Kicking game

BiloxiDawg

Redshirt
Apr 29, 2004
215
0
16
I was emailed some scrimmage notes from a buddy... last comment was not a suprise:

Now for the bad news: I saw us attempt 5 field goals with three different kickers ... didn't make a single one.

This will be the difference in us having a good year vs. a great year. Our kicking game has been the most glaring weakness since Mullen's arrival, and it appears to not be getting any better.
 

thf24

Redshirt
Jan 28, 2011
1,334
3
38
Not saying you're wrong since I may be mistaken, but I'd heard they did well in the last scrimmage. Also heard they struggled in the first one, allegedly due to bad snaps. Regardless, I don't think we should jump ship on the kicking game until the season starts, largely because there's nothing that can really be done about it at this point.
 

drt7891

Redshirt
Dec 6, 2010
6,727
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I disagree that kicking has always been a glaring weakness. Brocholi and the guy after him (my mind is drawing a blank) were both solid. Not all Americans, but not a weakness. We've always had good punters under Mullen. Until recently, the only questionable area has been kickoff coverages and that got a lot better last year.
 

BiloxiDawg

Redshirt
Apr 29, 2004
215
0
16
I disagree that kicking has always been a glaring weakness. Brocholi and the guy after him (my mind is drawing a blank) were both solid. Not all Americans, but not a weakness. We've always had good punters under Mullen. Until recently, the only questionable area has been kickoff coverages and that got a lot better last year.

Brauchle and DePasquale were average at best. Brauchle set JUCO records while at MGCCC, but Mullen made him go from a 3 step drop to a 2 step drop and he was never the same. Kickers are mental cases... I understand what Mullen's objective was here, get the ball off quicker - but it 17ed him all up.

Fact is I have not been confident in a kicker being money since the days of Westerfield... Egg Bowl last year should not have gone into OT.
 

BiscuitEater

Redshirt
Aug 29, 2009
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Insight needed ...

In the fall, State listed ...

Devon Bell, 6-2, 185, JR, 2L, ’13 Stats – 6 of 14 FG (43%), long of 40 yards
Evan Sobiesk, 5-8, 188, SO, 1L, ’13 Stats – 3 of 6 FG, (50%), long of 38 yards
Westin Graves, 6-0, 160, FR, Flowood, MS (Jackson Prep) (on Spring roster)
Cortland Daws, 6-3, 190, FR, Nashville, TN (David Lipscomb HS) (on Spring roster)

Understand that Bell is concentrating on punting and KOs.

Spring roster added J.J. McGrath, 6-3, 230, RFR, former Michigan preferred walk-on and
Logan Cooke, 6-5, 200, FR (kicker/punter) from Kokomo MS (Columbia Academy), as a HS SR, 1-3 FG, 86.4 % touchbacks on KOs

Spring roster doesn’t list Cortland Daws

Earlier articles mentioned possible addition of two walk-ons:

Reed Bigham, 6-3, 180, FR, Tupelo MS, as a HS SR, 9-15 FG, long of 49 yards, 89 % touchbacks on KOs, and
Bryce Brown, FR, Katy Tx, as a HS SR, 9-11 FG senior year with a long of 44

Last year, place kicking was simply terrible ... ~50% of FG will cost us dearly especially in the SEC West. Improvement is paramount.

Anyone know 'who' is actually in the running for placekicker and 'how' they are doing?
 

maroonmania

Senior
Feb 23, 2008
11,158
833
113
I was emailed some scrimmage notes from a buddy... last comment was not a suprise:

Now for the bad news: I saw us attempt 5 field goals with three different kickers ... didn't make a single one.

This will be the difference in us having a good year vs. a great year. Our kicking game has been the most glaring weakness since Mullen's arrival, and it appears to not be getting any better.

Yea, I would take that tidbit with a grain of salt because it definitely runs contrary to information leaking out from others on kicking results for last week's scrimmage.
 

SwampDawg

Sophomore
Feb 24, 2008
2,193
122
63
I don't know about "always," but I do know in last year's Egg Bowl when we lined up to punt out of our endzone I announced to those watching with me "historically, this is where OM gets either a safety or a touchdown." There is a little history.
 

Shamoan

Redshirt
Jun 27, 2013
12,466
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well, given what took place last year, this is certainly something that is a large potential concern until we see otherwise with our own eyes. its a freaking miracle our kicking game didnt cost us a game last year. i hope it doesnt bite us in the *** and hopefully, we will be ok.
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
56,957
26,408
113
Exactly. Given what happened last year, I'm going to assume extra points and field goals are a disaster until I see otherwise.
 

Shamoan

Redshirt
Jun 27, 2013
12,466
0
0
wrong...mullen got caught up in the game and went for 2 and followed the lead of malzahn. bell never missed a PAT that game. if we kick the PAT, we might have lost that game by 3, but going for 2 that early negated it.

auburn went for 2 and we felt like we had to follow...essentially, we got goaded into a bad decision (in the first quarter no less). a PAT never taken (due to coaching decision, not doubt in the kicking game)...as it was, we lost that game due to a coaching decision not a kickers leg.
 
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Rezpup

Redshirt
May 4, 2009
591
0
0
One could argue the A&M game but you have to believe we'll be better this year, at least make the easy ones.

I still argue the fg to tie on Thanksgiving in the 4th qtr was big and he (Sobiesk) hit the one to win it in regulation well but barely missed.

I bet he has a decent year.
 
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DerHntr

All-Conference
Sep 18, 2007
15,826
2,784
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More confirmation that teaching my boys to be kickers is a good path to playing SEC ball. Hell, there's no other position they'd ever be big enough for anyway.
 

Shamoan

Redshirt
Jun 27, 2013
12,466
0
0
i would agree with that, but you couldnt say we lost that game because of a missed kick. might be as close as we got though.