Is it a good thing if you expect great things from your punter?

[sdf]

sure, all teams have to punt.....but the phrase "look for him to have an outstanding career at Colorado" just tells me they dont expect anything from their offense. having a "great athlete" as your punter is kind of wasted talent isnt it? it's like calling a pro bowler a "great athlete". oh.


http://www.foxsports.com/college-fo...ney-anchors-colorados-recruiting-class-020415


never mind the fact a PUNTER is the one anchoring the recruiting class.

 

[cloverleaf]

Many overlook the kicking game when evaluating teams........

A great field goal kicker/punter can usually play a huge role in who wins a close game.

Perfect example is Alabama last season. The freshman punter (JK Scott) turned the field aiding the defense
time after time during the season. According to Saban, he was one of the most valuable players on the team.

He's 6-4, 188 pounds and can boom the ball for time and yards. Best punter I've seen in Tuscaloosa in a long time.

 

[cloverleaf]

....another example of the kicking game is Florida State's field goal kicker. The kid has hit 48 of 52.

Anyone think Jimbo didn't know he had 3 automatic points if needed?

 

[BigdaddyQH]

Agreed, but unfortunately, Kickers and Place Kickers are not the most stable people on a team.

 

[cloverleaf]

Going back BD to the good ole days........

Bear Bryant use to say...we win with a solid kicking game...a solid defense... and a solid offense.
All three working together. He never listed the kicking game third as many coaches do today.

Not sure another coach in college football put as much emphasis on the kicking game as Bryant did.

 

[rivercitybirdie]

i remember seeing different writers suggesting that returning kickers (FG and punting) has been a very good ATS factor in the past. that is BOTH being returning starters.

i personally think punting is pretty underrated. if you can pick up 4-5 yards often when the teams exchange possession that's pretty big... surprised you don't see more punters drafted higher in the NFL. in the NFL the teams are often much closer together in talent so little field position changes are important. oregon vs. colorado not so much.

field goal kicking i think is somewhat different. i think generally fg% has gone way up but i think there's a bit of a short-term confidence thing going on (like goalies in NHL). i could be completely wrong about this.

punter as your star recruit. i'm not totally sure what to think.... it's weird. it doesn't seem like the best teams have the best punters/FG kickers. so i guess NCAA coaches don't value them that much.

 

[cloverleaf]

Good read River...........

Where I may differ...good teams DO need good punters and field goal kickers.

When Alabama's kicker hurt his hip after the 5th game...it changed the whole offensive approach for the offense. The kicking game (Auburn) has been a negative to an otherwise championship team for more than this year.

Tight (Pickem) ballgame between Alabama and Florida State. Bama has serious kicking problems...FSU's kicker hits 48 of 52.

Where's the lean partner............just saying........

 

[CoachCB]

Kickers and punters are huge. Urban Meyer & Nick Saban play the "flipping the field" game better than anyone in CFB. In fact, that's been their formula in tight games.

Now Colorado is in search of anything positive about their program....so, yeah, that's not a good sign for them...

 

[GoSooners]

The most underrated position on the field is long snapper. It's not an easy position to play having to get the ball snapped in just the right place for punts, kicks, XP's. Half of the bad punts or missed extra points/FG's have to do with the snap. It's such a critical position that there are long snap camps out there. Talk about specializing. But hey, if TCU had a better long snapper they beat Baylor and end up in the Final Four...

 

[cloverleaf]

GS, you make a great point about the long snappers.

Snapper, holder and kicker have to work as one and the good kicking teams do just that.

Interesting note about the TCU/Baylor game..............