missed extra points: didn't Dak used to place hold?

RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
19,010
2,084
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I couldn't see where the ball was from my seat, but on the first TD he almost missed to the right. Then later on, after a couple of misses, he somehow managed to get one to bounce off the upright and go through. I don't think I've ever seen such poor XP kicking. And as I recall, he did fairly well last year when he came in for Bell, at least at first.
 

aerodawg.sixpack

Freshman
Aug 3, 2011
613
82
28
Timing has nothing to do with kicking PATs sideways.

Not a good enough excuse but timing does mess up a kick. The kicker starts his motion when the ball is snapped. If the holder doesn't get it set by the time the kicker is coming forward with his kicking leg then something will have to change for foot to meet ball. Mullen claimed Sobiesk had to stop his normal setup on the kick that hit the upright and went through because the holder screwed up getting the ball set in place. But as I said, no excuse for the misses by him and Graves. Even if the timing is off, it should not be hard to kick the ball semi straight from that close. The angle to actually miss a PAT is very large. Those guys should be able to stand still just behind the ball and kick it thru the uprights with no effort from that close.
 

yjnkdawg

Redshirt
Sep 6, 2013
469
6
18
Since this kicking issue was not a problem that just snuck up on us recently, I just wonder why there was not a concerted effort after last year's season to try to find a kicker. Maybe a juco as they would have more experience, in more of a D1 type atmosphere, than a high school kid. Even in the bad years, we seemed to always have really good or adequate field goal kickers, at least. PAT was basically an automatic, but apparently no more.
 

esplanade91

Redshirt
Dec 9, 2010
5,656
0
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Dak used to be the backup. The holder is 99% of the time the backup QB or the punter. The last big time starter I remember also holding was Case Keenum.

Not saying he's the last, just the most recent time I remember noticing it.
 

PiedmontDawg

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
307
1
17
At this rate, it wouldn't hurt to throw Bell back in the mix to at least see if he can do better than the other two, maybe create a little more competition. It's not like we can get any worse, so why not give Bell another chance?
 

Col. Forbin

Junior
Oct 2, 2012
1,357
213
63
Dak used to be the backup. The holder is 99% of the time the backup QB or the punter. The last big time starter I remember also holding was Case Keenum.

Not saying he's the last, just the most recent time I remember noticing it.

I'm pretty sure Dak was our #1 holder. He for sure was in our first game. He said in a quote in the paper that he was almost late to hold the ball from celebrating Jay Hughes's TD.
 

Crayon_Eater

Redshirt
Feb 11, 2014
86
0
0
Haha. Ok. We can blame "timing" if that's what we want to do. Last time I checked, all they have to do is kick XP/FG. No punts, no kickoffs, just XP/FG. If the timing sucks, maybe they should work on it more. Those kicks all were some of the worst ever. Marlin-ish.
 

Spookie

Redshirt
Sep 8, 2014
4
0
0
How many of you so called kicking experts kicked in hs? How many of you actually had training with an ex nfl kicker or qualified kicking coach? I don't mean a fat azz hs coach that doesn't know jack. It is inexcusable for our kicking game to be in shambles. There is no one qualified on our coaching staff to teach kicking. Hell Alabama doesn't have a qualified coach. There is no reason to not at least have a juco kicker.
 

aerodawg.sixpack

Freshman
Aug 3, 2011
613
82
28
At this rate, it wouldn't hurt to throw Bell back in the mix to at least see if he can do better than the other two, maybe create a little more competition. It's not like we can get any worse, so why not give Bell another chance?

Never thought I'd be pining for a kicker like Carlson from 2007. Had a noodle of a leg but at least I felt like he was more likely to hit it within 37 yards rather than miss.
 

RocketCityDawg

Redshirt
Nov 11, 2007
1,660
0
36
Go for 2. Especially if the kicker has shanking tendencies.

And don't pass, deep in the other end of the field, when it's 4th and very short.
Please don't EVER do that again.

That is all.
 

Spookie

Redshirt
Sep 8, 2014
4
0
0
No but my son is. I just write the checks. I was like everyone else until my son started kicking. I took it for granted. I do know there are a lot of good quality kids available every year but most cant afford to be a 2 year walk on without a scholarship. Punters are in greater demand than kickers. For someone to say it isn't technical has never kicked or had quality instruction. I agree a pat should be automatic on the D1 level.
 

codeDawg

Redshirt
Nov 13, 2007
2,102
0
36
So as someone who apparently actually might know something on the subject, do you think the problem is with the kickers, snaps, holds, or the whole thing?

I ask because the guys we have kicking right now have had great success at the HS and other levels. Apparently they are great in practice off the hold tee (whatever you call that thing). My uneducated self thinks if the kid can kick in every environment except live action, it's either the pressure or the snap / hold.

Also, the problem isn't getting guys to kick long ones, or off angle ones. We have trouble with XP and perfect angle 30 yarders. I just can't believe every kicker we have is complete crap.
 

DawgatAuburn

All-Conference
Apr 25, 2006
11,016
1,874
113
If you limit it as you said to 2007, that would be fine. The other two years were basically what we have now.

2006: 6-12 including two misses against OM in a 20-17 loss
2007: 10-13 game winning 48 yarder against OM; missed two of first three, then was pretty solid
2008: 7-13 including an 18 yarder missed against GT, a 38 yarder missed in the 3-2 game, and the UK game with a missed FG and a blocked PAT in a one point loss
 

FlotownDawg

All-American
Aug 30, 2012
6,857
7,203
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Just more proof that 2007 was a magical/lucky year for Croom

Everything went right for us that year, from all the defensive touchdowns to Carlson having a complete outlier season in kicking the ball. He was a 50% kicker in his other two years but hit 77% of his kicks in 2007, including his career long of 48 yards for the Egg Bowl game-winner. Croom's rabbit foot luck ran out the next season, however.