through an 18'6" upright? He's not just missing on his kicks. He's missing easy kicks by 10 feet. In today's game, that's just unacceptable. Your kicker should be at least 80% from within 40 yards.
Sign up the guy who won the Little Caeser's punt pass and kick competition a couple of weeks ago.
Right now Bell is not ready for the job....
He =might be ready next year. Might get better this year. He might never be ready but as it stands right now his position is a huge liability for our team. Dan Mullen showed us his lack of confidence in our kicking game by taking a HUGE risk and going for it on 4th and long up 2 in what is normally comfortable FG range. If we had failed down there and lost that game by one on a FG people would be beside themselves about it today and rightfully so.
It is time to go to plan B here.
He =might be ready next year. Might get better this year. He might never be ready but as it stands right now his position is a huge liability for our team. Dan Mullen showed us his lack of confidence in our kicking game by taking a HUGE risk and going for it on 4th and long up 2 in what is normally comfortable FG range. If we had failed down there and lost that game by one on a FG people would be beside themselves about it today and rightfully so.
It is time to go to plan B here.
The problem is Mullen puts only one place kicker on scholarship. We have walk ons, but Mullen feels pressure to play his scholarship players over walk ons. It's turned political at this point.
Bullstuff - cherrington, Brandon Wilson, gatling, Beckwith, Hemphill, Egan, depasquale... all walkons originally
What happened to Evan Sobiesk?
I thought he was kicking great in camp, now nothing. He hit 13-17 field goals last year on high school. Bell was only 4-8, and that was with a block tee and 20 foot wide uprights. Bell doesnt appear to be getting any better. Time for a change.
I thought he was kicking great in camp, now nothing. He hit 13-17 field goals last year on high school. Bell was only 4-8, and that was with a block tee and 20 foot wide uprights. Bell doesnt appear to be getting any better. Time for a change.
Some kickers have trouble making the change from a tee to off the ground. It affects accuracy and distance since the ball is kicked a little differently and you have to change your mechanics. If he recently gave up the tee, that could be the issue. some people simply can't transition smoothly.
He told mullen he wasn't ready and would like to redshirt.
Problem is, we don't have anyone else.
Problem is, we don't have anyone else.
Sobiesk has been redshirted, and I don't understand why. 13-17 and 7-7 from 40-49 yards last year. Also he never used a tee in high school so that is not an issue for him.
ETA: Bell gets the first opportunity because he is on scholarship in my opinion. Sobiesk's time will come whether it is this year or next.
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