Kickology

The Feets with the Mostest

2012-02-10T12:03:00.000-05:00

Who has used their feet to score more points than anyone else in their respective sports?

Pelé - Soccer/Football/Futbol

"Pelé's goalscoring record is often reported as being 1280 goals in 1363 games. This figure includes goals scored by Pelé in non-competitive club matches, for example, international tours Pelé completed with Santos and the New York Cosmos, and games Pelé played in for armed forces teams during his national service in Brazil.... While his birth certificate shows his first name as Edison, it is as Pelé that he has become a sporting legend. He is widely regarded by polls among football experts, former players and fans as the greatest footballer of all time. In his native Brazil, Pelé is hailed as a national hero. He is known for his accomplishments and contributions to the game of football in addition to being officially declared football ambassador of the world by FIFA."

Jeff Cunningham - MLS (Major League Soccer)

"Cunningham is a Jamaican-born American soccer player who currently plays for Comunicaciones in Guatemala's top division. Upon graduating from USF, Cunningham was selected ninth overall in the 1998 MLS College Draft by the Columbus Crew. After the 2010 MLS season FC Dallas declined Cunningham's contract option and Cunningham elected to participate in the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Cunningham was selected by Columbus Crew in Stage 2 of the Re-Entry draft. On July 7, 2011, Cunningham scored his 133rd career MLS Goal to tie the MLS All-Time Scoring Record. On August 27, 2011, Cunningham scored his 134th career goal, making him the all time leader in MLS soccer in a 6-2 loss to the Seattle Sounders."

Morten Andersen - NFL (National Football League)

"Morten Andersen (born in Copenhagen, Denmark) is a former American football kicker. He holds the distinction of being the all-time leading scorer in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for two different teams; the New Orleans Saints, with whom he spent 13 seasons, and the Atlanta Falcons, with whom he spent a combined eight seasons. He is known as "The Great Dane".... On December 16, 2006, Andersen passed Gary Anderson to become the all-time leading scorer in NFL history.... At the end of his career Andersen held (and still holds) the following NFL records: most games played (382), most field goals attempted (709), most field goals (565), most points (2,544)"

Jeff Schebler - NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)

Schebler recently completed his college football career at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. On November 21, 2009 he scored 10 points in a Division III playoff win over Lakeland to become the NCAA’s all-time point leader among place-kickers, passing the previous mark of 433 set by Art Carmody of Louisville. Schebler finished his career with 470 points.

Lui Passaglia - CFL (Canadian Football League)

"Passaglia is a former professional Canadian football player. Passaglia was the placekicker/punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League for a record-breaking 25 years (1976–2000) and scored more points in that time than any professional gridiron football player in history. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, and the BC Lions Wall of Fame.... Passaglia holds many CFL regular season records including total points scored (3,991), most converts at 1,045 (560 consecutive—he missed only three), most field goals at 875 (of 1,203 attempted), best single season field goal percentage at 90.9% (40 of 44 in 2000, his final year of play), and most single points at 309."

Remy Hamilton - AFL (Arena Football League)

"As one of the most prolific kickers in Arena Football League (AFL) history, Remy Hamilton is the All-Time point leader in the AFL. Remy also played in the National Football League (NFL) with the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahwaks. Remy attended the University of Michigan, where he was a 1st team All-Big Ten selection and a two time Lou Groza Award finalist."

Tony Lockett - AFL (Australian Football League)

"Lockett is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, that commenced in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club, and finished in 2002 with the Sydney Swans. Lockett is the only full-forward ever to win the coveted Brownlow Medal, in 1987, a season in which he was decorated with several honours. He is a four-time Coleman Medallist, kicked more than 100 goals in a season on six occasions, and is a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame."

Jonny Wilkinson - Rugby/Football

"Wilkinson is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players. He was an integral member of the 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning England squad, scoring the winning drop goal in the last minute of extra time against Australia. He plays his club rugby for Toulon following twelve seasons in the Guinness Premiership for Newcastle Falcons. Wilkinson has also toured twice with the British and Irish Lions, in 2001 and 2005."

The Recruiting Process per the Recruitees, part 7

2012-02-09T06:14:00.000-05:00

Patience. Business. Those are just two of themes that emerged in our conversations about recruiting with kickers and punters from the class of 2012.

We specifically asked them the following two questions:

What would you say was the most beneficial advice you received before going through the recruiting process?
Is there one thing you learned during the recruiting process that you wish you had known beforehand?

Following is the third and final set of answers. For the others answers check here and here.

George Bullock, Tennessee

Stay in touch. Make sure that coaches know you are interested and don't be afraid of calling them. The better they know you the better chance you have of landing a spot on their team.
Go to a lot of camps - both national ranking camps and specific camps for schools. They will take interest in a kicker if that kicker is ranked highly. After that initial interest from schools it is important to go to camps because most places won’t offer someone that has not competed at their own camp.

Sam Retzky, Tulsa

Be patient. Send out your highlight tape out to schools after your senior year. Most offers will come after your senior season.
Keep an open mind. You do not get a feeling about the school until you meet with the players and coaches in person.

Marshall Morgan, Georgia

Don’t put away a school right off the bat. Always make your visits! For instance, with Georgia I never thought I’d end up there. Then once I visited it blew the other schools away!

Ryan Domangue

Work hard and never quit at anything you do. Be patient and it'll all fall in place. Also another thing is to make sure I do well in school. Grades and God come first in my life.
Going to showcases for kicking is very helpful. Kohl’s kicking has helped me tremendously in the recruiting process. Not only do they find you a home, they keep in touch and care about your future.

Anthony Melchiori, Kent State

Never turn any team away. Listen to everything coaches have to say, and keep all your options open with any school because you never know what could happen.
The recruiting process is a business. What they tell you isn't always accurate or straight forward.

Bobby Puyol, Connecticut

"Go where you're celebrated, not tolerated."
The coaches want to talk to the players not the parents. Early in the process my dad talked to some schools for me but then after two schools I was interested in offered someone instead of me, I decided it was time to talk to the coaches myself, not have them talk to my parents. After that my recruiting process started to get better and better and after a big camp I had at Chris Sailer's "Top 12" Camp. I was offered a Full Scholarship to the University of Connecticut and three weeks of talking to the Special Teams Coach & Head Coach at UConn really paid off.

Austin Hardin, Florida

If you had a career ending injury your first year would you still love the college? Without the coaches and football is it a place you love and want a degree from?
Recruiting isn't always happy go lucky. It's a business and it gets rough. Coaches will tell you one thing and do another.

Cole Leininger, California

Always keep your eyes open and try to get and know every program that you have the opportunity to get to know.
There is going to be tough times in the process but always keep looking.

The 2012 "Off"-Season

2012-02-08T06:28:00.001-05:00

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, it may seem like another football season will soon be over, but there will still be plenty of football and consequently kicking in the so-called off-season. Note: events, names and dates will continue to be updated on the following lists as further information becomes available.

NCAA College football

Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game: January 16th

- East squad: kicker Drew Zamora (Northern Arizona), punter William Kelton (Texas State) and long snapper James Winchester (Oklahoma)

-West squad: kicker Kevin Goessling (Fresno State), punter Anson Kelton (TCU) and long snapper Cameron Kastl (Arizona State)
East-West Shrine Game: January 21st

- East squad: kicker Blair Walsh (Georgia) and punter Shawn Powell (Florida State)

- West squad: kicker Greg Zuerlein (Missouri Western) and punters Matt Prewitt (Kentucky Christian) and Bryan Anger (California)
The Battle of Florida: January 21st
- North squad: kicker Nick Cattoi (Central Florida), punter David Bohner (Central Florida) and long snapper Charley Hughlett (Central Florida)
- South squad: kicker Alan Gendreau (Middle Tennessee), punter Mickey Groody (Florida Atlantic) and long snapper Chris Ivory (Miami)

Astroturf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl: January 21st

- Kickers Trevor Scott (Florida A&M) and Erik Folk (Washington)

- Punters Marquette King (Fort Valley State) and Ken Wood (Texas A&M)
- Long snappers Jon Rohrbaugh (Penn State) and Matt Camilli (Texas El Paso)

Under Armour Senior Bowl: January 28th

- Kickers Randy Bullock (Texas A&M) and Carson Wiggs (Purdue)

- Punters Drew Butler (Georgia) and Brad Nortman (Wisconsin)
- Long snappers Josh Harris (Auburn) and Kyle Wojta (Wisconsin)
Players All-Star Classic: February 4th

- North squad: kicrer David Teggart (Connecticut) and punter Kyle Martens (Rice)

- South squad: kicker Long Ding (Norwich University), punter Ryan Tydlacka (Kentucky) and long snapper Sean McGrath (Henderson State)

National Signing Day: February 1st
Pro Days Workouts: primarily in March
- Beginning March 2nd with the University of Cincinnati
- Thru April 18th with Lane College

National Football League (NFL)

NFL Scouting Combine: February 22nd - 28th

- kickers: Randy Bullock (Texas A&M), Derek Dimke (Illinois), Dave Teggart (Connecticut), Blair Walsh (Georgia), Carson Wiggs (Purdue)

- punters: Bryan Anger (California), Drew Butler (Georgia), Kyle Martens (Rice), Brad Nortman (Wisconsin), Shawn Powell (Florida State), Brian Stahovich (San Diego State)
- snappers: Josh Harris (Auburn)

Free agent signing period begins March 13th
- UFA kickers: John Kasay, Phil Dawson, Jay Feely, Neil Rackers, Mike Nugent, Josh Scobee, Dave Rayner, Matt Prater, Nick Folk, Connor Barth
- UFA punters: Matt Turk, Ben Graham, Brad Maynard, Nick Harris, Dave Zastudil, Mat McBriar, Donnie Jones, Steve Weatherford, Daniel Zepulveda
- UFA snappers: David Binn, Joe Zelenka, Mike Leach, Ken Amato, Chris Massey, Don Muhlbach, Matt Katula

Aguiar/Husted Pro Camp/Combine: March 31st - April 5th

NFL Draft: April 26th - 28th

Minicamps and OTAs: primarily May & June

Canadian Football League (CFL)

CFL Evaluation Camp, March 2nd - 4th

- top kicking prospect:Austin Anderson (McGill)

CFL Draft: May 3rd

Indoor Football Leagues

Indoor Football League (IFL): season kicks off on February 19th

Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL): season kicks off on February 25th
Arena Football League (AFL): season kicks off on March 9th

Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL): season kicks off on March 10th
Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL): season kicks off on March 10th
American Indoor Football (AIF): season kicks off on March 17th

Lone Star Football League (LSFL): season kicks off on March 31st

American Football - global

European Federation of American Football: 2012 schedule to be announced.

International Bowl: February 1st

- Team USA: Colby Cooke and Paul Griggs

- World Team: Dillon Wamsley

The Recruiting Process per the Recruitees, part 6

2012-02-07T06:26:00.000-05:00

Our look at the recruiting process continues. We asked kickers and punters from the Class of 2012 the following two questions:

What would you say was the most beneficial advice you received before going through the recruiting process?
Is there one thing you learned during the recruiting process that you wish you had known beforehand?

Following is the second of three batches of answers:

Kenny Allen, Michigan

Don't listen to everyone else around you, because you and your family know what's best for you.
Try harder in school. I did alright with a 3.0, but athletes usually don't focus on academics and I wish I had more because that will help others.

Collin Barber, Georgia

Know your GPA, your SAT/ACT, and all your school information, know schools pros and cons.
Know about applying and all that and how it's different for an athlete.

Nick Jordan, Texas

My kicking coach told me to remember to look out for myself. The college coaches don't care about me, just about me playing for them, so I need to remember to make decisions for my own good.
I wish I had fully known when the coaches can contact me and all of the NCAA rules that go along with that.

Roberto Aguayo, Florida State

Go where your most comfortable and where your heart takes you, be sure your gonna wanna be there the next four years of your life academically and sports wise.
What a grey shirt meant and how it worked.

Brad Dunavant, Toledo

Think about Pros and cons of the campus like what it does for you, what it does for your family, do you get along with the football guys while you’re there, does it make you feel like "home"?

Devon Bell, Mississippi State

Don't go where people think you should go. Go where you feel is best for you.

Garrett Owens, Oregon State

Actually going to look at the school before making the decision and getting to know the coaches well. Making sure it’s the right fit for you and the decision you make is yours and not others.
Be more patient with the recruiting process.

Ryan Frain, Illinois

Do everything in my power to get my name in front of coaches. I was told it is a myth that a coach will one day just show up at one of my games, stop me and ask me if I had any plans on college, visits are taken, and I get a scholarship to my dream college! That doesn't happen. I have never heard of someone receiving a scholarship just like that - no matter how good they are. I built every connection I could possibly find, I spent hours on the computer last winter and spring emailing coaches (I would find their emails on the schools website). I would update them when I had a big performance at a competition, send them all highlight tapes and statistics as I came across them or made the films. I built such good relationships with so many coaches that I can humbly say I was heavily recruited, and didn't spend thousands of dollars going to camps or showcases all over the country. Then by the time summer came around, I was peaking, better than I had ever been. I went to the schools that I had been in contact with and blew some coaches away, started my senior season on a great note. Sent my first three game films to coaches, and Illinois came through with a scholarship. Mainly because of a smaller connection I had with a coach named Tim Williams, you just never know what's going to fall through. That is why that was the best advice I had ever received.
Enjoy every second of it. It truly is an exciting process that not a lot of athletes experience. Yes, I was busting my ass to get the looks I got. But looking back, it was awesome to hear back from a school like Texas or get calls from some of my favorite colleges. I wish I had realized how great it was at the time, other than that I had all the knowledge I know now. But I took it so much as a marketing and business (which it is) experience that I didn't realize how much fun it actually is.

Super Bowl XLVI Kicking Postscript

2012-02-06T10:38:00.001-05:00

New England faced a long field more than once in Super Bowl XLVI.
New York punter Steve Weatherford placed three of his four punts inside the ten yard line during the Giants 21-17 win over the Patriots.

"Inside-the-20 punts are something I pride myself on. I try to create as much field position as I can, especially with the incredible defense and defensive line we have. If you can put it inside the five, it makes it very difficult for the other team to drive on us....
Sometimes it bounces forward, sometimes it goes backwards. Fortunately for my first punt in a Super Bowl, it went backwards."

Weatherford had fun doing it.

"In my game, it's all confidence. The more fun I have, the more confidence I have. It's just a game. Granted, there's only a billion people watching, but it's a game. I went out there and had fun and was able to execute."

Toward the end of the game it looked like Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes would be trying a game winning field goal attempt. At least that was the plan. Trailing 15-17 with just over a minute to play, New York had first and goal to go from the seven. They planned to run the clock down and let Tynes kick the winner on the final play. However, on second down New England intentionally gave up a touchdown so they could get one more chance on offense.

"I'm just sticking to my routine and you know what, it was at the end of the game, I was approaching it just like I was the two kicks in the third quarter....
I thought Ahmad [Bradshaw] was gonna take the knee. That would have been pretty sweet if he kneed it. It was like he wanted to [knee it] and then he just fell forward....
I'll be honest with you, that was the right play because you give Tom Brady the ball ... all they need was a field goal if we kicked a field goal, so I think you score right there a touchdown."

While the Super Bowl win was a first for Weatherford, it was a second one for both Tynes and their fellow specialist, long snapper Zak DeOssie.

"It's pretty crazy. When that ball hit the ground it was beyond words. Two-time Super Bowl champ. I don't think it's quite sunk in yet....
Four years later, you have an idea what it takes to get here and how rare it is. My rookie year was unbelievable, but if you can believe it this was even better. My rookie year my head was spinning and you're thinking, 'Is this normal?' Now I really understand what (then-punter) Jeff Feagles was telling me. All the veterans were saying, 'Don't get used to this.' This is so rare, and such a great opportunity to even be here to play in this game. And to win it, now that I am older, I really understand what it means."

SB XLVI MVP Sneak Preview

2012-02-03T12:21:00.001-05:00

Who will be the MVP of this year's Super Bowl: Steve Weatherford, Lawrence Tynes, Zoltan Mesko or Stephen Gostkowski? We asked kickers, punters, snappers, and coaches that very question.

James Wilhoit, James Wilhoit Kicking Coach

"I believe it will be Stephen Gostkowski. I played against Stephen when he was at Memphis. He is an excellent kicker and I believe he will come through in the clutch. Coming back from knee surgery last year was very impressive. He did a great job in replacing Adam Vinatieri. Also I believe the patriots will win the game and have plenty of scoring opportunities."

Tom Feely, Feely Kicking School

"I broke my crystal ball and it is not yet working, but my guess is that it will not be a punter although both are indeed great punters! Punters never get the recognition they deserve, and MVP is certainly not in the cards for either of them. That leaves Tynes and Gostkowski. Though both had very good seasons, however, the guy that should get the most props is Gostkowski. His role as replacing the legendary Adam Vinatieri was the most difficult of all. He had to perform in Vinatieri's shadow, and he has done so masterfully! No telling what is going to happen on Super Bowl Sunday, but if past performance is the gauge of MVP my vote is for the Gos."

Chris Husby, Special Teams Football Academy

"Stephen Gostkowski will win it with a Field Goal to carry on the tradition of Patriot kickers winning it in the big games."

Tony Smidl, Wisconsin Wolfpack kicker 2010

"Tynes."

Rob Maver, Calgary Stampeders kicker

"I think that Weatherford is going to be the difference maker on special teams. He punted as good of a game that a punter could have in the NFC championship. I don't see him doing anything else on the big day."

Carlos Ojeda, kicker, Special Teams Coordinator at Miami-Northwestern Senior High

"Eli Manning."

[Editor's note: after we tried to give Carlos a hard time for selecting a QB rather than a kicker or punter, he gave us the following supplemental response...]

"I would love to see a kicker named the MVP but in this particular game I have to be completely unbiased and use my football knowledge in picking an MVP candidate. I truly feel Eli will be named MVP as much as I regret to admit."

Michael Husted, NFL kicker 1993-2002, National Camp Series

"I believe that there should be a "Kicking MVP" trophy for the Super Bowl. My vote is Stephen Gostkowski. He is an excellent kicker, but untested in big pressure situations. However, I feel that given the opportunity, he will come through in the clutch. This should be another excellent game to watch, that could come down to a late field goal to tie or win the game.

If we can't have a kicking MVP then I vote for Co-MVPs by all four:

Steve Weatherford: Most "ripped and tatooed" punter to play in the Super Bowl
Lawrence Tynes: Wylie veteran who has been there and he gets the job done
Zoltan Mesko: Being that this game is watch all over the world, Zoltan knows several languages, so he can communicate effectively on and off of the field
Gostkowski: See previous comment up above"

The Newest Collegiate Kickers 2012

2012-02-02T17:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a busy day for high school seniors and colleges, as the football recruiting process culminated in the annual National Signing Day. Following is a summary of the incoming freshman class of kickers, plus a few junior college transfers. If you notice any omissions, post a comment or shoot me an e-mail.

RBS 6 Nations: 6 Kickers - 2012

2012-02-01T15:54:00.000-05:00

American football reaches it's annual pinnacle this weekend with the spectacle known as the Super Bowl. One of the games ancestors, rugby, is also in the spotlight this weekend as the Six Nations Championship kicks off. Like football, rugby diminished but did not eliminate the element of kicking. The feet of the following eleven players could play a significant role in this year's tournament.

Dimitri Yachvili or Morgan Parra, France

"The sight of Francois Trinh-Duc alongside Dimitri Yachvili at half-back will please many France fans. The 25-year-old came off the bench in the final in New Zealand after [old coach] Lievremont chose to play Parra, usually a scrum-half, ahead of him. 'Dimitri Yachvili and Francois Trinh-Duc finished the World Cup final and we thought it was good to start with this partnership,' said [new coach] Philippe Saint-Andre. The coach insists his side will not be underestimating Italy, who last year beat Les Bleus at Stadio Flaminio for the first time."

Rhys Priestland or James Hook, Wales

"Hook has flourished at fly-half in the French league and could now be in line to wear the No. 10 shirt for Wales with Rhys Priestland struggling with a nagging knee injury.
The 26-year-old lost out to his Scarlets rival in the World Cup, although he did take over in the latter stages when Priestland was again struck down by injury. And with a fresh start in France and a point to prove to his critics, Hook is confident the Six Nations could be a special one for both him and Wales. 'I was really disappointed with myself at the World Cup,' he said. 'Personally it didn't go well at all. It was frustrating to have worked so hard to get to a level of performance only to lose it just when it really mattered'."

Toby Flood or Charlie Hodgson, England

"Wilkinson’s absence should pave the way for Toby Flood to finally get a firm hold on the number 10 jersey. With 46 caps he is the most experienced party member left, yet he too is struggling to be fit in time for 4 February after a minor knick to his knee ligaments. If it is to be Flood, then we have seen before he can be flaky under pressure. That goes doubly for Charlie Hodgson who (given his experience) could be handed the reigns this weekend. So we might just see the kicking tee being passed around the back-line until somebody finds a decent rhythm."

Kris Burton and Mirco Bergamasco, Italy

"[Coach Jacques] Brunel is unlikely to make drastic changes to the squad he has inherited from Mallett. The Italians will need experience in a tournament that will see them visit Brunel's home nation France first before hosting England in Rome. "We'll continue now with the backbone of players from the World Cup, and then rest them and bring in the youngsters in June," Brunel said. With winger Mirco Bergamasco, who kicked 17 of Italy's 22 points to beat France, sidelined for the first two games with a shoulder injury, Kristopher Burton will have to fill in as a replacement."

Jonathan Sexton or Ronan O'Gara, Ireland

"Despite being Ireland’s highest point scorer and having amassed 116 international caps in an illustrious career, O’Gara admits he doesn’t know whether he will pip Jonathan Sexton to the No.10 slot. He added: 'I honestly don’t know whether I’ll be picked, I haven’t known for the last two years whether I’ll be picked. There are two good number tens there.If I have value to start the game, or come on in the game, that is hugely important to me. I just want to ensure that we put ourselves in the best possible position to win a Grand Slam'."

Dan Parks, Scotland

"Three years after telling Dan Parks that his Test career as Scotland fly‑half was as good as over, Andy Robinson on Tuesday put the 33-year-old, now playing for Cardiff Blues, effectively in control of the Calcutta Cup gameplan against England on Saturday. Parks, with 66 Tests behind him, has always divided opinion but for the autumn international series of 2009 he was left out of the Scotland squad and since then has made sporadic starts for his adopted country, being distinctly second choice behind Ruaridh Jackson during the World Cup. However, with Jackson still nursing the hamstring he damaged in New Zealand, Parks has moved into pole position again, even getting a hug from Robinson, after the head coach had announced a team who start the Six Nations shaped as much by retirements and injuries as any desire for a fresh start after their worst World Cup performance."

Super Kicks

2012-02-01T05:37:00.000-05:00

Kickers have contributed some big plays (mostly good, although a few not-quite-so-good) over the history of the Super Bowl:

Adam Vinatieri, XXXVIII

II - Green Bay 33, Oakland 14

Packers kicker Don Chandler made four field goals (tied for most in one Super Bowl game).

IV - Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7

The Chiefs built a 16-0 lead by half time, including three field goals by Jan Stenerud.

V - Baltimore 16, Dallas 13

In a game dominated by defense and eleven turnovers, the Colts won in the final seconds on kicker Jim O'Brien's 32 yard field goal.

VII - Miami 14, Washington 7

Despite a highly successful NFL career, Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian is often remembered by many for his ill-fated pass attempt that resulted in the Redskins' only score of the game.

XVI - San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21

49ers kicker Ray Wersching made four field goals (tied for most in one Super Bowl game).

XXV - NY Giants 20, Buffalo 19

Giants kicker Matt Bahr made what would prove to be a game winning 21 yard field in the fourth quarter. But the kick that will always be remembered is the 47 yard field goal attempt with eight seconds remaining by Bills kicker Scott Norwood. It was "wide right".

XXVIII - Dallas 30, Buffalo 13

Steve Christie's 54 yard field goal was and remains the longest in Super Bowl History.

XXXII - Denver 31, Green Bay 24

Jason Elam's 51 yard field goal was and remains the second longest in Super Bowl History.

XXXVI - New England 20, St. Louis 17

Kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 48 yard field goal on the final play of the game to give the Patriots their first title.

XXXVIII - New England 32, Carolina 29

Further cementing his "clutch" legend, Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri hit a 41 yard game winning field goal with four seconds remaining.

XLIV - New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17
Trailing 10-6 at halftime, the Saints decided to start the second half with an onside kick by Thomas Morstead. It worked.

The Recruiting Process per the Recruitees, part 5

2012-01-30T13:01:00.001-05:00

Moving from one level of kicking up to the next is a highly competitive, very challenging, and often complex process. With National Signing Day once again nearly here, we take our second annual look at the move from high school to college. To get a sense of the key aspects of the recruiting process from the vantage point of the players, we asked kickers and punters from the Class of 2012 the following two questions:

What would you say was the most beneficial advice you received before going through the recruiting process?
Is there one thing you learned during the recruiting process that you wish you had known beforehand?

While everyone's unique individual circumstances led to varied answers, some common themes also emerged. We received numerous responses, so this topic will span several posts. Following is the first batch of answers:

Paul Griggs, Purdue

Keep your options open. I began to understand this piece of advice very quickly because the recruiting game is changing just as quickly as the world of college coaching, so one week you may be talking to the special teams coach for a school and the next week he may have just taken a job half way across the country.
Just how time consuming the process really is. It got to be a challenge to balance school work and recruiting work and I even had a ton of help from my parents. There were many nights where I would be on the phone with 3 or 4 coaches and those calls would take a few hours and then I would still have to eat dinner and do homework which made for some late nights.

Colby Cooke, Vanderbilt

Stay honest to your coaches and do the best you can at college camps, and you will find a home.
Nothing really important but it's a lot harder and longer than I expected.

Tyler Grassman, Buffalo

Be patient. Kickers and Punters tend to be the last ones chosen as far scholarships go. Just to do all I can do, then once I have done that to be patient.
I learned it was a difficult process. I learned even if I was told I was at the top of someone's list that there were many other Guys in the same boat as me. It was hard to cope with that. However I matured through the process and realized schools only take a kicker every 2-3 years and there are many kickers being just as competitive as I was.

Adam Griffith, Alabama

Just be open minded and not be nervous. Get all the questions answered. Meet as many coaches as I could.

Sean Wale, Boise State

Just keep working hard even through the ups and down of the recruiting process. To stay focused and that it is a very long road. Unfortunately the schools of your choice are not always scholarshipping kickers or punters for that year, so you have to do your homework on what schools are and try to get into contact with those schools. Also to get involved with a national kicking organization, get a good kicking coach, and just learn to network. The weight room and speed training were also a big plus in the process. It’s not all about football, but you also have to get good grades.
I don't think there is anything I learned that I wish I would have known beforehand. From the beginning through networking I knew what I was getting myself into. I had talked to so many people who had gone through it before me so they basically lead the way. I did learn though that it is very competitive to kick or punt at the D1 level.

Conrad Ukropina, Standford

Treat every day and every training session as if it served a major purpose in your ability to get to the next level. Not taking anything for granted definitely geared my mindset towards taking advantage of every opportunity set in front of me. Also, it made sure I didn't let any day of training go to waste; I knew I would get better every day, something that is huge when it comes to kicking and punting, as routine muscle memory drills are key to success.
I wasted a lot of time as an underclassmen sending out mass emails and calling coaches. Honestly, these attempts at getting looks from big colleges when I was still relatively young and unproven turned out to be a complete waste of time. However, the two biggest things I found as a specialist to aid my recruitment were attending college camps and having my coach or someone who personally knew the college coach call him. Camps are obvious: you get exposure right in front of the eyes of the coaches who will ultimately be recruiting you. Furthermore, a college coach getting a referral from someone he knows and trusts (a well-known kicking coach or a high school head coach for example) carries more weight than a call from a junior place kicker-punter from Los Angeles who "thinks I can play for your school."

Thomas Meadows, Purdue

I was told that being a kicker usually means that I would have to prove myself at that college's camp in order to get offered. This helped me because I wasn't stressed out during the school year about not getting offered yet. I knew I would have to wait until camp season.
I didn't know that coaches really do look for good personal qualities in the players they recruit. They look for things like saying ‘sir’, how easy you get along with others, and how you carry yourself in certain situations. These are all things that can't be learned from a highlight tape. Luckily, I had been raised well and I had some of those qualities.

Cason Beatty, Florida State

I was told to set my goals high and shoot for them but make sure you have a backup plan in case your number one school didn't come through.
You don't always have to be in the front of the group but when you are spoken to, speak confidently and when it’s your turn to kick/punt step up with confidence and show them what you are bringing to the table.

NFL Pro Bowl Records

2012-01-26T05:56:00.000-05:00

Individual game and career records in the NFL Pro Bowl:

Points, Career:
52, David Akers, Philadelphia 2001-02, 2004, 2009-10 (19 PATS, 11 FGs)
45, Morten Andersen, New Orleans 1986-89, 1991, 1993; Atlanta 1996 (15 PATs, 10 FGs).

Field Goals, Career - 11, David Akers, Philadelphia 2001-02, 2004, 2009-10.

Field Goals Attempted, Career - 18, Morten Andersen, New Orleans 1986-89, 1991, 1993; Atlanta 1996.

Field Goals, Game - 5, Garo Yepremian, Miami (1974).

Field Goals Attempted, Game - 6, Jan Stenerud, Kansas City (1972), 4 made; Eddie Murray, Detroit (1981), 4 made; Mark Moseley, Washington (1983), 2 made.

Longest Field Goal - 53, David Akers, Philadelphia (2003).

PATs, Game - 7, Mike Vanderjagt, Indianapolis (2004); David Akers (2010).

Punts, Career - 33, Ray Guy, Oakland 1974-79, 1981.

Punts, Game - 10, Reggie Roby, Miami (1985).

Longest Punt - 73 yards, Shane Lechler, Oakland (2002).

The Recruiting Process per the Recruitees, part 4

2012-01-25T12:37:00.002-05:00

A year ago, a large group of high school seniors, all kickers and punters, offered their thoughts on the college recruiting process (part 1, part 2, part 3). A year later, having completed their first semester of college, several of them followed up with a few additional thoughts after a year of hindsight.

Blake Kidd, Air Force

"I went to the Air Force Academy and for six weeks we had basic training so I couldnt practice at all. My advice to future recruits is to not get full of themselves, stay humble, and always work at their skills no matter how well they are doing. I lost a little bit of my touch during those six weeks of basic training and its been tough getting everything back. If those recruits stay on top of their game and stay humble, I think they will do well."

Dillon Wilson, Kansas State

"I learned a lot going though my 1st season of college football. I red-shirted this year, and highly suggest it. It gave me a year to get used to school, football, workouts, etc. I learned that the pace of college football is a lot faster! When they say its the "next level" they are not lying! With the whole recruiting process I suggest to really do your research on the school as well as the football team. I made the right choice and love where I'm at, but, i have a lot of friends who say they made the wrong choice. When they got there...they said the atmosphere and school was different then they thought it was going to be. Where your going to go to college is a big choice...make sure and do your research!"

Trenton Martin, Marshall University

"Always listen to your coaches and your parents, they are your main sources of support and experience. Most importantly, play your hardest you can every time you touch the field."

Mike Beamish, University of Pennsylvania

"I am at my freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania and I am having a blast. I am on their sprint football team punting and playing running back. recruiting was tough for me because the schools interested in me did not offer engineering, my current major. I'd say the most important thing is to stay patient. As I had to wait until january of my senior year for Upenn to contact me. keep all of your options open as sprint football got me the help I needed to gain acceptance to this school."

Kris Albarado, USC

"One of the biggest things I've learned is that college is much harder than it is in high school, and they hold you to a much higher standard in all aspects, football, strength and conditioning, and especially academics. I have a word of advice for any one out there who can't decide where they would like to go, I would tell them to go to the place they feel most comfortable at even if its all the way across the country and to trust the coaches because the coaches are all there to help you reach your full potential as a player and as a student."

Stay tuned for part 5 in our Recruiting series, when we check in with the class of 2012.

Life of a Kicker

2012-01-24T05:55:00.000-05:00

by special guest blogger Michael Husted:

Louie Aguiar and I had just finished our Pro Combine Qualification Camp in Vegas yesterday and decided to get some lunch and watch the rest of the Patriots/Ravens game. We started holding this particular camp so that aspiring pro kickers, punters and long snappers, who are working full time while still pursuing their dream of playing in the NFL, can avoid missing a lot of work. By attending this weekend camp, they have the opportunity to qualify for our annual Pro Combine in front of NFL special teams coordinators and scouts. Our Pro Combine is the first step in the interview process for free agents to hopefully make an NFL roster.

Championship Sunday, as they call the AFC/NFC championship games, is a high pressure game with a lot of risks and rewards. What we were about to witness was something not many people get to experience, not even me or many other NFL kickers that are still in the league. Billy Cundiff, who I consider a good friend, was going to attempt a 32 yard field goal to send the AFC Championship game into overtime. Anyone who is a kicker and has been in a game tying or winning situation knows the feeling, no matter at what level. However, being a retired NFL kicker who had been in many last minute/second situations, but not to this magnitude, my stomach started to knot up a little and I became a little nervous. Here I was at Apple Bee's in Las Vegas, and I was getting nervous...

Any kicker who tells you that they don't get nervous in those situations has been sniffing too much glue. They may be able to hide it, but every kicker gets nervous, not only for a game winning or tying kick, but really, for any field goal attempt. In fact, I remember watching an interview with Jerry Rice, arguably, the best wide receiver to have played the game, saying that he still got nervous on game day after 18 years in the NFL.

As I watched Cundiff miss the kick, I had many thoughts enter my head. In the meantime, my phone and Louie's phone started to "blow up" with texts. Former NFL kicker Mike Hollis texted me. Dallas Cowboys punter Matt McBriar and I exchanged several texts. One of my kicking students, senior Cornell kicker, Brad Greenway texted me and I received a phone call from James Wilhoit who was driving back to Phoenix after kicking extremely well at our camp this weekend. Why did Billy rush onto the field? Maybe he thought that the Ravens were going to use their last time out or had used it and was getting another kick in the net. Regardless, if I'm a head coach and I see my kicker rushing out there, I call a time out right there. Nothing good happens when we are rushed. The end result was a missed kick. Billy, being the PRO that he is, didn't make any excuses, didn't point any fingers. He took the blame. Yes, this miss will sting for a long time. However, Billy is a strong individual and realizes that there is more to life than a football game. He will be a better kicker because of this miss, but more importantly, a better person. It may be hard to see that today, next week or next month, but it will happen. I always tell my kickers that "You learn more from you failures than you do from your successes."

After the game I went onto Facebook to see what people were writing. I noticed several kickers, high school and college posting that they would have made that kick. As Billy commented, he has made that kick 1,000 times. However, none of those kickers have ever been, and probably will never be in that position. So, realistically, they don't know how it feels nor do they know how to manage that pressure situation. In fact, there are several retired and current NFL players that have never ever been remotely close to that situation, myself included. (I'm not going to even talk about all all of those people who have never kicked a football, yet they feel that they are an authority on kicking.)

I don't know how many NFL kickers have ever been in Billy's situation, down by three points and having to kick a game tying field goal to send the AFC/NFC Championship to overtime. I can't recall anyone recently. The only two kicks that I can remember that were somewhat similar, but not exactly the same, were both by Lawrence Tynes. By the way, congrats to Tynes on making his kick last night to send the Giants to the Super Bowl. He also kicked a 47 yarder against the Packers a few years back to win the NFC Championship. However, in both of these situations, the scored was tied. There is a difference when the scored is tied and you are trying to win it versus being behind in the score and you are trying to tie it or win. With the score tied, if you miss, the game continues for a little longer, so, hopefully, you will get another chance. In fact, if you recall, Tynes had missed two field goals in that Packers game, including a 36 yarder at the end of regulation, leading up to his game winner.

What if the Giants had lost that game?

There have been some big misses in post-season games by some of NFL elite kickers in the past. Mike Vanderjagt, at the time, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, missed a 46 yard field goal to tie the game against the Steelers in a AFC Divisional playoff game. Gary Andersen, one of the best kickers in NFL history, after posting a perfect regular season field goal percentage, missed a 39 yarder in the NFC Championship Game against the Falcons, that would have put the Vikings up by 10 points, almost assuring them a trip to the Super Bowl. The other Anderson, Morten, the NFL all time leading scorer, who, after drilling a 39 yarder in overtime in the same game to send the Falcons to the Super Bowl, missed a 26 yarder in the Super Bowl against the Broncos. Note: At least one of the "Anderso(e)ns," if not both, will most likely end up in the NFL Hall of Fame.

The life of a kicker seems easy. We're joked upon by our teammates and even by people who have never even played the game outside of the annual Turkey Bowl in the park. However, it is not as easy as it seems. The two biggest things that you need to have are "thick skin and resolve." John Gruden, once told me, we are like snipers. We are called upon only a few times and we can't miss. We have to be perfect. Ahh, if only this game was perfect. It's not, we are human and we make mistakes. We make kicks and we miss kicks. In the end, I am reminded of a quote from one of our country's greatest Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt.

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."

Seven Angles of Lawrence Tynes' Kick

2012-01-23T06:16:00.001-05:00

A little over half way through overtime, Lawrence Tynes made a 31 yard field goal. It gave the Giants a 20-17 win over the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game and set up a Super Bowl rematch with the Patriots. Afterward, he discussed various aspects of the kick.

The big picture:

"It's my second NFC Championship Game, my second game-winner. It's amazing. I had dreams about this last night. It was from 42, not 31, but I was so nervous today before the game just anticipating this kind of game. I'm usually pretty cool, but there was something about tonight where I knew I was going to have to make a kick. Hats off to Eli, offense, defense. Great win."

Tweets for Cundiff

2012-01-22T19:41:00.005-05:00

"It's a kick I've kicked probably a thousand times out there....
I didn't convert and that's the way things go. There's really no excuse for it.... I think the disappointment is letting my teammates down."

- Billy Cundiff after missing a potential game tying 32 yard yard field goal attempt with 15 seconds remaining in the AFC Championship Game, which New England won 23-20 over Baltimore

Fellow kickers and punters weighed in with specialist empathy via twitter:

@LanningSpencer

Feel bad for #Cundiff... Kickers dream to be in that position. Quickly turns to a nightmare.

@jayfeely

That was a good snap and hold, just a tough miss for Cundiff. No worse feeling for a kicker. It will haunt him the rest of his life.

@Reggie_Hodges

Oh man!!! 10 sec on the play clock, rushed to get lined up, never got comfortable.. Feel for him

@KornblueKicking

Missed FG is on Cundiff's shoulders, but shows importance of total operation - snap, hold, & kick. Would've been good with a perfect hold.

@thomasmorstead

I feel so sick for Billy Cundiff....

@ChrisWarcraft

Poor Cundiff. He totally wiped the raid at 1% :/ #feelsterribletomissakicklikethat, #keepyourheadupBilly

@JoshScobee10

Wow- gotta feel for Billy Cundiff. Never fun to see anyone miss a kick, especially in that situation.

@PaulMcCallum4

Haven't seen the game but heard of the missed fg. Still amazes me how everyone blames the kicker??

@thekickingcoach
Feel bad for Billy Cundiff. Did not want to see that.

@GHartley5
timing looked a little off perhaps... I dunno Cundiff is a great kicker .... Unfortunately misses happen

Kicking for Points

2012-01-17T06:00:00.002-05:00

How does one score points by kicking a ball in the various games around the world?

Soccer / Futbol /
Association Football

Goal (1 point) - ball must fully pass between the goal posts and under the crossbar.
Own Goal (1 point) - does not directly result from kicking, but is often an indirect result after a kick. An an own goal occurs when player causes the ball to go into his or her own team's goal, resulting in a goal being scored for the opposition.

Rugby Union

Conversion Kick (2 points) - attempted following the scoring of a Try, the place kicked or drop kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Penalty Kick (3 points) - an attempt awarded following an infraction by the opposition, the place kicked or drop kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Field Goal, a.k.a. Drop Goal (3 points) - attempted by a player who must be onsides and in the field of play, the drop kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.

Rugby League

Conversion Kick (2 points) - attempted following the scoring of a Try, the place kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Penalty Kick (2 points) - an attempt awarded following an infraction by the opposition, the place kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Field Goal, a.k.a. Drop Goal (1 point) - attempted by a player during play, the drop kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.

American Football (outdoors)

Field Goal (3 points) - The place kicked, drop kicked, or free kicked ball must pass between the goal posts (uprights) and above the crossbar. This attempt can occur on any down from anywhere on the field, although it typically occurs on fourth down and when within the the distance range of the kicker.
PAT (Point After Touchdown), a.k.a. "extra point" (1 point) - following a touchdown, a team may opt for this attempt (or for a two point conversion involving running or passing the ball). The place kicked ball must pass between the goal posts (uprights) and above the crossbar.

American Football (arena)

Field Goal (3 points) - The place kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Field Goal (4 points) - The drop kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Post-Touchdown Conversion (1 point) - The place kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Post-Touchdown Conversion (2 points) - following a touchdown, a team may opt for this attempt (or for a two point conversion involving running or passing the ball). The drop kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar

Canadian Football

Field Goal (3 points) - The place kicked or drop kicked ball must pass between the goal posts (uprights) and above the crossbar.
Convert (1 point) - Following a touchdown, a team may opt for this attempt (or for a two point conversion involving running or passing the ball). The place kicked ball must pass between the goal posts and above the crossbar.
Single, a.k.a. Rouge (1 point) - Scored when the ball becomes dead in the possession of a team in its own goal area, or when the ball touches or crosses the dead-line, or side-line-in-goal, and touches the ground, a player, or some object beyond these lines as a result of the ball having been kicked (e.g. punt, kickoff, or missed field goal) from the field of play into the goal area by the scoring team.

Australian Rules Football

Goal (6 points) - The kicked ball must pass between the goal posts at any height, either on the fly or bouncing through, but must not have been touched along the way by any player from either team.
Super Goal (9 points) - similar to a goal except that it must be kicked from beyond 50 meters away, and it is only applicable in the pre-season competition.
Behind (1 point) - Scored when a kicked ball passes between a goal post and a behind post at any height, or if the ball hits a goal post, or if an attacking player sends the ball between the goal posts by touching it with any part of the body other than a foot, or if the ball touches any part of an opposition player (including his foot) before passing between the goal posts.

Kickball

Scoring in kickball does not directly result from kicking, but can occur indirectly after kicking from base running
Run (1 run): A run scores when a runner touches home plate before the third out is made, except that no run can score when the third out is made during a force play situation, or when the kicker is put out before touching first base.

Note: If there is a sport that should be added to this list, please let me know.

Kicking in the Snow

2012-01-15T06:00:00.019-05:00

It's the middle of January which mean it's time to take a look back at several memorable football games. All three prominently featured snow and kicking.

1950 Michigan vs. Ohio State
“It was like a nightmare. My hands were numb (and blue). I had no feeling in them and I don’t know how I hung onto the ball. It was terrible. You knew what you wanted to do, but you couldn’t do it.”
- Vic Janowicz, Ohio State HB/K/P

2007 Cleveland vs. Buffalo
"When this organization set out nine years ago, it kind of envisioned this is what Cleveland Browns football is all about," Dawson said. "A game late in the year, at home, with a chance to go to the playoffs in just horrible weather and the Browns coming out on top."
- Browns kicker Phil Dawson

2001 New England vs. Oakland
"I kind of line-drived it, but when I looked up I knew it was going to be straight enough. I had to wait to see if it would be long enough. It was time to be happy after that."

- Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri

Bowling for Kickers 2011, The Final Kicks

2012-01-10T06:33:00.000-05:00

Jeremy Shelley

In the big regular season game, four missed field goals by Alabama kickers and one overtime kick by LSU had given the Tigers a 9-6 win. In the even bigger game last night, it was once again about kicking - but this time it was all Alabama...
Final score: 21-0.

Sophomore kicker Cade Foster, who had three of the four missed kicks in the prior meeting, handled kickoffs as usual.
His only field goal attempt ended up being a fake play which netted a first down.

"I didn't know. Shelley was kicking the ball great tonight. He was on fire. When it's not broken, why fix it? He was making kicks, and that's what mattered. I'm not disappointed I didn't get the opportunity. I'm just happy Shelley made the kicks."

Sophomore punter Cody Mandell averaged 44.3 yards on three punts with a long of 52 yards. He tweeted afterward:

"S/o to all my specialists for doing their thing tonight!!! @JeremyShelley90 set a record! Dude is a beast!!! @carsontink was on point tonight. NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! It is amazing! What a feeling!"

The on-fire Dude-Beast, also known as junior kicker Jeremy Shelley, accounted for all of the Tides scoring through the first three quarters with five field goals (23, 34, 41, 35 & 44 yards). Back in the first game, his lone attempt was blocked. His second attempt last night, a 42 yarder, was also blocked:

“Coach came and talked to me and I just had the same feelings he did. We both know I had the range, I just had to have faith in that and really get the ball up in the air like I need to, like I normally do.”

In the end, his makes outnumbered the misses, and the Crimson Tide are this year's national champions.

“I feel like it’s great for both of us to have that redemption and be able to show the Bama nation what we can do....
That first one was the most nerve-racking. Once I hit that first one, I was like, ‘All right, let’s keep this going.’....
I haven’t hit a game-winner since I’ve been here. Hitting five in a game like this, it’s unbelievable. I can’t imagine anything being better.”

2011: The Year in Kicking

2012-01-08T11:48:00.000-05:00

What was the biggest kicking/punting/snapping moment of 2011?

When we posed that question we received some diverse answers - although LSU-Alabama, Sebastian Janikowski and Matt Prater all surfaced more than once.

"The record number of 50+ yard field goals made this NFL season." - Chris Husby, Special Teams Football Academy
"The Alabama vs. LSU game in the regular season." - Tom Feely, Feely Athletics
"Has to be the Alabama-LSU game where the missed field goals lost the game for Bama. Nothing gets more attention to our specialist role than when we miss and it costs a big game. P.S. Alabama will make amends in the title game." - Nathan Chapman, ProKick Australia
"Sebastian Janikowski tying the NFL record with a 63 yard kick and Matt Prater hitting the 59 yarder against Chicago to send the game into OT." - kicker Rob Maver
"The ones off the top of my head: Janikowski's 63 yarder, Boise miss II - the Sequel, LSU's Punter - Wing, and Carlos Ojeda 19-19 on PATs + drop-kick in 138-0 win for Erie :)" - kicker Carlos Ojeda
"When Matt Prater tied the game with a 59 yarder and then won it with a 51 yarder in OT. Now, the Broncs are in the playoffs and would not be if he missed either one of those kicks. Many, many kickers across the nation could hit the two field goals in a row in practice, but few kickers could do that in a game with that type of pressure. I am sure Matt has worked very hard to get to the point of where he is at!" - Dan Zeidman, Lifetime Kicking Academy
"Matt Prater... 59 to tie... 51 to win. Tebow Smebow..." - Rex Robinson, Total Kicker

Of course, 2011 was a long year (roughly 365 days), so there was plenty of notable kicking. Following, in no particular order, are just a few of the other highlights:

The 2010 college football season culminated in the 2011 calendar year with a field goal - a 19 yarder by Wes Byrum to give Auburn a 22-19 win over Oregon for the National Championship.
Jeff Cunningham surpassed Jamie Moreno for the most career goals scored in MLS.
Once again, the NFL decided to tweak its rules and move kickoffs to a different yard line.
Following a 2-2 draw, Japan out-shot the USA 3-1 on penalty kicks to win the Women's World Cup.
The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Alex Henery in the fourth round. He would go on to post the highest field goal percentage for a rookie in NFL history. Although he wasn't drafted, Dan Bailey was signed by the Dallas Cowboys and would play a significant role in many of their wins.
Despite losing star Dan Carter to injury, New Zealand went on to win the Rugby World Cup.
Long time Baltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover retired.
FC Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League with a 3-1 win over Manchester United FC.
Geelong won the AFL Grand Final 119-81 over Collingwood.
Several kickers put up strong numbers in the CFL in 2011, but none had a bigger year than B.C. Lions veteran Paul McCallum, whose season culminated with a Grey Cup victory.
Texas A&M kicker Randy Bullock won the Lou Groza Award
Louisiana Tech punter Ryan Allen won the Ray Guy Award
Saint Xavier University kicker Tom Lynch won the Fred Mitchell Award.
San Francisco 49ers kicker David Akers was very busy in 2011, breaking the NFL single season scoring record along the way. His 166 points surpassed the previous mark of 164 set by Gary Anderson.

Bowling for Kickers 2011, part 2

2012-01-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

Outback Bowl

Junior kicker Dan Conroy hit two field goals (35 and 28 yards) in the overtime periods of Michigan State's 33-30 win over Georgia.

"I did but I didn't [feel pressure on the winning kick]. I really felt like someone was lifting a weight off my shoulders. I prayed before every kick when I went out there, and my body was almost numb. It was just different."

Conroy also commented on his counterpart on the opposite sideline:

"As good as I feel for us, I feel terrible for Blair. As a kicker, you understand how that would feel."

Georgia kicker Blair Walsh had missed two field goal attempts in overtime - a 42 yarder at the end of the first OT period that would have won the game and then a 47 yarder that was blocked and would have re-tied the game in the third OT.

"I'd trade whatever record I got [SEC's all-time leading scorer] to have the field goal that won this game. I know you can't put everything on one play — a whole lot happened today — but I didn't come through in the clutch. That hurts. If you're with Georgia, you're hurting."

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Junior kicker Quinn Sharp hit a 22 yard field goal in overtime to give Oklahoma State a 41-38 win over Stanford.

"It's not an easy feeling. Everything comes down to you. You are the last one. It is on the line. I believe in our offense and defense, and they believe in me and our special teams unit."

Allstate Sugar Bowl

Sophomore kicker Brendan Gibbons hit a 37 yard field goal in overtime to give Michigan a 23-20 win over Virginia Tech. In a press conference afterward, Gibbons provided a unique twist on the mental aspect of kicking, when he answered what he had been thinking just before the game winning kick:

"Brunette girls. Every time we were struggling in kicking, coach tells me to think about girls on a beach or brunette girls. So that's what we did. Made the kick."

The Long Road from Australia to the NFL, part 4

2012-01-05T12:08:00.002-05:00

Previously in this series (see part 1, part 2, and part 3), we heard from numerous Aussies who have transitioned to American football. They came from various stages of punting careers - including punting for U.S. colleges, attending NFL camps, playing in the UFL, and having returned back Down Under to instruct the next generation.

Today we hear from two players closer to the beginning of the process. Tom Hackett and Tim Gleeson are both members of the class of 2012 that are still in Australia learning the American version of football. We asked both of them a few questions:

Can you tell us a little about your kicking background prior to learning American football?

Tom: "Basically, in Australia we play a game called Australian football, which is based around the art to kick the ball. Similar to how a QB throws it, so I have been kicking since I could walk."
Tim: "My kicking background stems from Australian Rules football, which I have played since I was 4 years old. Growing up with a younger brother, Will, we would kick the football every day after school without fail, often using trees on the neighbor’s nature strip as goal posts. We would practice every kick under the sun; from bananas to inside-out spirals. When my dream of turning pro didn't work out at the end of 2010, I got into contact with Nathan Chapman, who I had heard had placed a former football teammate, Alex Dunnachie, into college (University of Hawaii). I had my first training session with ProKick Australia in December 2010 and I loved it straight away! It was a completely new challenge in a game that I (initially) knew little about."

What have been the easiest and hardest parts about transitioning/learning how to kick in American football?

Tom: "The art of kicking an American football and an Australian football is somewhat different. The ball shape is different, and the size of an American football is smaller. Being able to kick an end to end punt is what I have been doing for years playing Australian football, that is by far the easiest thing regarding the transition. The hardest would have to be the mental side of things. They say punting and kicking is very similar to Golf, where the mental side of the game is crucial."
Tim: "For myself, there was nothing easy in the transition from Australian Rules kicking to punting in American Football. It felt like a never ending cycle for a while – (Nathan) Chapman would change something in my technique, only for me to pick up another awful habit. One particular aspect that I forever seemed to struggle with was the dropping of the football. In Australian Rules, players habitually push the ball onto their boot, in contrast to punters, who float the ball out of their hands. That was my prime adaption issue, literally having to ‘forget’ 18 years of habit and muscle memory."

What should Americans know about Australia that we probably don't know?

Tom: "Americans should understand that the game of Australian football is very physical. We come from a tough and physical nation and that coming to America, we are representing our country and will therefore not give up anything lightly."
Tim: "We come from a sport where athletic superiority is a must. We gut run for 120 minutes and hit with no protection. Although we don’t have the size and strength of most American Footballers, it is none the less easier. Americans should take a look at this video, which showcases the strengths required to play top-level Australian Rules. Finally, although the punting position in a team may not be as laudable as others, we don’t want to be taken jokingly. John Smith, (the kicking coach with ProKick Australia and the guru of American Football in Australia) along with Nathan Chapman, make sure that all their students heading over to the U.S are 100% ready both physically, and mentally, to succeed."

Postscript: Tim is now in the U.S. at the University of Wyoming.

NAIA: Small Schools, Big Kicks – part 3

2012-01-03T12:06:00.001-05:00

by guest blogger Terry Stecker, kicker for Kansas Wesleyan University

When I made the first drive down 9th Street in Salina, Kansas to Kansas Wesleyan University, I didn’t know what to expect as far as getting used to my new home for the next four years. I thought it would take a long time to make friends, a long time to get used to my classes, a long time to find things to do in town and on campus, and a long time getting over being away from home. Well, I was wrong. It was the complete opposite; I made friends in no time, as a first time freshman, my role on the football team was important, classes are easy, the town of Salina is filled with things to do, and being away from home was no big deal at all. Kansas Wesleyan University has a great family atmosphere and very established academic programs that I had interest in. Although it’s a smaller university, it has a lot of tradition and events to keep the students involved with the University and the town of Salina. I learned that the town is very involved in the KWU community and comes to show support at all the athletic events and academic events as well. I am proud to be a Coyote at Kansas Wesleyan University.

KWU has given me the opportunity to live my dream at playing at the collegiate football level. Competition in the KCAC (Kansas College Athletic Conference) is valued and held to a great standard for all teams that participate. After getting my first start (vs Sterling College 9/17/11), my confidence went up and my nerves calmed down as I felt I had what it takes to be a successful place kicker in the KCAC and NAIA. After that game, I was blessed to get the news from my head coach about becoming the starter for the rest of the year. I went on to scoring 58 points on our team, second behind our running back, Brett Giesen. I also got the opportunity to kick a career long 51 yards, and was named KCAC and NAIA Special Teams Player of the Week.

For kickers and punters looking to kick at the next level: any school in the NAIA is a great school to be at. The competition is there, the college life style is there, and the learning lessons are there. Do not overlook the any schools in the NAIA. There are many athletic and academic individuals that choose to come to the NAIA level. It is just as competitive, successful, and full of tradition as any division 1 or division 2 school in the country.

Editor's note: for more commentary from NAIA kickers and punters, see part 1 and part 2 of this series.

NFL Week 17: in the Groove

2012-01-02T06:59:00.001-05:00

Around the NFL yesterday in the final week of the regular season...

In Arizona, the Cardinals once again went into overtime and once again won the game there. Their four overtime wins this year are an NFL record. The final and decisive points in this week's 23-20 win over Seattle came on a Jay Feely 28 yard field goal.

"I think it speaks to the character of our team. We had a lot of things go wrong throughout the year. I don't think we've had one game where we've kind of put a complete-game effort together, where we played our best, yet we didn't quit. We never stopped playing."

In Philadelphia, kicker Alex Henery hit field goals of 35 and 20 yards in the Eagles 34-10 win over the Redskins. It extended his streak of successful kicks - with his last misses being a pair of field goal back in week 4 against the 49ers. For the year he made 24 of 27 field goals for an 88.9% rate, the the highest ever for an NFL rookie.

"The game finally slowed down. You know how people say how everything goes so fast in the NFL compared to college -- and it sure did for me. That was the biggest thing for me. Once things slowed down I was hitting the ball better and I got into a groove.... After the San Francisco game it gave me a moment to step back and see how I was doing and look at the big picture. That was when it all came together."

In Cleveland, kicker Phil Dawson accounted for all the Browns' points in their 13-9 loss to the Steelers. Had his final field goal of 49 yards been just a little longer, he would have tied the NFL record for most 50 yarders in a season (eight).

"I was so in the moment I didn't even think about it. The moment I came to the sideline the guys were telling me. One yard from history. There should be some sort of difficulty factor, like in Olympic diving."

Bowling for Kickers 2011, part 1

2012-01-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

R+L Carriers

New Orleans Bowl

Junior kicker Brett Baer made a 50 yard field goal as time expired to give Louisiana-Lafayette a 32-30 win over San Diego State.

"I was on the sidelines with 35 seconds left and I'm kind of down on myself because I'm thinking about those two extra points [missed earlier in the game]. My holder Brady Thomas came up to me and said 'Man, you've done this before.' I had all the confidence in Blaine and the guys to get me a chance. I couldn't be more happier."

Little Caesars Bowl

Senior kicker Carson Wiggs hit three field goals (49, 19 & 26 yards) in Purdue's 37-32 win over Western Michigan. The Boilermaker's also were successful on two onside kickoffs, the second of which Wiggs recovered himself.

"The first one was a big-time miss-hit, it was supposed to be high up in the air. I haven’t hit one that bad since I’ve been doing it, but sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. We said we were going to do it again to them if it worked. It ended up working a little better....
They didn't change their lineup, so we did it again... Any time I can do something besides make a field goal or kickoff or something, it's always fun."

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas

Senior kicker Randy Bullock hit four field goals (24, 40, 47 & 31 yards) in Texas A&M's 33-22 win over Northwestern.

With his first field goal midway through the first quarter, kicker Randy Bullock broke Texas A&M's single-season scoring record set back in 1927. The Lou Groza Award winner surpassed Joel Hunt's record of 128 points and finished the season with 139 points after making three field goals and three extra points on Saturday.

to be continued...

Charitable Kicking

2011-12-28T10:40:00.002-05:00

The kicking community is certainly involved in charitable endeavors, as we glimpsed in our look at Kicking in Haiti. That is just one example within the global big picture, which addresses a wide and diverse array of causes. Following are just a few more examples.

Morten Andersen Family Foundation

The purpose of the foundation: to affect positive change among children and youth locally, regionally, nationally and globally. The ideology behind the foundation: Pay it forward to the next generation, Affect positive change among youth regardless of race, sex, religion or nationality. Areas of emphasis and focus: Education and scholarships, Quality of life for children and youth with emphasis on preventing obesity through fitness (i.e. NFL play 60 program), President’s National Council on Fitness.

David Akers Kicks for Kids

David Akers Kicks for Kids is a charity organization that provides assistance to the children and families being cared for at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. David's desire to give back to the community, as well as to help young people an families in need, motivated him to establish the David Akers' Kicks for Kids organization in the fall of 2001. David is continuing his Kicks for Kids mission in San Francisco by participating in the 49ers Cares Program by supplying 20 tickets and 20 food vouchers to the Ronald McDonald House to distribute to families to attend each home game this season.

Canadian Cancer Society - Société canadienne du cancer

We are a national, community-based organization of volunteers, whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer.

Nous sommes un organisme bénévole national, à caractère communautaire, dont la mission est l'éradication du cancer et l'amélioration de la qualité de vie des personnes touchées par le cancer.

[thanks to Calgary Stampeders kicker Rob Maver for drawing our attention to this organization]

Matt Stover Foundation

The Matt Stover Foundation was formed in 2002 to centralize the Stover family’s contributions. The foundation will only make gifts to be used for charitable purposes. In short, the mission of the Matt Stover Foundation is to provide financial support to under-funded educational, religious and other charitable organizations.

Kicking 4 Celiac Foundation

"I am extremely excited for the future of this foundation, as well as for the Celiac Disease community. With more and more support groups, and more people genuinely concerned about the lack of awareness, we hope that this will spur a rise in education, a rise in diagnosis, and reduce the number of undiagnosed and misdiagnosed cases."

- kicker/founder Craig Pinto

The Rob Bironas Fund

Created to provide a dynamic funding platform that brings together the children of Music City and the rich musical opportunities that only Nashville, Tennessee can offer. The Fund is dedicated to enriching the community by financing the tools, education and leadership necessary to help children achieve scholastic excellence.

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
The nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline at rainn.org, and publicizes the hotline's free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual assault; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual assault, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.
[supported by Penn State alumni, including Kickology]

Nick Lowery Youth Foundation

Nation Building for Native Youth (NBNY) is a life-changing empowerment program for Native youth grades 10 - 12 and their adult advisors. NBNY programs represent 25 tribes from Northern Plains, Great Lakes, Southeast, Southern Plains, New Mexico and Arizona. The long-term goals of the program are to enable Native youth to lead positive, successful lives and ultimately serve and lead their communities into a new era of not only sovereignty, but also robust economic, social and political health.

NFL Week 16: Christmas Presents

2011-12-27T07:11:00.000-05:00

Around the NFL this past holiday weekend...

In New England, the Patriots rallied for 27-24 win over the Dolphins. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski - who has just put the teams first points on the board early in the third quarter with a 45 yard field goal - also came up big in the subsequent kickoff. Dolphins returner Clyde Gates was on his way to the endzone, but Gostkowski tripped him up.

"I got a hand on his foot and luckily he went down. The few times I have to step up to make a play, that’s what I try to do. I got lucky.... It was a big play and it feels even more rewarding since we made them turn the ball over right after that and ended up winning the game. I guess that [tackle] was my Christmas present."

In Kansas City, the disturbing trend of blocked field goals continued. Well, disturbing to the kicking teams, because the defending teams have certainly been pleased with the blocks. On the last play of the first half, Raiders DT Richard Seymour blocked a 49 yard field goal attempt by Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop. Then on the last play of the fourth quarter with the game tied, it was déjà vu. Another 49 yard attempt by Succop. Another block by Seymour. That sent the game to overtime, where Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski quickly ended things with a 36 yard field goal, giving Oakland a 16-13 win.

"It felt good, what do you want me to say?... I mean, guys did a good job protecting. Shane [Lechler] put it down, [Jon] Condo centered the ball and it went through."

In Seattle, 49ers kicker David Akers has set the NFL record for most field goals in one season. He has now made 42 field goals (with one game remaining), breaking the former mark of 40 set by Neil Rackers. His four field goals this week were part of San Francisco's rally in their 19-17 win over the Seahawks.

“When you have adversity and you’re able to respond, I think that’s what you’re talking about as far as seeing a championship team develop.”

Christmas Kicks

2011-12-23T04:23:00.001-05:00

While Thanksgiving may have a more extensive football history, Christmas has also seen a few big kicks over the years:

2010 - Arizona Cardinals 27, Dallas Cowboys 26
After an illegal formation penalty, Jay Feely hit a 48 yard field goal with five seconds remaining to lift the Cardinals to the win.

"When I missed the first one [a 49-yarder], I kind of hit it too well. So I made a decision that as long as I was inside 55 I was going to stay at 80 percent and just groove them. I knew when it started down the middle, I knew it was going to be good."

2006 – New York Jets 13, Miami Dolphins 10

With 10 seconds remaining in a very wet game, Mike Nugent hit a 30 yard FG to win the game.

2004 – Kansas City Chiefs 31, Oakland Raiders 30

Although he had missed two field goal attempts earlier in the game, Lawrence Tynes was good on a 38 yarder with 22 seconds remaining to win the game.

“I got a great snap and great hold. When I kicked that ball, I was very confident because I had hit the other two good, and one got blocked and the other hit the crossbar. I wasn’t down in the dumps at all. I was real positive when I went out there and I knew I was going to make it.”

1989 – Minnesota Vikings 29, Cincinnati Bengals 21

Barefoot kicker Rich Karlis made five field goals (31, 37, 22, 42 and 24 yards) in the first half of the final regular season game of the '89 season, in which the playoff hopes of four teams hung in the balance.

1971 – Miami Dolphins 27, Kansas City Chiefs, 24 (second OT)

The longest game in NFL history. The Dolphins finally won it in the second overtime with a 37 yard field goal by Garo Yepremian.

"Somehow it would—must, surely, on Christmas Day—come to this. That the longest game in the history of American professional football would be decided by the smallest player on the field. That he would not be American-born at all, but a Cypriot, with an accent. That he would be a painter of neckties for profit, and uninhibited in his high good humor. A teller of outrageous jokes on himself, agreeable and gregarious. And cuddly. The people of Kansas City would see him there in the shadow of his Miami teammates and wonder, what is a Garo Yepremian? Did the Dolphins get him for Christmas? And the answer would be that the Dolphins got him two years ago from Detroit, where he was hiding out in his basement painting ties, ashamed to show his balding head after being cut by the Lions. The Lions considered him a clown. And at 6:24 p.m. CST on Christmas Day the Dolphins gave him to the Kansas City Chiefs. Right between the uprights." - John Underwood, SI

NFL Week 15: Awesome, Great, Fun...

2011-12-20T13:07:00.000-05:00

Around the NFL this past weekend...

In Arizona, kicker Jay Feely hit a 33 yard field goal with 5:40 remaining to tie the game. In overtime, he made a 22 yarder to give the Cardinals a 20-17 win over the Browns.

"I thought it was going to be a 54 yarder. But when John threw the great ball and Larry caught it, I was just relieved.... It was a good weekend for the Feely's too. My brother [Nick] hit a 43 yard field goal with 37 seconds left to give his team the state championship down in Florida. So, that was an awesome weekend for us."

In Oakland, the Raiders were trailing the Lions 27-28 as the clock was winding down. On the final play, kicker Sebastian Janikowski attempted a 65 yard field goal - two yards longer than the league record which he co-owns.

"I kicked it very well. I can't hit it any better. The snap and Shane's placement was perfect."

But the kick was no good as defender Ndamukong Suh got part of the ball:

"It hit my thumb. I looked back and saw it twirling....
Obviously, it was a great moment. I'm usually not that excited about things, but it's what you play the game for."

In Kansas City, the Packers perfect record was no longer perfect after an upset 19-14 win by Chiefs. The majority of the scoring came off the foot of kicker Ryan Succop. His field goals of 19, 32, 46 & 20 yards extended his active streak of successful kicks to 21 field goals.

“It’s not as fun when you make them and you don’t win, so when you make them and you get a win, it’s even better.”

Green Bay's chances for a late comeback ended when their onside kick attempt just prior to the two minute warning was unsuccessful. Kicker Mason Crosby commented afterward:

“I kicked the extra point and when I came back down, we made the call to do the onside. I thought we could do it. If we had been able to execute it, it might have been a different story. The ball came out a little hot, and we weren’t able to recover it.”

Kicking in Haiti

2011-12-18T08:46:00.001-05:00

"I feel so happy to see what happened in the country and to see all the Haitians come to the game. It was incredible. We only have one thing left, and that's football. You can play and all the world is watching you. The flag can fly everywhere because of football. It's the one thing that people live for now."

Haitian national team player James Marcelin, who also plays for the Portland Timbers, made the preceding comments following Haiti's 6-0 win over the U.S. Virgin Islands during 2014 World Cup qualifiers in early September of this year. Goalkeeper Steward Ceus, who also plays for the Colorado Rapids, added his thoughts:

"I was in college when I heard a buzz about Haiti being interested in seeing me. Coming here left me speechless. The fans come after training, before training, crowding around the bus. My passion for soccer has always been there and I always wished that the people around me shared that passion. For the first time I found the passion I've been looking for....
I have never seen a country with so many talents as here. If you put these guys in Manchester United and Barcelona, they would be great player[s]. The problem is to be a great player you need good food and a good environment. Here is nothing."

Already the poorest country in the Americas, Haiti was further devastated on January 12, 2010 by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that left approximately 300,000 people dead, another 300,000 injured, and a million homeless. As has happened elsewhere throughout the world over the past century, the continuation of soccer provides a unique form of therapeutic relief. For the national team, their World Cup qualifying aspirations ultimately ended with a 1-0 loss to Antigua & Barbuda in early November. But, like elsewhere throughout the world, kicking the round ball occurs at many different levels.

When we asked some of our kicking contacts to discuss important charities and causes, Haiti surfaced twice. Tom Feely, patriarch of the kicking Feely family, noted their programs which began this past summer.

"My son, John Feely, started the World Ministries Football Club which provides Soccer camps, and Christian ministries to children in Haiti. It is backed financially by the Feely Family Foundation which is a philanthropic organization to fund outreach programs."

Phase 2 gets under way in 2012: WMFC will organize and support a youth soccer team affiliated with the Mission of Hope School. The team will be open to elementary and high school students and WMFC will sponsor local children that are not already enrolled to attend school. The team will practice locally and travel to play games against other school and youth teams in Haiti. Every year, WMFC will return with coaches and trainers to run a camp for the team and other children interested in soccer. More information can be found on their webpage and on Facebook.

Brandon Kornblue of Kornblue Kicking was the first to respond to our general inquiry:

"This message has nothing to do with kicking or punting. It is something much more important. If you are interested in doing something to help the people of Haiti, please keep reading.

Many people feel the desire to do something for those in need, but either don't think they could make a difference or don't know which organization to trust. Don't think you can make a difference? It costs only 17 cents per meal to feed someone in Haiti. Don't know which organization to trust? I am able to share firsthand knowledge of my experience with an organization in Haiti which is providing hope to the country and has the infrastructure to help people who desperately need it.

In June 2008, I spent a perspective-altering week in Haiti with Mission of Hope, an organization based 45 minutes outside of Port-au-Prince. Brad Johnson is the director of Mission of Hope, Haiti. His parents had a vision to build a mission complex that would effectively reach out and minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the less fortunate people in Haiti. Brad, his wife Vanessa, and their children have helped bring hope into Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The Mission of Hope Complex now sits on 76 acres of land and consists of the School of Hope, the Hope House Orphanage and the Hospital of Hope. In addition, the Mission of Hope assists close to 200 children in four other orphanages in nearby villages through the Feed A Child program. The Mission of Hope is able to contribute to the local economy by employing over 150 Haitian women and men.

Please keep Haiti and the Mission of Hope team in your prayers. If you can, please send a donation of any size. The country consists of many wonderful people who simply need help. I worked with this team in Haiti a few years ago and have supported several of their fundraising projects. I have seen and heard how they responded to the 4 hurricanes that hit Haiti in 2008. I can say with complete confidence that they will be good stewards with your donations.

Updated info from MOH and the link to donate can be found here: Mission of Hope: Haiti

Thank you so much for reading this and anything you are willing to do to help. God bless you!"

Kicker U

2011-12-15T12:10:00.003-05:00

In supplement to yesterday's twitter and facebook discussions on what college should be deemed "Kicker U", we offer the following. The kickers and punters listed below went on to play in the NFL. This of course does not account for those that may have gone on to have successful careers in other pro leagues or that did not play further after a great college career.

Arkansas - Pat Summerall, Bill McClard, Steve Little, Greg Horne, Steve Cox

California - Ray Wersching, Mick Luckhurst, Ryan Longwell, Joe Cooper, Doug Brien, Jim Breech, Nick Harris

Florida State - Sebastian Janikowski, Bill Gramatica, Bill Capece, Scott Bentley, Rick Tuten, Rohn Stark, Scott Player, Graham Gano, Duane Carrell

Georgia - Todd Peterson, John Kasay, Bob Etter, Kevin Butler, Rex Robinson, Bobby Walden, Spike Jones, Bucky Dilts

Louisiana Tech - Matt Stover, Josh Scobee, Chris Boniol, David Lee

Maryland - Nick Novak, Steve Mike-Mayer, Jess Atkinson, Adam Podlesh

Michigan - Remy Hamilton, Ali Haji-Sheikh, Jay Feely, Hayden Epstein, Zoltan Mesko, Don Bracken

Michigan State - Dave Rayner, Paul Edinger, Tom Birney, Morten Andersen, Ray Stachowicz, Greg Montgomery, Ralf Mojsiejenko, Brandon Fields, Brad Costello

Nebraska - Kris Brown, Josh Brown, Alex Henery, Kyle Larson, Bill LaFleur, Sam Koch

North Carolina - Connor Barth, Jeff Reed, Tommy Barnhardt, Jeff Hayes

Notre Dame - Bob Thomas, John Carney, Craig Hentrich, Hunter Smith

Penn State - Robbie Gould, Brett Conway, Matt Bahr, Chris Bahr, Greg Montgomery, Jeremy Kapinos, Ralph Giacomarro

Texas - Curt Knight, Happy Feller, Phil Dawson, Raul Allegre, John Teltschik, Russell Erxleben

UCLA - Justin Medlock, Norm Johnson, Efren Herrera, Brad Daluiso, Frank Corral, Chris Kluwe, Bruce Barnes

West Virginia - Mike Vanderjagt, Pat McAfee, Charlie Baumann, Todd Sauerbrun

Did we miss a school that belongs on this list? If so, please let us know.

Tom Lynch Repeats as Fred Mitchell Award Winner

2011-12-13T06:37:00.000-05:00

Saint Xavier University senior place-kicker Tom Lynch is the recipient of the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award. The Award is provided to the nation’s top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA for excellence on the football field and in the community. Over 750 place-kickers are eligible.

The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, the All-American place-kicker from Wittenberg University and longtime sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Mitchell said, “I am pleased to congratulate Tom Lynch as the recipient of the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award, which is particularly impressive since he also received this Award after the 2010 season. With more than 750 place-kickers to choose from, we are extremely proud to recognize Tom in this fashion. He scored more points than each of these 750 place-kickers in 2011, he is extremely accurate and he has been instrumental to the continued success of the Cougars. I am equally proud of Lynch’s sincere commitment to school and community service, which helps set him apart from an incredibly strong field of finalists in the eyes of our Selection Committee.”

“Winning the Fred Mitchell award for the second time puts me at a complete loss for words,” said Lynch. “I was so thankful to be the recipient of this award last year and now winning it again leaves me with an indescribable feeling. I truly believe that without God in my life, I wouldn’t be the person I am today, not only on the football field but also in my everyday life. Winning this award this week and then playing for a national championship this Saturday, I could not have scripted a better ending for my college career.”

Lynch participates in the school’s annual service day where students do community service projects, he volunteers at Misericordia which maximizes the potential of people with mild or profound developmental disabilities, he provides complimentary maintenance services and volunteers at the South Bridge Community Church summer day camp, he volunteers at the Kids Enjoy Exercise Now program to support a not-for-profit volunteer-led organization that provides one-on-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities and he is a place-kicking tutor at his high school alma mater (Lincoln Way East).

“What a tremendous honor for Tom to win such a prestigious award two years in a row,” said Saint Xavier University football coach Mike Feminis. “He’s had an outstanding career and is very deserving. What better way is there to end your career than to be playing on the biggest stage possible? I am really happy for Tom and I know he’ll save his best game for the one in Rome, Georgia, on December 17!”

The Award’s Selection Committee Chairman, Chris Kearney, said, “There were dozens of terrific candidates for this Award. In fact, 44 place-kickers were nominated by their schools for consideration. Tom was on the Award’s Watch List in August and we recognized him during the season for stellar performance. The voting results were extremely close this year, and we are looking forward to honoring Tom on February 20, 2012 at Halas Hall during the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter Awards Ceremony.”

NFL Week 14: Hand vs. Foot

2011-12-12T06:05:00.001-05:00

For the kicker, it's about getting his foot on the ball in the precise motion, on a precise spot, at a precise moment. For the defender, it's about getting his hand somewhere on the ball immediately thereafter.

In Dallas last night, the Giants were leading 37-34 with six seconds remaining. The Cowboys were attempting a potential game tying 47-yard field goal. New York DE Jason Pierre-Paul got two opportunities to try and block the kick, thanks to the weekly icing of the Dallas kicker.

"The first one, the guard blocked me. He's a strong cat, you know? He was heavy; I couldn't push him.... I didn't even know it was a timeout. I thought we were going into overtime...

The second one, I was like, 'Man, I have to push through the center to at least try to get the blocked kick. I gave great effort, and I blocked the kick. I didn't go through the guard. I stepped left and blocked through the center. It felt good."

For Cowboys' kicker Dan Bailey, who attempts a game tying or winning field goal almost every week, it was the second week in a row where the second attempt didn't go as planned.

"I felt like I hit the first one good. And I thought I was hitting the ball well today. It's one of those things and [you] look at it on tape and see what went wrong and move on....
My thoughts were 'Let's go win the game.' That’s all I can do is go out there and put it through. I'm not really sure what happened. I was never thinking, 'Oh no.' That's what I'm here for, to make field goals. It's never a negative thought. It's always positive."

In Denver yesterday afternoon, the Bears blocked a Broncos' 28 yard field goal attempt in the second quarter. In overtime however, Chicago DE Israel Idonije was unable to get a hand on the clinching 51 yard attempt, and Denver won the game 13-10.

"That last one, I had an opportunity. If I had it to do all over again, I'd change some things. He kicked it a little to the left of my hand. I put up my hand, and the ball went left. It was a good kick. I give him credit for it. He did his job."

For the Broncos it was yet another in a string of improbable late game rallies. For their kicker Matt Prater, his long range winner followed an even longer range 59 yarder that had tied the game with just three seconds remaining in regulation.

“I don’t know. We are just taking it as we can and winning games. That is all we care about – winning games. We don’t care how we get it done.”
This year I’ve had more [game winners] than I have in my whole career. I am definitely going to be bald at the end of the season; bald or gray, one of the two.”

And the Winners Are... Randy Bullock & Ryan Allen

2011-12-09T05:46:00.000-05:00

And the winners of the two big awards at the Home Depot College Football Awards are [drum roll]...

Lou Groza Award: Randy Bullock

Texas A&M kicker Randy Bullock’s senior season ended with his emotional acceptance of the Lou Groza Award during tonight’s College Football Awards Show on ESPN. In August, Bullock dedicated this season to the memory of his late father, Richard, who died in 2003 of a heart attack. Randy Bullock was a freshman in high school at the time. Bullock said he selected this season to dedicate to his father, who taught him how to kick a football, because he knew it could be his last to play organized football. Then, he went out and led the nation in field goals (25), connecting on 86.2 percent of his attempts (25-of-29). Heading into tonight’s ceremony, Bullock said being a Groza recipient “would mean the world to me and to my family because that was my motivation be successful.” When his name was called as the winner, Bullock closed his eyes briefly and his voice cracked when he elaborated about what it meant to be honored as college football’s top kicker in the season he dedicated to his father’s memory. “It was very special,” Bullock said. “It means that much to me and to my family. We were in this together. I definitely felt his presence throughout out the whole season, especially tonight once my name was called.”

- Star-Telegram.

Ray Guy Award: Ryan Allen

Louisiana Tech punter Ryan Allen, a junior from Salem, Ore., was honored during Thursday’s show by winning the Ray Guy Award. Allen ranks third nationally with a 46.3-yard average on 78 punts. “I thought anybody could win it,” Allen said. “I had no intentions on any national awards. I just set a few goals I wanted to reach. “You set high goals, and I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”

- The Advocate

NAIA: Small Schools, Big Kicks – part 2

2011-12-08T05:37:00.000-05:00

Last week we began our discussion of kicking and punting in NAIA schools by talking to persons with direct knowledge of the topic. This week we continue with more responses from more NAIA kickers and punters.

Mitchell Mascaro, Cumberlands

“Being a punter or a kicker at a smaller school in a lower division has its advantages and disadvantages. Because you are at a lower division it allows many freshmen to receive varsity playing time. Another advantage of a small school is that those who are academically oriented will receive more individual support from actual professors. Although small schools have their advantages, there are some benefits of a larger school that one cannot find at a smaller one. For true development, a kicker or punter needs a full time coach for his position and the majority of small schools do not have them, which means that we are forced to develop our athletic abilities on our own. Another disadvantage is that a small school does not get as much media exposure as that of the larger schools which in turn limits your ability to be seen by scouts. Due to the lack of media, most small schools also lack the large fan base. Despite these disadvantages, the NAIA still produces successful kickers and punters. The experiences that I have had are ones that I will never forget. I am proud to be an athlete of the NAIA and would recommend it to any prospective kicker or punter looking for the small college atmosphere.”

Aaron Mize, Shorter

“Punting to me is something that seems to be looked over sometimes. I came into Shorter not really knowing where I would be in the line up. I won the starting position two games into the season. No matter what anyone says you do have a special job, as a punter. You are the defense’s great asset. You always can change the tone of the game by pinning them deep in their own in of the field. So no matter what anyone says, you are a very important part of any football team. No matter how small you are, you are a very big part of a football team.”

Kollin Carman, Saint Francis

“I feel like being at a smaller university is actually a benefit. Yeah, we all had dreams of going to a D1 school, who doesn't? Which I had the opportunity to do, but when you sit there and think about it, at a large school you'll be just a number to them in the class room and it takes a while for all the coaches to get to know you. Which is where being a kicker or punter at a small school becomes very beneficial. You get more personal with teachers and coaches, and also the people in the stands get a chance to learn who you are after games. Yes there is a down side to being at a smaller school, such as being on ESPN and stuff like that, but if you love the sport it shouldn't really matter. Kicking is kicking and punting is punting. If you’re good at it you will get noticed. I feel like if you have dreams of making it to the NFL, don't worry about what school you’re at… if you’re good then they will find you.”

Derek Mathewson, Trinity International

“It is very demanding and stressful at times, considering the higher level you go the better the talent level is, and more than less teams won't punt as often.”

Name Witheld Upon Request

“It’s easy, laid back more than other positions. We have a "kicking coach", but he hardly ever does anything but tell us when to run laps... so I spent most of this year just working at my own pace, and working on what I wanted to work on.”

Mike O’Brien, Northwestern College

“Kicking in the NAIA can be a terrific experience if you’re well prepared. Obviously, there are very few kicking coaches at smaller schools, so you need to come in ready to be your own coach. Something that I haven't learned until later in my collegiate career is to have good communication and repetition with my snappers and holders and getting them to understand that they are as important to the process of me making kicks as I am. With that being said, if you are able to master that, it really is a great place to play. I am really fortunate to be at a school where my coaches and teammates not only care about me as a football player but as a man. I’m not sure that a lot of people can say that at bigger schools. Not to mention we also have an outstanding football program.”

Johnny Garcia, Hastings

“Being in a smaller school really lets you grasp the overall feel of being a college athlete, even more as a kicker/punter where usually we go under the radar. Because of being in a smaller, private school, we’re more noticeable and ultimately end up being an essential component to the result of the game just like a quarterback or a d-lineman. Kicking in any division will always be kicking. A 50 yard field goal in D1 is the same distance as in NAIA, so a lot of good kickers and punters go unnoticed due to the size of their school preference, when in reality, they can play up to the same caliber as other athletes in better divisions. So, school size or division shouldn't play a role in the choice of school. It is more of a self preference because in the end, it’s more about finding the school and the program that fits you the best, not the other way around.”

Ezequiel Rivera, Central Methodist

“As a freshman, starting kicking for my college was a great experience. There's a lot of Competition out there… that's what makes it interesting and fun. How I see it is it doesn't matter if you kick for an NAIA or NCAA shool, but as long you show your talent on the field every game is what counts. Kicking for my college is not just a job for me, but something that I love doing everyday with my heart.”

Garrett Chumley, Baker University

“Originally transferring from Washburn University (a D-II school) to Baker University, I feel like I have a pretty unique perspective on what life as an NAIA specialist is like. The major difference is obviously the size of the institution at which you play. In comparing it to a larger state university/college, NAIA schools are a lot smaller in size. Baker has around 1,000 students on the main campus. The facilities are a lot smaller but still very adequate for what you need as an athlete. Crowd size is another big difference. As an athlete at the NAIA level you don't get the chance to play in front of tens of thousands of fans on a weekly basis. However, to a good kicker or punter, crowd size should be irrelevant. Finally, at the NAIA level, grades are stressed a lot. Class attendance is more strict, and grades play a bigger factor in playing time.

In terms of the actual life of an NAIA punter, I feel like it's not much different than any other level. We are required to do drills during practice, but on our own. I'm not sure I've heard of an NAIA school with an official kicking "coach". A lot of our work is done in the off-season. Personally, this involved going to pro-development camps, "combines", and private lessons with my long snapper. We carry over the drills from these off-season camps and such to practice during the season. Other than that, I would say that the life of an NAIA specialist is pretty similar to that of any other division of football. We are still guys out there kicking, punting, and snapping, and enjoying football.”

NFL Week 13: More Than Icing

2011-12-06T12:56:00.000-05:00

Based on media coverage, it seems as if the Cowboys' untimely timeout and resulting undone field goal was the only kicking news from this past weekends' NFL games. That is not the case.

Adam Vinatieri, Super Bowl XXXVIII

In New England, fans greeted Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri - who of course had achieved legendary clutch status when playing for the Patriots during the first part of his career. They greeted him with boos as he went out for a field goal attempt.

"Ah, they were nice to me except for a few of the kicks. Obviously, there’s a lot of gamesmanship going out on there, so I expected that stuff....
I mean, I never played for the Yankees {like former Red Sox player Johnny Damon did]. I think there is more hatred there. This is a fun place for me. The fans are great and wild and crazy. There’s a lot of good memories here, so yes it is a special place to play. Obviously, there’s a lot of gamesmanship going on out there at that point, but as I was leaving the field, there was some nice comments, so that was cool."

In New York (well, actually in New Jersey), the Packers rallied to beat the Giants 38-35. Mason Crosby kicked the 30 yard game winner on the final play of the game.

“It’s been five years now, and I’ve had what, five [game winning] attempts? That’s unheard of in the NFL. Games are so tight. This was a great opportunity, get a big win on the road, going for 12-0, clinch some things up. It was important. I think it just says a lot about our team, the way our offense, I mean we have a minute left, we take a touchback, get the ball at the 20-yard line and just march down the field, and we’re in field-goal position after just a couple of plays. That was awesome to see after a back-and-forth struggle with this team....
[On an earlier miss in the game] I had been hitting a little right-to-left draw, and I must’ve been lined up a little bit on that right upright. I hit a good ball, and it just moved a little right. Obviously extremely disappointed there at halftime to not get those points. Then the scenario at the end, I had to hit a game-winner to finish it off. I’m happy that I hit that one at the end and finished what I started.”

In Minnesota, the Broncos continued their streak of late game heroics, rallying to beat the Vikings 35-32. Matt Prater's 46 yard field goal with 1:33 remaining tied the game and his 23 yarder as time expired won it.

"Yeah, that felt like [the tying kick] was definitely more important. They're all important. You've got to hit them all."

Fred Mitchell Award 2011 Finalists

2011-12-05T05:30:00.000-05:00

Ten finalists have been named for the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award, which is provided to the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, NAIA or NJCAA place-kicker that excels on the football field and in the community. The place-kicker chosen for this Award will be announced by December 15, and he will be honored on February 20, 2012 at the National Football Foundation Chicago Chapter Awards Ceremony at Halas Hall.

There were 44 place-kickers nominated for this Award. The breakdown of the 10 finalists is as follows:

• Collegiate Division – 4 FCS, 1 Division II, 5 Division III, 1 NAIA, 0 NJCAA

• State – the place-kickers play at schools located in 7 different states

• Year – 5 Seniors, 4 Juniors, 1 Sophomore, 0 Freshmen

In alphabetical order, the finalists for the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award are listed below.

GREGG BERKSHIRE, Ashland University (Ohio) – Division II

Senior from Ashland, OH….leads the team in scoring with 85 points from 16 of 28 FG’s and 37 of 38 PAT’s….owns school kicking records for career PAT’s (155), FG’s (56) and points (323)….led the Conference in kick scoring, FG’s per game and 2nd in PAT %….All-GLIAC Second Team Place-Kicker….GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week six times in his career including after making the game-winning FG as time expired to beat Wayne State 20-17 on October 15….d2football.com National Special Teams Player of the Week two times in his career including after October 15 win over Wayne State….GLIAC career leader in FG’s….was kicker on summer 2011 United States team that won the Gold Medal at the International Federation of American Football Senior World Championship…. filmed a television spot for Ashland County United Way to promote the United Drive program to collect canned goods from local residents…volunteered for United Drive collection campaign…spoke to Ashland Middle School students about the importance of goal setting and he also read them books….guest speaker at several Sunday School classes at local church….involved in community drive to upgrade Ashland City Schools where he distributed literature, posted signs in the community and sent letters to support the initiative…joined teammates at campus bookstore to read stories to area children

ZACH BROWN, Portland State University (Oregon) – FCS

Junior from Keizer, OR….led the Vikings in scoring with 101 points from 24 of 27 FG’s, 27 of 29 PAT’s and one 2-point conversion rush….led the Big Sky Conference in FG % and only FG misses were from 46+ yards….led FCS in FG’s made per game….holds school record for most career FG’s with 60 and with one season yet to play….set school record for most FG’s in a season….All-Big Sky Conference First Team….set school record with 16 consecutive FG’s made dating to last season before missing a 53-yard FG….has made 6 of the school’s 10 all-time FG’s over 50 yards including 53-yard FG against Montana on October 15…tied career record with 44 consecutive PAT’s made….scored 10 points in 38-36 loss against then-#3 Montana State on October 8….scored 13 points in 43-26 win over defending National Champions Eastern Washington on October 29….averaged 61 yards on 70 kickoffs….volunteer at McLaren Juvenile Detention Center….participated in Male Involvement Night at River Road Head Start which is a child development program for low-income and special needs children…participated in the Walk to D’Feet ALS in memory of longtime school booster Elinore Nudelman

ALLEN CAIN, Texas Lutheran University – Division III

Junior from San Antonio, TX…led the team the team in scoring with 83 points from 17 of 21 FG’s and 32 of 32 PAT’s….led Division III in FG’s made….set American Southwest Conference and school records for FG’s in a season….made 53-yard FG to tie school record….five-time ASC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2011…three-time D3football.com Team of the Week selection in 2011….tied for 4th in Division III kick scoring with 83 points….averaged 64 yards on 58 kickoffs….involved in campus community and Seguin community as math grader, resident hall assistant, Student Government Senator, Team Captain, Provost’s List, FCA Member, SAAC football team representative….Seguin Youth Services math tutor….youth football coach

JACOB GAHART, Ripon College (Wisconsin) – Division III

Junior from Elkhorn, WI…. led the Red Hawks in scoring with 77 points from 15 of 16 FG’s, 30 of 33 PAT’s and one 2-point conversion…his 15 FG’s breaks the single season school record…his 31 career FG’s breaks the school record of 25, with one year left of eligibility…converted a school-record 54-yard FG in season finale against Lawrence on November 5, breaking the previous mark by seven yards…54-yard FG ranks second in Midwest Conference history… converted all three of his field goals against Lawrence on November 5, tying the school record for most FG’s in a single game…scored a season-high 14 points against Lawrence on November 5…five-time Midwest Conference Special Teams Performer of the Week this season out of 10 possible weeks….named All-Conference for the third consecutive season and All-Conference First Team for the second straight year…15 FG’s this season led the MWC and is nearly double the second-highest total (8)…ranks 7th in school history for career points (215), making him the only kicker to rank in the top 10…has made 11 consecutive FG’s…11-for-11 on FG’s less than 42 yards this season…scored 38 points in October from 8 of 8 FG”s, 12 of 13 PAT’s and one 2-point conversion…. made his second 45-yard FG of the season against St. Norbert on October 29 which is his 3rd longest FG and 7th longest in school history….averaged 53 yards on 60 kickoffs….has one reception for 9 yards this season….career development department volunteer at Ripon College….mentor to students at Ripon Middle School….assisted with research to establish an improved test for freshmen during Summer orientation

BRAD GREENWAY, Cornell University (New York) - FCS

Senior from Encinitas, CA….led team in scoring with 75 points from 13 of 15 FG’s and 36 of 36 PAT’s….Team Captain….All-Ivy League First Team….first player in school history to lead the team in scoring four straight seasons….led Conference in scoring….set school’s career kick scoring record (189 points), season scoring (75 points), career FG’s (34) and career PAT’s (87)….two-time Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week….set school record with 14 kicking points in a game against Columbia….gathered school supplies, cleats and jerseys to bring to children in Ghana as part of community service initiative...visited an Agent Orange community in Vietnam that has disabled children whose parents were impacted during the Vietnam War where he visited several schools to play with children...reads to elementary school students as a volunteer in a local program...volunteer coach in the Challenger Soccer Camps for special needs children…volunteers at Ithaca’s Salvation Army by helping organize clothes and goods throughout the store...Boys and Girls Club of San Diego volunteer

BILLY JANSSEN, Drake University (Iowa) – FCS

Senior from Round Lake Beach, IL….led the Bulldogs in scoring with 70 points from 12 of 16 FG’s and 34 of 37 PAT’s ….scored 15 points in 41-26 win over Morehead State on October 8….scored 9 points in 27-23 win over Missouri S&T on September 17….tied for 2nd in PFL in FG’s made and 6th in PFL scoring….69 of 72 in career PAT’s….averaged 55 yards on 33 kickoffs….instrumental leader on the team’s May 2011 trip to Tanzania, Africa to perform service projects and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro as extensions of the Bulldogs’ Global Kilimanjaro Bowl game…helped build an addition on a school and make significant repairs to orphanages and schools in Moshi and Arusha…helped organize his teammates for their participation in the program’s annual Youth Day where area school children are invited to come to Drake Stadium for an afternoon of football-related fun and games…volunteers with the football team at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Des Moines….visited youth at the Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines….packed meals for “Meals from the Heartland”

JOSH KAY, Linfield College (Oregon) – Division III

Junior from Salem, OR….led the team in scoring with 93 points from 14 of 17 FG’s and 51 of 52 PAT’s….First Team Northwest Conference All-Star…ranks 2nd in school history with 14 FG’s in a season….longest FG of the season was 49 yards…4 of 5 FG’s from 40+ yards…ranks 3rd on Linfield’s single-season list for FG % (82.4%)…made all 10 PATs in 73-7 win over Puget Sound on October 8…made all 4 FG’s in 47-14 win over Lewis & Clark on November 12…made the first 35 PAT’s without a miss this season before suffering his first miscue…ranks 5th in school history for PATs made in one season…two-time NWC Special Teams Player of the Week….averaged 62 yards on 30 kickoffs… football camp volunteer for the "See Ya Later" Foundation…works with the Foundation’s director on developing and managing a Kids Golf Camp for the spring of 2012 with the goal of reaching 150 local youth …competes in golf at Linfield where he helped the school capture the 2011 Northwest Conference championship…competed at the 2011 NCAA Division III Championships

TOM LYNCH, Saint Xavier University (Illinois) - NAIA

Senior from Frankfort, IL….2nd in the nation among all place-kickers at all levels in scoring this season (NCAA, NAIA, NCJAA) trailing only Quinn Sharp from Oklahoma State with 120 points….leads the #5 ranked Cougars with 117 points from 17 of 23 FG’s and 66 of 70 PAT’s… ….had career-long and tied school record with a 55-yard FG in playoff win over #13 Bethel on November 19….scored 64 points during October from 10 of 13 FG’s and 34 of 35 PAT’s….set NAIA single-game record with 21 points in 75-33 win over Taylor University on October 22….scored 18 points in 42-31 win over St. Francis on October 1….set school record for career points on October 22 with 322 points surpassing previous record of 317 points….named NAIA National Special Teams Player of the Week on both October 3 and October 24….honored by Beyond Sports Network as a NAIA National Special Teams Player of the Week for the weeks of October 3 and October 24….set NAIA record for career PAT’s (225 currently) on October 29 with 6 PAT’s in 63-3 win over Concordia (Michigan)….averaged 57 yards on 68 kickoffs….participated in the school’s annual Service Day where students do community service projects….volunteers at Misericordia in Chicago which is a community of care that maximizes potential for persons with mild to profound developmental disabilities….Vice President of school’s Criminal Justice Club….South Bridge Community Church summer day camp volunteer and provides complimentary maintenance….place-kicker tutor to kicker at his high school alma mater and other high schools….volunteers at Kids Enjoy Exercise Now to support a not-for-profit volunteer-led organization that provides one-on-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities

SCOTT ROCHE, Wheaton College (Illinois) – Division III

Senior from Evergreen, CO…led the team in scoring with 74 points from 13 of 16 FG’s and 35 of 42 PAT’s….scored 13 points in 49-21 win over Elmhurst College on October 8….First Team All-Conference…averaged 60 yards on 70 kickoffs….works with area youths as a leader in the Young Life program at a nearby high school for three nights each week….volunteered for Feed My Starving Children by packaging approximately 1,000 meals for those in need….actively participates in the football program’s ministry project each year during Spring Break, most recently in Senegal to help missionaries with work projects and building churches, playgrounds, lodging and other necessities….in his 4th year as a leader of a small group of football players as a part of ministry

TYLER SIEVERTSEN, University of Northern Iowa – FCS

Sophomore from Cedar Rapids, IA….led the team in scoring with 85 points from 17 of 18 FG’s and 34 of 34 PAT’s….leads Conference kickers in scoring….ranks 2nd in FCS in FG% among kickers with 12+ attempts and ranks 16th in FG’s made…made 8 FG’s from 40+ yards…made season-long 48-yard FG’s three times….has made 40 straight kicks including FG’s and PAT’s….made 40-yard game-tying FG with 5 seconds left to force OT and made 36-yard FG in double OT to beat Illinois State on November 19….scored 10+ points against three ranked opponents including Illinois State (11 points), Indiana State (11 points) and Stephen F. Austin (10 points)….has participated in the Just Read program that connects school student-athletes with elementary school students….Special Olympics volunteer….Kickers in the Midwest mentor…high school football camp volunteer….Salvation Army bell ringer

Big Kickers on Campus, 2011 week 14

2011-12-04T07:33:00.000-05:00

A summary of notable kicking during the fourteenth week of the 2011 college football season:

Junior kicker Tyler Bitancurt made a 28 yard field goal on the final play of the game to give South Florida a 30-27 win over West Virginia.

"We never gave up and there were plenty of opportunities for us to quit and we pulled through. Going in for that field goal, I felt really confident and the whole team was backing me up on the sidelines and showing that they believed in me, which definitely helps. I wasn’t sure how far the kick was going to be, I just knew that we had to be ready to put it through. Thankfully, Geno made a great play and got us a little closer and the penalty obviously helped because I’m closer to the uprights. I had a good feeling that I was going to put it down the middle."

Sophomore kicker Mathew Sims, after having earlier missed a PAT, hit a 33 yard field goal as time expired to give Northern Illinois a 23-20 win over Ohio.

"I lost focus. For a split second, I started thinking about something else. I started thinking about the rest of the game, winning by one point, and I just toed it. I lost focus. I let my teammates down. I felt horrible I missed that extra point....
I knew I couldn’t let them down twice in a row. We fought too hard, our seniors came back, I knew I had to make that kick for them. Once I saw it go through the uprights, I was on cloud nine."

Senior kicker Dave Teggart made four field goals (35, 46, 53 and 43 yards) in Connecticut's 27-35 loss to Cincinnati.

"I don't know if I'm ready to leave here. I love this place. I love the team. I love those guys in there, you know, and one reason why is because we were down pretty significantly in that first half and there was no quit in any of those guys and they came back fighting and just came up a little bit short."

Junior kicker Kevin Harper made four field goals (37, 36, 36 & 47 yards) in Pittsburgh's 33-20 win over Syracuse.

If we missed someone that should be on the above list, please let us know!

NAIA: Small Schools, Big Kicks – part 1

2011-12-02T13:46:00.001-05:00

Large universities in NCAA Division I receive extensive media coverage. Small colleges get far less. Throwing, catching and running with a football receive lots of press. Kicking and punting - not so much. Discussion of small school kicking and punting is virtually nonexistent. To rectify that situation, we reached out to kickers and punters from numerous schools in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

Eric DeLira, Azusa Pacific

“I think when a lot of people think of NAIA football they just ignore it because it’s not D1 football. At Azusa Pacific I felt the big time college football atmosphere from the players, fans, students, coaches, and school. From the way we were treated on day one in camp and throughout the season was first class all the way! As for future kickers, I think the most important thing to do is work on the little techniques of kicking and to start working on the mental side of the game. Life as an NAIA kicker is great. I had a blast my first year at Azusa Pacific being a student athlete doing what I love.”

Zach Maxey, Morningside

It is almost relaxing to the point that I do not really do anything in practice besides my own drills. Being a kicker is pretty much all mental. Along with my drills I do in practice, I also do ‘mental reps’. It sounds silly, but it really does help just picturing the ball going through the uprights. It helps with your mental mind for when the time comes and the seconds are winding down and you need a field goal to tie or win the game. It keeps you relaxed and makes you feel like you have been there before. I do put in a lot of time in to being a kicker by watching film of myself. I will go from watching my bad kicks to watching my good ones to see what is different that I did. Being a kicker in NAIA, I'm sure it’s nothing compared to being one in NCAA or the NFL and kicking in front of thousands of people. At the same time it is all the same because you are not competing against anyone except yourself. You can control your stats and how well you perform. It is like there is almost no difference between the different levels of football.”

Mike Camargo, Culver-Stockton

“Before I came to NAIA, I have never heard of the division, especially Culver Stockton College. This school in general only has about eight to nine hundred students and is in a small town, Canton. Coming to this school was a complete culture shock for me. Even though the school is small and the NAIA is not the highest level of football, I would consider it to still have a lot of great talent. I have high respect for any athlete in the NAIA and if I had a choice to choose again I would go NAIA all over again.”

Tom Lynch, Saint Xavier

“One thing I always tell people is that there really is not a difference when it comes to kicking at a big school compared to a small school. [for example] The uprights are the same size in the NAIA as they are in the FBS.”

Yim Sribenjakul, Montana Western

“Well I am sure it is just like every other college! But the only difference that I can think of is that you don't get as much coaching as bigger colleges. I spend a lot of time coaching myself and try to get better on my own!”

Jeff Stamp, Ottawa

“The life as an NAIA kicker is one that is centered on academics more than athletics. NAIA schools usually are small and don't travel far, aren't shown on TV, and don't have the facilities like some top level programs. So the one thing that is stressed is passing classes and keeping up with the intense class schedule. The sports side is similar to one of a high school team. The stands aren't usually packed and everyone that comes probably knows you personally. Kicking comes down to what you put in you get out. There are usually no kicking coaches, or ones that know what they are doing. I got lucky this year when the previous kicker that graduated came back to coach the kickers. Usually kickers are told to go do drills by themselves on the side. So it is hard to improve without an outside opinion. My life this year can be described as easy going on the field and stressful in the classroom.”

Kelby Vandenberg, Nebraska Wesleyan

“Going to Nebraska Wesleyan University is one of the best decisions I have ever made. It is a very prestigious school academically, but it is also a great school athletically. I came to school here because I felt like it would provide me with the best opportunities career wise. I also chose a small school because you aren't just a number here. All the professors know you and what kind of person you are. The coaches treat you like a son. Coach Keller and his staff are great to me and my teammates. They are willing to help us out with anything. The coaches know about who we are and about our families. They are legitimately interested in what goes on in our lives outside of football. I feel like that kind of gets overlooked and isn't as much of an emphasis at bigger schools.”

Tyler Emmetts, Cumberland

“I began my senior year of high school football very strong, I was sure I would have at least a few "bigger" schools looking at me. In the end I ended up with four offers: three from NAIA schools and one from a D2 school. Not how I envisioned my status to be at that point. So I was skeptical of what playing at a smaller school would be like. To be honest I was not too excited. I accepted my offer from Cumberland University where I resided. Fall practice began and I competed for the punting and kicking job, and I ended up winning out the punting job. I felt just fine. I was formally just a kicker that molded into a punter my senior year of high school, so it was still relatively new to me. I became more excited about the season because of this position I had earned with my skill. The season began where I started as a true freshman. I had an amazing year, earning second team conference punter, with an average of 40.7 yards. Even the NAIA magazine recognized me entering my sophomore year ranking me into the top three punters in NAIA. What I had gained from all of this was not just confidence but a new mindset. I didn't need to be playing at a D1 School. I have found a small home that I fit right into. The point I am going for is this: most kickers think they only have a home at a D1 college and don't even give a D2 college and especially an NAIA college a chance. Success can be found in every level of college football. Just because you’re not on television doesn't mean people do not notice you. I have learned all of this with my stay at Cumberland. I would encourage all kickers who want to give the NAIA a shot. It is worth the time and effort and it will give everyone who plays in it self-gratitude to last a lifetime.”

Cruel Shoes or Kind Shoes?

2011-12-01T11:43:00.000-05:00

But this was not an ordinary hideous pair of back and white pumps... Both were left feet. One had a right angle turn with separate compartments that pointed the toes in impossible directions. The other shoe was six inches long and was curved inward like a rocking chair with a vise and razor blades to hold the foot in place.

- excerpt from Cruel Shoes, by Steve Martin

We asked kickers, punters, and coaches to tell us a little bit about their kicking shoes...

Rob Maver, Calgary Stampeders kicker

"Like many other kickers, I wear the Copa Mundial by Adidas. Since the CFL is a RBK league, I have to colour in the three white stripes on the side. No Adidas logo can be showing or else I run the risk of being fined by the league. I also cut off the tongues so I can get cleaner contact on the ball and I buy the shoes two sizes too small so they fit really tight, like a glove. It's probably the only shoe I wouldn't mind kicking in out of the box on game day- I really like the soft K-leather."

Mike Lansford, former (barefoot) kicker, LA Rams

"What kicking shoes?"

Nathan Chapman, Pro Kick Australia

"Adidas Copa Mundial for me, I like it because I can buy them really small and they mould really well to my foot so after a month they are fitting like a glove. As soon as they start getting older and loose I get a new pair."

Brandon Kornblue, Kornblue Kicking

"No piece of football equipment is more important to a kicker's success than the shoe. I always wanted a shoe that felt good and looked good. Kickers often talk about using a smaller sized shoe on their kicking foot, sometimes as much as 2 or 3 full sizes. I tried to use this technique but could only fit my size 11 foot into a 10 due to my foot width. I wished I had a higher pain tolerance or a narrower foot because I acknowledge that a smaller shoe makes ball-foot contact easier during placekicking. I always wore a different shoe on each foot. The kicking foot would get the softer leather and more form-fitting shoe, while the plant foot would get a shoe that offered more ankle stability and plant traction. My color preference was always black but the brand I used varied through the years. I initially used Nike's but when I got to the University of Michigan, I was influenced by teammates Jay Feely, Remy Hamilton, and a few other kickers who used Adidas Copa's. I tried them, loved 'em, and never found a more comfortable shoe. I used at least 5-10 different shoes in practice throughout my 7 year career in the Arena League but I always went back to the Copa during games."

Craig Pinto, Kicking 4 Celiac

"Black Nike Tiempos. Red Nike laces for good karma, and the tongue always to the left with the laces (I'm a lefty) so they don't get in the way of the sweet spot."

Michael Husted, National Camp Series

"Like most kickers, I used to wear soccer cleats a size or two smaller. Preferably kangaroo leather. I would:

Put on the new shoes and then soak them in bucket of water for about 10-15 minutes
Jog around and let them mold around my foot
File down the front/inside cleats so that they wouldn't grab the turf
Cut the tongue off the kicking shoe
Tuck my laces in

No matter what the surface, I would always wear the same shoe on my kicking foot. In college, I used to wear the Adidas Copas, but when I went to the NFL I switched to Nike (it was a no brainer since they offered me a contract to wear their shoes)."

Craig Hentrich, LEGacy Kicking

"Always wear a soccer shoe! They are flexible and fit a little tighter that normal football shoes. I am not, however, a believer that the kicking foot shoe should be 2 or 3 sizes smaller that the plant foot shoe. Some guys swear by this, but I believe in comfort. I will not perform well with my foot hurting from a super small shoe. The flexibility, in my opinion, is the most important characteristic that a kicking shoe should have because when we are making impact with the ball, our foot has to be locked out position. Anything that hinders this (i.e. a stiff shoe) will be a detriment to our consistency and power."

Brent Grablachoff, Kicking World

"I used the ‘Adidas Copa Mundial’ soccer cleat throughout my high school and college kicking career and it is still the most preferred kicking shoe among specialists in the NFL. Watch any NFL game and you will see one out of every few kickers or punters wearing them. Both Kickers and Punters can benefit from kangaroo leather soccer cleats like these. Kangaroo Leather is a soft and supple leather that molds to your feet and allows you to ‘feel’ the ball and control your kicks or punts. I highly recommend all my students wear a K-Leather kicking cleat. There are so many tricks and secrets kickers have for optimizing their kicking shoes. One I found quite useful over the years is to cut the tongue flap of your cleat and tuck in the laces on the outside corner so that you have a flush striking surface. Every little bit helps, even if it just makes you a little more confident! ... I actually wrote an entire blog post on the subject of ‘What are the Best Kicking Shoes?’"

NFL Week 12: Broncos 16-13 Over Chargers, Novak & Prater

2011-11-28T12:20:00.001-05:00

Mater Prater, among others, watches the final kick

Both kickers got a shot at a game winning field goal attempt during overtime between Denver and San Diego. Chargers kicker Nick Novak actually had two attempts, although the first one technically did not count due to a last second timeout by the Broncos. It worked to his advantage as the kick was blocked. On the re-kick, things still didn't work out, as his 53 yarder went wide right.

"It was a very nice night, you know, perfect conditions. I had a good warm-up and felt like I hit that ball pretty decent. To make the first kick of the game from 53 (yards) gives you a lot of confidence for the next kicks that come. So, you know, I just take ’em as they come. I just take one kick at a time. I took that one in overtime as the next kick for me and that’s all I was focused on, even though I made one from the same distance earlier in the game... I expected to make all those attempts."

Novak will now need to put that behind him and move onward as usual. Punter and holder Mike Scifres doesn't anticipate that will be a problem:

"[Novak’s] like Nate [Kaeding]. He’s probably one of the more mentally tough guys I’ve been around. I’ve been fortunate with those two [that] the mental game is not an issue with either one of them, and that’s huge for a kicker. Nick’s a perfectionist, like a lot of kickers are. And it shows in how he goes about his work Monday through Saturday and in pregame on Sunday and in the game on Sunday. He’s dialed in from Day One and that’s what you want in your kicker. Mentally, he’s in the game at all times.”

Although Matt Prater had to wait for his chance until there was only 29 seconds left in the extra period, the Broncos made it a little easier for him - setting him up with a 37 yard attempt. His kick was good. As he simply stated afterward, such opportunities are what he eagerly awaits:

"As a kicker, that's what you look for. Just like a quarterback looks for that 2-minute drive for a touchdown to win it at the end."

Grey Cup 2011: Lions 34-23 over Bombers, McCallum scores 16

2011-11-28T10:05:00.000-05:00

“We decided to get to work [after starting the season 0-5] and not think about how good we were supposed to be. With hard work, we showed how good we really could be.”
- Paul McCallum

The B.C. Lions turnaround culminated in last night's Grey Cup victory. As he did all season, McCallum contributed by scoring often - with four field goals, three extra points, and a single. At the conclusion of the game, he opted to celebrate outside where it was dry:

The Lions’ post-game celebration following their 34-23 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 99th Grey Cup at BC Place was, in all respects, an over-the-top affair, “extreme and overwhelming” in the opinion of a CFL media person, but perhaps that’s to be expected. Bursting and sloshing magnums of champagne and Molson Canadian, the Lions turned their locker room into a Maid of the Mist adventure, an orgy of suds and foam making intruders wish they’d brought their rain gear. “Glad, I missed,” said kicker Paul McCallum, who elected to stay clear of the hijinx and communed outside with his family.

Things were obviously more subdued in the Bombers locker room afterward. Punter Jamie Boreham, who also handles kickoffs, was lamenting their failed onside kickoff attempt which brought an end to the fourth quarter rally.

"Bad kick, bad line. [Greg] Carr made a good play on it. If I had two more yards, maybe it's perfect.... We were down, but if we would have had that, the offence would've taken it down and it would've been a tie game. I know that."

Still outside, McCallum and the remaining Lions never did get the planned group photo op:

“We were hoping to get together and take a big team picture like in hockey — good luck,” McCallum said, surveying the confetti-strewn carpet, with hundreds of reporters, fans and family crowding around.

NFL Week 12: Bengals 23-20 Over Browns, Nugent Hits Winner

2011-11-28T06:24:00.000-05:00

Mike Nugent

Whether it would have made a difference is purely speculation.
A 55 yarder is no certainty and there was almost two minutes still remaining. Regardless, Cleveland's potential game winning field goal was thwarted by a low snap and the attempt came up short. Long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, who also had a costly mis-snap two weeks earlier, commented after the game:

"It was a bad snap ... really bad. It was a very bad snap.... I’m in a pretty tough slump right now. I’m trying to work as hard as I can to get out of it."

Despite the conditions, kicker Phil Dawson felt the kick could have been make-able:

"There were a few gusts as the rain bands came in, but we had it pegged. The operation was not what it needed to be to make that kick."

Punter and holder Brad Maynard had a lot going through his mind during and after the play:

He demonstrated how he tried to handle a snap that came in low and on a short hop: Palms raised, and then immediately smothering the ball; then, pick it up and spot it for Dawson in whatever split seconds were available. Dawson got the kick off, but it didn’t come close. Maynard second-guessed himself. “I thought about getting up and rolling out,” he said. He recalled doing that in 1998, when he was with the Giants, in a game against Tampa Bay. “I did the Garo Yepremian,” he said, meaning he threw a ruptured-duck pass. He tried it again in 2005 when he was with the Bears, on a windy day in San Francisco. His pass went kaput.
“I’m not sure rolling out would have done anything for us,” he said.

With the miss, the score remained tied. With 1:55 remaining, Cincinnati's offense had time for a few short runs and one big pass - putting the ball in position for Mike Nugent to attempt a 26 yarder with 41 seconds remaining. The kick was good. Afterward he briefly discussed the final drive, but was more interested in talking kickoffs:

“The fact that the offense moved the ball down the field like they did was the real game-winner....
Josh Cribbs is a guy you really have to prepare for; the coaches did a great job getting us ready for him. I’m a little disappointed that I gave him the opportunities to return the ball, but the team did a good job stopping him.”

Big Kickers on Campus, 2011 week 13

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

A summary of notable kicking during the thirteenth week of the 2011 college football season:

Senior kicker Justin Tucker hit a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give Texas a 27-25 win over Texas A&M.

"[My dad] would tell me a game situation. 'OK, three seconds left, no timeouts, it's going to be a 40-yarder to beat A&M.' We would visualize every school in the Big 12, every big bowl game, so when I have an opportunity like I had [Thursday night], I would be prepared to do exactly what I did a thousand times before. Just knock it down the middle....

My feet were kind of shaking. I felt like the ground might have been moving a little bit because it was pretty loud."What more could you ask for in a college football game? A fierce rivalry that comes down to the final play."

Sophomore kicker Cameron Starke hit a 35 yard field goal as time expired to give James Madison a 20-17 win over Eastern Kentucky.

"The only thing I do when the wind is in my face is I really make sure I don't get as much height on the ball. Especially in a wind like that, I just make sure ... I get a really solid hit."

Freshman kicker Michael Hunnicutt made four field goals (20, 28, 37 & 21 yards) in Oklahoma's 26-6 win over Iowa State.

Senior kicker Giorgio Tavecchio made four field goals (48, 27, 19 & 30 yards) in California's 47-38 win over Arizona State.

"God knows how I got to Cal and God knows where I will go in the future, but one thing is for certain- my time here has been incredible. From the times of struggle, whether it was on or off the field to the times of success, I cannot believe the experiences that I have been a part of. For this, I have to thank the Cal football program for giving me this unbelievable opportunity, thank my teammates for making it so memorable and thank my family and friends for sticking with me through it all. "Tanto, se tutto va bene siamo rovinati!" I truly lived the dream...God Bless and Go Bears!"

If we missed someone that should be on the above list, please let us know!

Grey Cup 2011: Justin Palardy vs. Paul McCallum

2011-11-25T08:33:00.000-05:00

The younger kicker has been in the league two years. The elder kicker has been around seemingly forever (actually it has been 19 years). They and their teams will face each other Sunday evening as the 2011 CFL season concludes in the 99th Grey Cup.

Justin Palardy,
Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Playing for a cup in year number two is becoming a pattern for Palardy:.

"It’s kind of similar when I played at Saint Mary’s and we went to the Vanier Cup in my second year. It’s great. I get an opportunity early in my career to win a Grey Cup and, hopefully, we can do that....
We played the Lions twice and we beat them both times, but that was a different Lions team and they are playing really good ball right now. But we’ve just got to play our game. Our defence has to be on, our special teams have to be special and our offence has to move the ball and, if we can do all that, hopefully at the end of the day we’re holding the Grey Cup."

If he is called upon in the game, he'll approach it the same as he always does.

"You just have to stay focused and control what you can control and that's kicking field goals. I'll be a cheerleader for my teammates on the sidelines and when it's time to do my job I'll step up and do it."

Paul McCallum, B.C. Lions

Last night, McCallum was named the CFL’s most outstanding special teams player:

McCallum, 41, was the night's surprise winner, receiving 42 votes to get the nod over Toronto's Chad Owens, last year's special-teams winner. McCallum, the CFL's oldest player, hit 50-of-53 field goals, his 94.3 per cent success ratio breaking Lui Passaglia's league mark of 90.9. McCallum also made a CFL-record 30 consecutive field goals and was the league's scoring leader with 203 points. "It probably took me 12 years to figure out what I needed to do," McCallum said in explaining why he's kicking so well in his 19th CFL season. "I don't try to hit the ball as hard as I used to, I hit it as hard as I have to. I still feel I can do it, I feel good, I feel strong and feel good doing it."

McCallum is not alone in continued improvement, as he noted after receiving the award:

“I look on this as an affirmation of what we do. There are a lot of great kickers in this league, and they keep getting better and better.”

Thanksgiving Kicks

2011-11-23T05:33:00.000-05:00

A look back at some NFL holiday kicking over the years:

Thanksgiving 2005: Jason Elam kicked a 24 yard FG in overtime to give Denver a 24-21 win over Dallas. Billy Cundiff missed a potential go-ahead 34 yard attempt in the fourth quarter.

Thanksgiving 1998: Jason Hanson hit a 42 yard FG in overtime giving Detroit a 19-16 victory over Pittsburgh. Hanson had four FGs in the game, while the Steelers' Norm Johnson had three.

Thanksgiving 1993: The holiday kick(s) that still get the most attention are Pete Stoyanovich's two game winning attempts at the end of the snowy Miami at Dallas matchup. His first attempt from 41 yards out was blocked, however Cowboys' defender Leon Lett tried to recover the ball, fumbled it, and the Dolphins recovered it. Stoyanovich's second attempt - this time from only 19 yards out - was good, giving Miami a 16-14 win.

Thanksgiving 1989: Eddie Murray's 35 yard FG in the third quarter provided the final margin of victory in Detroit's 13-10 win over Cleveland.

Thanksgiving 1984: Dallas beat New England 20-17 on Rafael Septien's 23 yard fourth quarter field goal.

Thanksgiving 1964: The planets were apparently in alignment that day as both games, one in the NFL and one in the AFL, each ended in a 27-24 score and both were decided by a fourth quarter field goal. Roger LeClerc's 17 yarder gave Chicago the win over Detroit, and Pete Gogolak's 33 yarder gave Buffalo the win over San Diego.

Finally, for those interested in the fantasy football angle, following is a run down of kicking points scored on Thanksgiving Day over the last ten years:

Dallas kickers, starting with 2010: 9, 6, 10, 10, 8, 3, 3, 3, 9, and 6 points
Kickers going against Dallas: 12, 1, 9, 3, 4, 6, 1, 10, 2, and 14 points
Detroit's Jason Hanson (and Dave Rayner last year): 6, 4, 4, 14, 4, 1, 9, 16, 12, and 7 points
Kickers going against Detroit: 9, 10, 17, 13, 9, 9, 5, 2, 8, and 9 points

Lou Groza & Ray Guy Awards: 2011 Finalists

2011-11-22T06:13:00.000-05:00

The three finalists for the 20th

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award were announced yesterday:

Randy Bullock, Texas A&M

"Bullock, from Klein, Texas, has had a spectacular senior season. The Big 12 Conference leader in field goals has already matched the season school record of 21 field goals, which was set originally by Scott Slater in 1986. He has scored 114 points this season, which is No. 2 in school history behind only Joel Hunt's 84-year old school standard of 128 points in 1927. Bullock has connected on 21-of-25 three-point attempts for an impressive 84.0 percent success rate (No. 2 in school history). He has also connected on 51 extra points, which matches the school record originally set by Terry Venetoulias in 1993 and matched previously by Bullock in 2009. The most accurate placekicker in school history, Bullock has connected on 55-of-73 field goal attempts during his career. Bullock is A&M's career leader in points scored with 337, and he ranks No. 1 in career extra points (172) and No. 4 in career field goals."

Dustin Hopkins, Florida State

"Hopkins, the junior from Houston, Texas has made 20 of 24 field goals this season and has been a perfect 41 for 41 in PATs. Saturday’s PAT brings Hopkins’ school record streak of consecutive extra points to 127 while only 76 points stand between Hopkins and Florida State’s all-time leading scoring record. Hopkins is tied for fourth in the nation in field goals per game and is the highest scoring kicker in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 101 points."

Caleb Sturgis, Florida

"Sturgis, a native of St. Augustine, Fla., is tied for second in the nation with 21 field goals made on the season. He has converted 21 of 25 field goal attempts (84.0 percent) and has made all 27 extra point attempts. Sturgis is tied for 14th in the nation in kicking points (90) and has made at least one field goal in every game he has played this season, including multiple conversions in eight of 10 appearances. Before missing a 52-yard attempt against Alabama, Sturgis had made 14-straight field goals dating back to last season, a streak that was the third-longest in school history. He kicked a 55-yard field goal against Furman, giving him three field goals from 50-or-more yards on the season, tied for the most in the nation. Sturgis holds the school record with five made field goals of 50-or-more yards. In his career, Sturgis has made 45 of 59 field goal attempts (76.3 percent) and 92 of 96 extra points. He has accounted for 227 points as a Gator, ranking fourth all-time in Florida history."

The three finalists for the 12th Ray Guy Award were announced yesterday:

Ryan Allen, Louisiana Tech

"Ranked fourth in the nation with an average of 46.4 yards per punt, Allen leads the nation in both punts inside the 20 (36) and punts inside the 10 (19). Allen has averaged 47 or more yards per punt in six games this year while averaging more than 50 yards in two games this year. The Salem, Ore., native has recorded better stats than the other two finalists in several punting categories this year, including number of punts, total punting yardage, punting average per game, longest punt of the season, more punts inside the 20, more punts inside the 10, more 50-plus yard punts than the other two finalists.Allen and the Bulldogs (7-4, 5-1 WAC) host New Mexico State (4-7, 2-3) in the team’s regular season finale."

Steven Clark, Auburn

"It's an honor to be mentioned," Clark said. "I don't really believe awards are something you achieve, it's just something that happens." Clark is averaging 40.4 yards per punt, but his value has come in his high punts that have limited the number of returns. He has 30 punts inside the 20, which is the best in the Southeastern Conference and tied for second in the nation. Only eight of his punts have been returned, and for just 41 yards. Thirty-three punts have ended in fair catches. Two have gone for touchbacks.

Jackson Rice, Oregon

"Rice, a junior from Moraga, Calif., leads the Pac-12 and ranks sixth in the nation with a punting average of 45.60 and has been a key contributor for an Oregon squad that ranks second in the NCAA in net punting (41.85). Only 12 of Rice’s 40 punts on the season have been returned and he has placed 16 inside the 20-yard line. Rice's current average is the second-highest in a single season in UO history, while his career mark of 42.5 yards per punt ranks third all-time at the school."

NFL Week Eleven: Inches & Seconds

2011-11-21T12:43:00.000-05:00

Around the NFL yesterday...

In Cleveland, kicker Phil Dawson hit a 38 yard field goal attempt above the uprights during the Browns 14-10 win over Jacksonville. The officials ruled it wide right. Dawson disagreed with the ruling.

"It was good. The rule states that if the ball is above the upright, it's good. And that ball wasn't even close to being over the upright.... I'm a little confused, if you can't review a play where the ball is above the upright, why would you ever need a review to begin with? I'm pretty fired up. It's probably as upset as I've been in a long time. I think everybody knows how I felt about it.
I hit it where I was aiming. I remember one like that against New England a long, long time ago and it was good. Fortunately our defense stepped up and made some plays at the end and we won and I won't get run out of town this week. The good news is that we won the game and I get to keep my job another week. That's the life I live and those are some scary times."

In Washington, both kickers got an opportunity to win the game in overtime. For the Redskins, Graham Gano was wide right on a 52 yard attempt:

“Missed it. That’s it. No excuses. Just missed it. It felt good, but obviously wasn’t.
It’s very frustrating. I don’t feel any pressure out there whatsoever. I love those opportunities, and not to be able to pull through, it’s very frustrating.... I think just like anyone else, I’m pissed off, but I have to move on. It was a long field goal, and the odds of making them aren’t great, but I definitely feel like I’m more than capable of making them. … I’ve shown plenty that I’m mentally fine. I make big kicks all the time. I just missed it.”

For the Cowboys, Dan Bailey's hot streak continued as he connected from 39 yards, giving Dallas a 27-24 win.

"You’ve just got to go out there and execute it when you’re supposed to. It’s not all me. I’ve got good blocking and obviously the offense and the defense played really well today. It’s not just me out there. It’s 10 other guys."
It’s tough to recreate those situations in practice. You can to an extent, but yeah, definitely having that earlier in the season kind of helped me mentally with knowing what to expect.”

In Minnesota, a 49 yard field goal attempt went awry during the Vikings 27-21 loss to the Raiders. There is little room for adjustments during a process that only lasts 1.3 seconds. Punter/holder Chris Kluwe discussed the play:

"Just bobbled the snap, didn't get it down in time for Ryan to hit it. With a shorter [kick], he can maybe save it by punching it through. But when it's a mid-40-yard field goal, I just wasn't quick enough getting the ball down."

Kicker Ryan Longwell added:

"It's just all rhythm from that range. I have to have faith in Kluwe that he's going to get it down. He did. So I have to hang a little longer. But 49 yards, it's all rhythm. And we were just a little off."

Big Kickers on Campus, 2011 week 12

2011-11-20T07:11:00.000-05:00

A summary of notable kicking during the twelfth week of the 2011 college football season:

Junior kicker Coleman Petersen made a 38 yard field goal in overtime to give Utah a 30-27 victory over Washington State.

"Once I cleared off my spot, I don’t ever step in snow. My cleats were clean and my spot was clean, so I don’t have any slips."

Sophomore kicker Tyler Sievertsen made a 36 yard field goal in overtime to give Northern Iowa a 23-20 win over Illinois State.

"It's pretty unreal. That's what you dream about. When I go to bed at night, I dream of that moment. It finally happened, and I'm hoping there's more to come."

Freshman kicker Ty Long hit a 38 yard field goal with 3:04 remaining to give UAB a 34-31 win over Southern Miss.

Sophomore kicker Mathew Sims made a 23 yard field goal with 2:46 remaining to tie the game and a 34 yarder game winner with eights seconds left as Northern Illinois won 41-38 over Ball State.

"That was the first time ever I got a game-winning kick, high school or college."

Junior kicker Matt Weller's fifth field goal of the game, a 23 yarder as time expired, gave Ohio a 29-28 victory over Bowling Green.

"Lining up the kick, I thought that I would have never felt the same if I missed it. The timeout didn’t bother me. I think that actually was an advantage for me because I had time to visualize the kick."

Junior kicker Jake Wieclaw hit 36 yard field goal on the final play to give Miami a 6-3 win over South Florida.

"We kind of go over pressure situations every week in practice, so it's something I'm fairly used to. (The kick was) exactly that. We have our pressure situations usually on Thursday, so, yeah, it's nothing new."

Sophomore kicker Sean Baner hit four field goals (26, 34, 40 & 29 yards) in Delaware's 26-16 win over Villanova.

Senior kicker Blair Walsh hit four field goals (39, 39, 25 & 39 yards) in Georgia's 19-10 win over Kentucky.

"It was awesome to come out and be dependable for your team when they needed you. It’s a big confidence-builder and it was nice to have it on this type of stage.... It’s been rough. It hasn’t been the season I’ve wanted it to be, but it’s all about the team when it comes down to it. Football’s a team sports and we’re the SEC East champs, and I couldn’t be happier."

If we missed someone that should be on the above list, please let us know!

A Whole Lotta Extras

2011-11-17T13:40:00.000-05:00

Discussion of kicking records typically centers around field goals - such as longest, most, and accuracy. The oft overlooked category of extra points will surface this weekend with the induction of Matt Stover into the Baltimore Ravens' Ring of Honor. Among his NFL records is most consecutive extra points made. From 1996 through 2009 he hit 422 in a row. How did he do it?

“I never, ever, ever went out there thinking it was easy."

His total comfortably surpassed the now second place total of 371, set first by Jason Elam and then tied by Jeff Wilkins. When the latter was within striking distance of the former, Elam commented on the feat:

"That's a lot of extra points. If you think about it, there's a lot that can go wrong, so it's not just a tribute to the kicker. You've got the whole teamwork issue going on there. The snapper, the holder and all the guys up front. If you get over 200, that's a pretty good thing. I would've never guessed that I'd have been able to put together something like that. Along the way, you're going to have some weird things happen. You know, you might have a ball tipped, and it might still go through. Or you might not get the ideal hold. Or you just might mishit one. There's going to be some times along the way that things just aren't ideal. So it is quite something that Jeff's still going with it. When he gets the record, tell him I said congratulations. I think a lot of him, and I'll be happy for him when he gets there."

The totals aren't as high for college kickers, however they only have a four year window of opportunity. Former FCS record holder Taylor Rowan set a mark of 129 at Western Illinois. In a prior interview, he discussed why that is a lot harder than it sounds?

"Starting out in my freshman year we were playing Toledo. I remember going two-for-two in that game and my coach saying, ‘let’s see how long we can keep that up.’ It’s not just a kick. A lot of fans say, ‘Well it’s easy to kick a ball through the uprights’, which it is – but when you add in a rush and a hold and a snap, everything has to be perfect every time. So going 129 straight over four consecutive years is pretty tough. Especially when you’re kicking six or seven extra points in a game, some times it’s easy to get a little bit relaxed and pull one left or right. But the continuous form from twenty yards out isn’t a given. I definitely had a great snapper and holder during the whole process."

As of the middle of last month, Georgia Southern kicker Adrian Mora is now the FCS record holder at 143 and counting.

"We, as a special teams unit, like to take every kick as the most important one. We were focused and I never had any doubts that it was going to go through. Having a bunch of reliable guys makes it a lot easier.... They got the record-breaking ball, and I wish I could split it with all 11 guys because it’s definitely a tribute to them."

As he heads into his final game of his senior season this Saturday, he probably won't kick 280 extra points and surpass Stover. But if he does add to his total, it will be with the same approach as always:

"One game, one kick at a time. That helps you stay on focus. You have to take it just one play at a time and think about what you can do to help the team each play."

Long Distance Punters

2011-11-15T12:40:00.001-05:00

Who's been punting the ball a long way this year? Following are the top three current statistical leaders in various leagues.

NFL - Gross Punting Average

51.7 Shane Lechler, Oakland

50.5 Andy Lee, San Francisco

49.8 Mike Scifres, San Diego

NFL - Net Punting Average

43.8 Andy Lee, San Francisco

42.6 Britton Colquitt, Denver

42.5 Thomas Morstead, New Orleans

CFL - Gross Punting Average

47.2 Burke Dales, Calgary

47.0 Damon Duval, Edmonton

43.3 Noel Prefontaine, Toronto

NCAA FBS -

Gross Punting Average

47.0 Bobby Cowan, Idaho

46.8 Ian Campbell, UTEP

46.8 Jackson Rice, Oregon

NCAA FCS -

Gross Punting Average

48.8 David Harrington, Idaho State

46.1 Jonathan Plisco, Old Dominion

44.4 Patrick Murray, Fordham

NCAA Division II - Gross Punting Average

48.6 Taylor Accardi, Colorado Mines

45.1 Randy Weich, Wayne State (NE)

44.4 Ethan Kosjer, Fort Hays State

NCAA Division III - Gross Punting Average

43.9 Cote Schacherl, Howard Payne

42.6 Jordan Gay, Centre

42.6 Christian Hallingstad, Wis.-La Crosse

NAIA - Gross Punting Average

43.9 Matt Klingler, St. Ambrose (Iowa)

43.5 Chris Heale, Missouri Valley

43.4 Tyler Crowley, Southern Oregon

NFL Week Ten: Records, Surprises & Grooves

2011-11-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

Around the NFL yesterday...

In Seattle, Steven Hauschka joined Norm Johnson, Olindo Mare and Todd Peterson in the Seahawks' record book by kicking five field goals in a game. He connected from 22, 38, 39, 35 & 30 yards during the 22-17 victory over Baltimore.

“I guess it’s a fun day for a kicker to be part of the game like that. It would have been nice to get a couple scores on offense … we did a great job today as a team....

I think I’ve done a good job. You notice a lot of kickers come in here, there’s been missed kicks. There also haven’t been many touchbacks. It’s a tough place to kick I think. It’s a lot easier to kick inside or in warm weather. We don’t really get above 60 degrees here much for home games, so those touchbacks are hard to get.”

On the other side of the field for the Ravens, Billy Cundiff made a 35 yarder, but didn't fair as well from long range - coming up short on a 50 yard attempt and wide on a 52 yarder. Changing winds were a factor:

“In pregame, going both ways, we backed up to the 58, and I was really happy there. I hit the ball extremely well in pregame, and then when we came out there, the wind kind of shifted and it was in our face. The 50-yard field goal, which I thought would’ve been very easy, I thought I hit the ball extremely well, and I played it right down the line that I wanted, and the wind caught it and threw it down. You can look at the ball flight and tell whether you guided it or not by how fast the ball spun, but for the ball to work right to left, that tells me that I didn’t spin it. So I actually got after it and hit it well. Kind of frustrating to think that ball was missed.”

In San Francisco, David Akers continued to pile up field goals, adding four more to his season total. He also had a notable kickoff during the 49ers 27-20 win over the Giants. His surprise onside kickoff during the second quarter was successfully recovered by one of his team mates.

"It's more of a calculated risk. You don't try it on everybody. You don't try to come back and sting somebody twice with it, either. It's one of those things, if you can get it at a time when you're really not thinking this is going to be an onside kick."

In Dallas, Dan Bailey also continued to pile up field goals - adding three more to his ongoing streak. He also resumed handling kickoffs since David Buehler was placed on IR earlier in the week.

"I felt like I was in a pretty good groove. It helps being here because this is a great place to kick the ball. It carries really well here. I know I can do it. I just have to get in that groove and find the sweet spot on the ball and find a good approach. I can still improve but I thought it was definitely improvement from previous games with the kickoffs....

I might have miss-hit [the short one]. I was trying a little too much with direction. I should have just stuck with my groove. I shouldn't have changed it up, live and learn on that one."

Big Kickers on Campus, 2011 week 11

2011-11-13T07:35:00.000-05:00

A summary of notable kicking during the eleventh week of the 2011 college football season:

Sophomore kicker Chandler Cantanzaro hit a 43 yard field goal as time expired to give Clemson a 31-28 victory over Wake Forest.

"I said it all offseason: There were a lot of people that doubted me, maybe. But I always had a strong belief in myself and my teammates, and my coaches did. I just used last season as a learning experience. I had some adversity, but I rose above it. I worked so hard in the off- season to get an opportunity like this again, and I'm just so glad it came to me. And for the division (title), that's pretty cool....
[Morten Andersen] said that whenever he was iced, he just used it as a positive. I just took some dry swings and just got ready to trust it, and that's what I did."

Senior kicker Marcus Williams made a 20 yard field goal with 57 seconds left in the game to give Wartburg a 24-21 win over Luther.

Sophomore kicker Patton Chambers hit a 29 yard field goal with nine seconds left to give Miles a 20-17 victory over Albany State.

"I was hoping we got closer because I don’t like taking those 40-yard kicks under pressure. After David made that run, I knew that was destiny."

Senior kicker Abelardo Perez made a 37 yard field goal with 5:49 remaining to give San Diego State an 18-15 win over Colorado State.

Sophomore kicker Eric Eberle hit a 34 yard field goal as time expired to give Washington & Jefferson a 24-21 victory over Waynesburg.

Junior kicker David Brown's 30 yard field goal with 2:49 remaining in the third quarter prove to be the game winner as Youngstown State beat North Dakota State 27-24.

Junior kicker Felipe Alfaia's fourth field goal of the game, a 35 yarder as time expired, gave Northern State a 39-36 win over the University of Mary.

"I was a little nervous, but then Coach (Tom) Dosch told me a couple of jokes so I wouldn't get nervous when I went out there. I went through my steps and kicked the ball and got lucky and made it.... It was great. It was the best feeling in the world."

Freshman kicker Eddie Camara hit a 19 yard field goal with 1:02 left in the game to give Central Arkansas a 23-22 win over Texas State.

Junior kicker Scott Andrews made an 18 yard field goal with two seconds left to lift Juniata 17-16 over Susquehanna.

Senior kicker Danny Hrapmann made five field goals (28, 22, 44, 46 & 48 yards) in Southern Miss's 30-29 victory over Central Florida.

"It was a good game, but I guess because it was close it didn't feel like a good game. I don't feel like I had a great night on kickoffs. That's part of my job and I feel like I had a poor night of doing that. I feel like I didn't have a great night."

Sophomore kicker Drew Stewart hit a school-record six field goals (44, 32, 29, 21, 27 & 24 yards) in Appalachian State's 46-14 win over Western Carolina.

If we missed someone that should be on the above list, please let us know!

Groza Talk 2011: in the Beginning

2011-11-11T06:21:00.000-05:00

"I used to get a kick out of kicking the ball over the telephone wires when we would play touch football in the street."

- Lou Groza

How does someone end up becoming a football kicker? We asked several of this year's Lou Groza Award semi-finalists, "How did it all begin?"

Jimmy Newman,

Wake Forest

"As a little kid, I grew up playing soccer around the age of five. I transferred to a public school in my area in 8th grade and the coaches asked me to come out and just try it. I ended up making all my attempts that year and started taking private lessons. As a 9th grader I attended my first real camp at Chris Sailer's Las Vegas event. That was the exact moment that I knew I wanted to play in college and decided I was going to put forth all the focus and training it would take to get to that level."

Brett Baer, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

"Started out in high school at Brandon High in Mississippi... From there my dad set me up with Jamie Kohl with Kohls kicking. Been working with them for about five years now and they have been incredible. Ended up and Lafayette,LA and love it here. Could not be here without God's blessing and of course my parents."

Andrew Furney, Washington State

"My first ever experience playing football was my freshman year of high school and at the time was not interested in trying to kick what so ever. After a large amount of the season and a small amount of playing time at other positions, my mom recommended I try it. At the time our freshman team already had a kicker that was already given the varsity job for the following season pretty much. One day in our last practice of the week before our game the kicker didn't show up for practice so I was, with hesitation, allowed to kick the extra points in practice. I winged my steps and made all four of the attempts. The coaches were shocked and then said "alright you're going to start kicking for us." The following summer I found out I would be the starting kicker for the varsity team after the news of the other kicker who was supposed to get the job failed four classes and would be ineligible for the first four games. In my first game I made my first every field goal attempt which was 42 yards. I later went on to become 1st team all state that season and the two seasons following that as well."

The Other Side

2011-11-09T12:20:00.000-05:00

In a change of perspective, this month we asked our consulting experts about their experiences with players on the other side of the field. Specifically, we posed the following questions:

What is the most memorable kicking/punting/snapping performance or moment that you ever witnessed in person by your counterpart on the opposing team?
-or-
What is the most important thing you ever learned by watching or talking to your counterpart on the opposing team before/during/after a game?

Mike Hollis, NFL kicker 1995-2002, ProForm Kicking Academy

"I was able to witness Jason Elam kick his 63 yard field goal at the end of the first half of the Jaguars / Broncos game in 1998.

Watching Jason Hanson in pre-game warm ups is very humbling! Even during high school when I played against him!"

Brooks Rossman, Kansas City Kicking

"Mason Crosby in 2006 Colorado vs Kansas State lines up for a 47 yard game winning field goal. CU takes the delay of game penalty to run the clock down to one second. They back up five yards for the penalty. Crosby drills a 52 yard game winning field goal that clears the top of the uprights. It was unbelievable that CU had the confidence in Crosby to push him back five yards and know he is still going to drill it. The game was played in KS not CO."

Rob Maver, Calgary Stampeders kicker

"Burke Dales, my teammate, has always stressed the importance of only focusing on your next ball. All you can do.

Coach Bill Renner always told me to focus on a pure ball strike.

Paul McCallum told me to focus on being relaxed and exploding at the perfect time.

Short, but sweet. I feel like that is some of the better advice I've heard."

Chris Husby, Special Teams Football Academy

"I never really knew my counterpart specialists personally back in high school & college. Facebook wasn't around for me to connect and really get to know the other specialists in my conference. But the one kicking memory that I can remember back in high school, came when we were playing Cooper, our arch rival. Their kicker Dan Nystrom was getting D1 looks and ended up going to play for the Minnesota Gophers. I think he had kicked two 50 yard FGs earlier in the season which got him on their radar. In our game against them, I believe he missed a FG and we blocked his PAT. Naturally, being that they were the team we hated the most, wondering why he was that good & getting college looks, when we stopped him. But he went on to have a pretty good career for the Gophers and a stint in the NFL. So he was always fun to follow in college. Also at that point I didn't think much of it then. But when he got to college he went on a streak of not missing any FGs or PATs for a long time. When he did finally miss, I figured out that his last miss previous to that streak, was against our HS team. I guess growing up, I always thought that was kind of a cool connection, that we were responsible for his last miss before he went on his kicking streak."

Michael Husted, NFL kicker 1993-2002, National Camp Series

"I remember speaking with Sean Landeta after a game early in my NFL career. I had an okay game, but not my best. He mentioned that it looked like I was trying too hard (really going after the kick.) He went on to say that the kicking game is all about maturation and the longer you can stay in the league, the more mature you become, which will improve your longevity. That helped me to realize that it is about improving your mental training which will allow you to trust your technique."

NFL Week Nine: Not As Planned

2011-11-07T06:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday saw quite a few mishaps on special teams plays around the NFL. In Arizona, the visiting Rams and kicker Josh Brown saw their potential game winning field goal at the end of regulation blocked. The Cardinals went on to win the game 19-13 in overtime on a punt return TD.

A frantic sequence at the end of regulation ended with the Rams taking their third and final timeout following an 8-yard run up the middle by Steven Jackson. Four ticks remained on the clock when Brown trotted out to attempt his fourth field goal of the game; he had hit from 48, 37, and 41 yards in the first half to give the Rams a 9-3 halftime lead. That's when Campbell got some penetration over the Rams' left side and smacked down what would've been Brown's eighth game-winning field goal of his NFL career. "I feel like the operation was good; I feel like the snap and hold was good," Brown said. "The kick was fine. It felt fine. ... Big 93 (Campbell) used his big arms and got through there somewhere."

In Buffalo, the Bills lost 27-11 to the visiting Jets and kicker Rian Lindell suffered an injury

Kicker Rian Lindell injured his right shoulder while making a touchdown-saving tackle after a kickoff to start the third quarter of the Buffalo Bills' 27-11 loss to the New York Jets. Lindell said he fell awkwardly while making a tackle on Joe McKnight, who returned the kick 59 yards to the Buffalo 45. While Lindell didn't handle kickoffs after that play, he did boot a 24-yard field goal later in the quarter. Lindell had further testing on the shoulder after the game and didn't know if the injury was significant enough to keep him out of the lineup for the Bills' game next Sunday in Dallas. "I certainly hope not," he said. "It could be a deal where I have to wear a tight T-shirt and see how it goes." Punter Brian Moorman handled kickoff duties for the remainder of the game.

In Kansas City, the Chiefs lost 31-3 to the visiting Dolphins and an attempt at trickery unexpectedly put the ball in the hands of Dustin Colquitt:

Punter Dustin Colquitt said there was miscommunication Sunday on what was supposed to be a fake field goal. Instead, a confused-looking Colquitt was left holding the ball, and he ran into the defense for a turnover on downs. “We weren’t all on the same page,” he said. Colquitt said the play was designed to be a pooch punt, in which kicker Ryan Succop was supposed to field the snap. Instead, the snap went to Colquitt. “Tried to make something from nothing,” he said.

In New England, the Patriots lost 24-20 to the visiting Giants and kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed a 27 yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds of the first half:

"Just a bad kick, bad execution on my part. Everything was good besides my kick, which is just disappointing. To screw up an opportunity like that, it's a hard pill to swallow, especially when you come up on the short end of the stick.... I could go out there and probably make 100 of those in a row, but you have to be able to do it when it's your time. I have to do a better job getting ready to make every kick. That's unacceptable. It's an awful feeling to come up on the short end of the stick as a team and personally to give us a chance to carry some momentum into the half, and on a kick I could make left-footed that I just completely blew, it's just not a good feeling."

Big Kickers on Campus, 2011 week 10

2011-11-06T08:03:00.001-05:00

A summary of notable kicking during the tenth week of the 2011 college football season:

Junior kicker Drew Alleman hit a 25 yard field goal to give no. 1 LSU a 9-6 overtime win over no. 2 Alabama.

"It was a field goal type game. It was 3-0, 3-3, 6-3 and then 6-6. You just knew it might happen.... Every day I was preparing for it mentally and in practice.... It’s great. It’s wonderful. Every kicker dreams it. I got to live it. It was amazing."

Senior kicker Louis Feinstein made a 27 yard field goal with 1:30 remaining to give Rhode Island a 24-21 win over William & Mary.

Freshman kicker Jake Gould hit his first career field goal as time expired from 20 yards out to give Rose-Hulman a 53-50 victory over Anderson (IN).

Junior kicker Devin Rounds kicked a 23-yard field goal with eight seconds left Saturday to lift Black Hills State 10-7 over Minot State.

Freshman kicker Tony Miliano's 41 yard field goal, his fourth of the game, with 14:49 remaining proved to be the winner as Cincinnati defeated Pittsburgh 26-23.

“When you got out in the game you go back to basics and fundamentals. That’s what happened.”

Sophomore kicker Ryan Murphy's 31 yard field goal with seven seconds left gave Chowan a 38-35 win over Bowie State.

Senior kicker Chris Vortkamp’s 33 yard field goal with 8:55 left in the game were the final points in Ohio Dominican's 20-17 win over Ashland.

Junior kicker Brandon Mulloy’s 23 yard field goal with 35 seconds remaining gave Quincy a 38-35 win over Malone.

Senior kicker Zach Guyer’s 42 yard field with 4:30 remaining lifted Iowa State 13-10 over Kansas.

“I knew I had it. I hit the ground a little bit so I knew it was going to be a little low, but it was right down the middle.”

Junior kicker Stephen Velasquez hit a 25 yard field goal with six minutes left to give Virginia Union a 17-14 win over Fayetteville State.

Freshman kicker Sean Murray kicked a 31 yard field goal to tie the score as time expired in regulation and kicked the winning 30 yarder in overtime as St. Francis (IL) beat Georgia State 30-27.

Sophomore kicker Joe Mallock made a 40 yard field goal with 4:48 remaining in the game to give Williams a 19-17 victory over Wesleyan.

"When I hit it I wasn't sure it was gonna go through, but I was sure happy when it did."

Junior kicker Max Martin hit a 49 yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining to give Wayne State (NE) a 34-32 win over Augustana (SD).

Sophomore kicker Zeb Miller hit his second game winner in as many weeks with a 29 yarder as time expired to give North Dakota a 15-13 win over the University of Sioux Falls.

Senior kicker Steven Schott’s fourth field goal of the game, a 44 yarder with nine seconds left, gave Ball State a 33-31 win over Eastern Michigan.

"We practice for that situation all the time. I just tried to do my job. I just keep my mind clear of distractions. I had a feeling they were going to call their timeouts, but I just didn't let it bother me. The snap and hold were good and the blocking was excellent."

Senior kicker Chris Marini hit a 24 yard field goal with 2:39 remaining to give Waynesburg University a 26-23 victory over previously undefeated Thomas More.

Freshman kicker Jesse Shore made a 38 yard field goal with two seconds left in the game to give Marietta College a 30-27 victory over Otterbein University.

Senior kicker Greg Zuerlein's school record 58 yard field goal with 11 seconds remaing in the third quarter proved to be the game winner in Missouri Western's 31-28 win over Northwest Missouri State.

Senior kicker Casey Tinius hit a 34 yard field goal on the final play of the game to give Western Kentucky a 10-9 win over Florida International.

"Our team deserved that. My teammates deserve, whether it's Jesse or me, a kicker to go out there and get the job done."

Senior kicker San San Te's 37 yard field goal in over time gave Rutgers a 20-17 victory over South Florida.

Sophomore kicker Evan Finch hit a 20 yard field goal in overtime to lift Hope College 24-21 over Adrian College.

"The last field goal I had (a chance) to win was a bad snap and I didn’t get to kick it. “It was my sophomore year of high school (at Ann Arbor Pioneer), so it’s nice to redeem that one. It came off right. It felt really nice. Then to see the team running out after me was a great feeling."

Junior kicker Jimmie Mattson made a 25 yard field goal with five seconds remaining to give Saint John's a 27-24 win over St. Olaf.

If we missed someone that should be on the above list, please let us know!

Fred Mitchell Award October 2011 Recognizees, part 3

2011-11-05T17:24:00.000-04:00

The Fred Mitchell Award recognized 36 place-kickers for their excellence on the football field and in the community during the month of October. A blue-ribbon Selection Committee evaluates place-kickers that are nominated by their schools. Members of the Pro and/or College Football Hall of Fame on the Selection Committee include Tom Beck, Kevin Butler, Paul Hornung, Marv Levy, Steve McMichael, Don Pierson and Gale Sayers. Several former football players that are active in their communities are also on the Selection Committee including Sean Gothier, Dan Jiggetts, Jeff Michalczyk, Mark Murphy, Rob Perry, Jeff Schebler, Bob Thomas, Todd Wilkins, Gary Zauner and Rob Zvonar. There are eight former college or NFL place-kickers on the Selection Committee, including Jeff Schebler, the inaugural Fred Mitchell Award recipient in 2009 and the highest-scoring place-kicker in NCAA history at any level.

In alphabetical order, the final third of the Fred Mitchell Award honorees for October 2011 are listed below.

KYLE MAJOR, Colorado State University-Pueblo – Division II

Senior from Littleton, CO….leads the 4th ranked ThunderWolves in scoring with 86 points from 18 of 24 FG’s and 32 of 33 PAT’s….only missed FG in September was from 61 yards and misses in October were from 40+ yards including three from 50+….leads Division II in made FG’s…. broke previous school record in October for most FG’s in a season when he made his 16th FG….four-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week this season including twice in October….school’s all-time leader in FG’s and points….speaks to local elementary and middle schools about sportsmanship and motivation….visits the St. Mary-Corwin Hospital during the football season to lift the spirits of sick children

JIMMIE MATTSON, St. John’s University (Minnesota) – Division III

Junior from Eau Claire, WI….leads the Johnnies in scoring with 6 of 6 FG’s and 24 or 28 PAT’s….scored 26 points in October from 5 of 5 FG’s and 11 of 12 PAT’s….13 of 13 in FG’s during his SJU career….tied school record with a 52-yard FG at Gustavus Adolphus on October 22….made a 45-yard FG against Bethel on October 8….named MIAC Special Teams Player of the Week on October 31….averaging 60 yards on 41 kickoffs….volunteered with the Eau Claire Area Youth Football camp each of the past three summers….has volunteered with the Eau Claire Salvation Army each of the last three seasons….read and helped at Eau Claire Elementary School as a classroom volunteer during breaks and summers each of the past three years

ADRIAN MORA, Georgia Southern University - FCS

Senior from Dalton, GA….leads the Eagles in scoring with 75 points from 11 of 11 FG’s and 42 of 42 PAT’s…. scored 44 points in October from 7 of 7 FG’s and 23 of 23 PAT’s….holds school and FCS records for most consecutive PAT’s (137)….led the team in scoring each of the past three seasons ….56 of 66 career FG’s…. broke school record in October for the most career FG’s….has not missed a PAT in his career….scored 12 points in 50-20 win over Furman on October 15….volunteers at the local Boys and Girls Club as mentor, tutor and participant in after-school athletics….reads to local elementary school students as part of the Real Men Read program of the Bulloch Board of Education….Relay for Life volunteer…participates in school’s Little Eagles Camp

JAMES NEAL, Lindenwood University (Missouri) – Division II

Sophomore from Mansfield, TX....leads the Lions in scoring with 71 points from 9 of 10 FG’s and 44 of 46 PAT’s….scored 42 points in October from 5 of 6 FG’s and 27 of 28 PAT’s….kicked game-winning 21-yard FG as time expired and scored 10 points to beat FBS Northern Colorado 22-20 for the biggest regular season win in school history….made career-long 44-yard FG and scored season-high 11 points against Graceland on September 10 and scored 11 points again on October 8 in 41-35 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville….surpassed 100 career points in September in his 13th game and finished October with 156 career points…averaging 56 yards on 14 kickoffs…counselor at Camp Crucis

ANDREW NIELSEN, Doane College (Nebraska) – NAIA

Senior from North Platte, NE….leads the 17th ranked Tigers with 55 points from 10 of 14 FG’s and 25 of 28 PAT’s…scored 25 points in October from 5 of 7 FG’s and 10 of 13 PAT’s…named GPAC Special Teams Player of the Week two times including after scoring 9 points in 33-28 win over then-19th ranked Dakota Wesleyan on October 22….scored 7 points in 43-39 win over then-14th ranked Midland on October 1….averaging 64 yards on 48 kickoffs….participated in the football team’s volunteer project to help relocate the local TrueValue Hardware store to a new location in October

MATT RAWSON, Amherst College (Massachusetts) – Division III

Senior from Bethesda, MD….2nd on the undefeated Lord Jeffs with 47 points from 9 of 11 FG’s and 20 of 21 PAT’s…scored 39 points in October from 7 of 9 FG’s and 18 of 19 PAT’s….scored 12 points in 48-28 win over Middlebury on October 8 making him the school’s all-time leader in career FG’s….kicked career-long 45-yard FG in 24-10 win over Wesleyan on October 22….made first 18 PAT attempts in October before missing at a rain-soaked Tufts field….leads NESCAC in FG’s (9) and PAT’s (21)….4 of 5 on FG’s of 37+ yards….currently tied for school records for single-season FG’s (9) and career points (148)….participated in Relay for Life….Habitat for Humanity volunteer….intern at Mississippi Teacher Corps which aims to improve the education opportunities for school children with critical needs

SCOTT ROCHE, Wheaton College (Illinois) – Division III

Senior from Evergreen, CO…leads the team in scoring with 66 points from 13 of 16 FG’s and 27 of 34 PAT’s….scored 37 points in October….scored 13 points in 49-21 win over Elmhurst College on October 8….averaging 61 yards on 59 kickoffs….works with area youths as a leader in the Young Life program at a nearby high school for three nights each week….volunteered for Feed My Starving Children by packaging approximately 1,000 meals for those in need….actively participates in the football program’s ministry project each year during Spring Break, most recently in Senegal to help missionaries with work projects and building churches, playgrounds, lodging and other necessities….in his 4th year as a leader of a small group of football players as a part of ministry

ALEX ROMANIAS, Edinboro University (Pennsylvania) – Division II

Senior from Pittsburgh, PA….leads the Fighting Scots in scoring with 59 points from 9 of 10 FG’s and 32 of 34 PAT’s….scored 20 points in October from 2 of 3 FG’s and 14 of 16 PAT’s….ranks 3rd in school history with 143 career PAT’s and 4th in school history with 29 career FG’s…ranks 8th in career scoring with 230 points ….made all 3 FG attempts against West Liberty including a 40-yard FG at the end of the first half which matched his career long….scored 6 points in 30-20 win against Mercyhurst on October 15…. Read to Compete Program volunteer where football team reads to local elementary school students

CODY SANDLIN, University of Tennessee at Martin – FCS

Junior from Goodlettsville, TN….leads the team in scoring with 32 points from 11 of 13 FG’s and 39 of 41 PAT’s….scored 40 points in October from 6 of 8 FG’s and 22 of 24 PAT’s….two FG’s have been from 40-49 yards….scored 13 points in 61-23 win over Austin Peay on October 8….scored 6 points in 24-23 win over Eastern Illinois on October 22….OVC Specialist of the Week nominee for his performance against Murray State where he scored 12 points….averaging 56 yards on 48 kickoffs….participates in all team community service projects since freshman year including cleaning up Union City Park after an ice storm…Santa’s Village event and food drive volunteer for two years for the Martin Parks and Recreation

TOMMY WILCZYNSKI, Rowan University (New Jersey) – Division III

Senior from Pine Hill, NJ….2nd on the team in scoring with 38 points from 5 of 7 FG’s and 23 of 25 PAT’s….scored 30 points in October from 5 of 7 FG’s and 15 of 18 PAT’s including season best 41-yard FG….averaging 55 yards on 40 kickoffs… participated in the Campus Clean and Green in October….participated in the team’s annual Get in the Game Save a Life bone marrow registry…involved in the team’s adoption of a family via the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation

KYLE WILLIAMS, Hinds Community College (Mississippi) – NJCAA

Sophomore from Pearl, MS….leads the 10th ranked Eagles in scoring with 64 points from 9 of 15 FG’s and 37 of 41 PAT’s… scored 29 points in October from 4 of 6 FG’s and 17 of 17 PAT’s….scored 10 points in win over Jones County Junior College on October 6 by making both FG’s and all four PAT’s….scored 10 points in 59-32 win over Pearl River Community College on October 22 by making his FG and all seven PAT’s....made career-long 44-yard FG against Pearl River….Habitat for Humanity volunteer….Muscular Dystrophy Association of Mississippi volunteer

SEAN WILLIAMS, Wittenberg University (Ohio) – Division III

Junior from Plainfield, IN…leads the 22nd ranked Tigers with 66 points from 11 of 11 FG’s and 33 of 34 PAT’s….has made 18 straight FG’s over the course of two seasons to break the school record of 12….made 50 consecutive PAT’s over the past two seasons to break the school record of 48….78 of 80 PAT’s for his career and holds school record for the highest PAT % among kickers with at least 40 attempts….will tie the school record for most FG’s in a season that he set in 2010 when he makes his next FG….currently ranks 7th in school history with 66 points this season….made career-long 41-yard FG in 27-23 win over Carnegie on October 22….147 career kicking points is 5th in school history and just 19 points behind Fred Mitchell….averaging 53 yards in 53 kickoffs….youth football camp volunteer in hometown….volunteered at Habitat for Humanity Re-Store in Springfield….Springfield Regional Medical Center intern/volunteer

The Sweet Spot, part 2

2011-11-04T09:53:00.000-04:00

Last week we revisited our exploration of the Sweet Spot in kicking a football. Today we continue with more responses from kickers, punters, and coaches.

Michael Husted, National Camp Series

For me, the sweet spot is when you hit the ball just right that it feels like you have barely made contact with it. Your technique is so sound that when your upper torso is tall, your hips, knee and ankle are synchronized at the same time when making contact, that you barely feel the ball flying off of your foot. It is one of the best feelings for a kicker.

Nathan Chapman, Pro Kick Australia

THE SWEET SPOT, a mysterious spot on the ball that when your kicking well can feel like you will never miss it, BUT also when your not going so well and your confidence is down, can seem like there is not one there at all. One thing that you can get a feeling of though is when you are on your approach for kicking or punting and somehow you just know that you are going to hit it sweet before you even touch the ball with your foot. So a tip to keep hitting the SPOT would be to keep practicing with good technique and you will likely hit it more often. When you hit the sweet spot you are smiling before the ball leaves your foot, when you miss it, the field will seem 200 yards long, the blood will drain from your face and your biggest decision is working out who NOT to look at first, your head coach or your special teams coach.

Filip Filipovic, The Kicking Coach

Before I even start my approach, I like to think of the solid sound that top of the foot makes with the ball and the image of the top of my instep compressing the ball forcefully. I know that as long as I keep my focus on the image and the sound, it will happen that way, and the ball has to go straight and far.

Nick Gatto, 4th and 10 Kicking and Punting

As a kicker we love the sweet spot. We teach our holders or know how to set the ball on the tee to assure we are getting the best shot at hitting it. When you hit the sweet spot just right you hear a deep thud off your foot and it feels as if you barely hit the ball. When you look up the ball is a picture perfect kick. It has great rotation and it takes off. As a kicker you know when you haven't hit the sweet spot. It sounds almost like a slapping sound. The ball may have a fast rotation or a funky spin and it feels as if you have no power or accuracy. We thrive on hitting the sweet spot and we try to be perfect each time.

Ben Aguilar, Chicago Slaughter kicker

The emotional aspect is beyond comparison for those who love kicking. When you hit the sweet spot, I don't have to look up, think about it, or even guess. You know right when you strike the ball, that it is solid and will be straight down the pipes. Even if you just kicked 50 field goals, it makes you want to hit another 50.

Fred Mitchell, Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award

The sweet spot on a football, for me as a straight-on kicker, was a small area about 2 1/2 inches from the bottom point of the ball, directly opposite the side with the laces. As a kid, I remember reading a magazine piece featuring former NFL kickers Don Chandler and Tommy Davis. As I recall, they would put chalk on the front of their square-toed right shoe during practice. After kicking the ball, they would look for the chalk imprint on the football to make sure they were hitting the sweet spot consistently. Of course, you can immediately tell when you kick the ball in the perfect spot without looking. I would compare it to the sound and feel of hitting a baseball right on the screws: no reverberation. The sweet spot on the football for straight-on kickers was more difficult to hit consistently than it is for today's soccer-style kickers, who use their entire instep.