With Charlie Brown kicking and Lucy holding we would finish this season with a winning record. A question for you guys who know more about our roster and recruiting than I. Do we have a redshirt or are we bringing someone in to help in this area? Not trying to throw stones at anyone, he kicks much better than I could,but we've not had a kicker that was money in years.
Kicking woes
- Thread starter icouldjustpuke
- Start date
This is an overlooked area. Missing an extra point or fg does more than just deny us the points... it can kill momentum. And that's yuge.
Seems like Auburn and the Bears always have an accurate kicker. I've held my breath on every money kick since Westerfield left
There have been several JC kickers mentioned earlier that were available. KIckers are always squirrelly. Kinda like golfers who can lose confidence. That said of the three phases of the game: O, D, and special teams ... our special teams have always been there weakest link.
Not sure of our thinking here.....
Not sure of our thinking here.....
No, OUR kickers are squirrelly. I've watched a half a dozen bowl games featuring teams from CUSA, the MAC, the Sun Belt etc and seen kicker after kicker who was something like 18-21 with a long off 47. It's baffling to me that Mullen just blows this off year after year and stakes games on kickers like Graves (bless his heart).
FWIW, we have an offer out to the #2 kicker nationally out of Louisiana. He's an Army All-American. Currently committed to Georgia Tech though. No idea how hard we are pursuing.
http://www.nola.com/recruiting/index.ssf/2016/07/watch_mandeville_2017_kicker_j.html
http://www.nola.com/recruiting/index.ssf/2016/07/watch_mandeville_2017_kicker_j.html
Last edited:
I think Bullova wants to really play in the SEC. He is the kicker that Chris Boniol wants. So if LSU is not in the mix, hopefully he will be a Dawg.
[h=2]
[/h] [h=2]
[/h][h=2]
[/h]
Neshoba Central High School has an excellent kicker who wants to be a Bulldog. Nothing offered from us with the exception of encouragement to walk on. He kicked in high school all star game. He can punt and placekick, and yep he can make extra points in his sleep! We need to at least offer something to kickers. I am unsure if Coach Mullen has ever offered a scholarship to a kicker?
Some are just not aware that Graves was playing through back issues. Most schools don't have a good kicker, as a back up, but I guess there are some exceptions to that. People were complaining about our walk on punter, who replaced Cook, when he got injured. He did have a rocky start in the Arkansas game, but kicked great in the OM game. He was the best punter in LA his senior year.
Fun stat. We haven't made a 50+ yard FG since 2002! Brent Smith 52 yarder at LSU. Nothing from 50 since then. Auburn's kicker hit about 5 from 50+ this year alone.
I'm aware that he was allegedly hurt. I'm also aware that when healthy he has not exactly inspired confidence. And I daresay that not even the biggest football fan can attest to the quality of very many backup kickers.
So, I have heard that our coach typically won't offer a scholarship to place kickers and instead asks them to walk on. Then I am told that State has voluntarily or inadvertently not even used its full allotment of scholarships once or twice in the last three years on signing day. If this is true, I have a difficult time with this logic or lack thereof.
Mullen thought he was out of here last season. Only logical explanation that I've come across. Believe we had less than 10 sophs/rising juniors at this time last year. Should have signed this JUCO class size last year -- if for nothing else -- to balance the classes.
Scholarship Jrs/rising Srs on roster:
Jiles assuming he comes back
Cleveland assuming he comes back
Jung
Miles
Donald Gray
Graham
JT Gray
Durr
Cook
Rankin
Dez Harris
Jordan Thomas
12 total returning scholarship seniors next year not counting the guys that picked up schollies because we had a bunch of them to hand out.
Wow -- in looking at that -- we've only got one senior in the trenches on either side next year(Rankin). Seems 2018 is going to be the year for another run, especially with all the JUCOs up to speed by then.
Scholarship Jrs/rising Srs on roster:
Jiles assuming he comes back
Cleveland assuming he comes back
Jung
Miles
Donald Gray
Graham
JT Gray
Durr
Cook
Rankin
Dez Harris
Jordan Thomas
12 total returning scholarship seniors next year not counting the guys that picked up schollies because we had a bunch of them to hand out.
Wow -- in looking at that -- we've only got one senior in the trenches on either side next year(Rankin). Seems 2018 is going to be the year for another run, especially with all the JUCOs up to speed by then.