Two years ago as a Sophomore, Johnson Central kicker Tyler Pack tied the state record with a 60 yard FG against Greenup County. Tonight with his team backed up on their own 10 yard line (4 and over 20), Tyler received the snap in his own endzone and punted to the Greenup County 1 yard line. Thats correct, he hit an 89 yard net punt. The previous state record for a punt was 84 yards and he did it again at Greenup County.

 

Mr. Pack now holds the state records for longest FG ever made and longest punt ever kicked. Hats off to this young man as he is ranked very high among kicking prospects in the nation. What a weapon to have for Coach Matney and the Golden Eagles as over 85% of his KO's are touchbacks to go along with his state records. In fact, the next kick Tyler had after the record punt was a KO (into the wind this time) that hit the goal post cross bar. If there is another kicker better than this young man in the state of KY, I have yet to see him.

 

Is there any doubt Tyler will be 1st Team All State for Kickers this year?

Congrats Tyler!

Scholarship offers?

Scholarship offers?

 

He has been contacted by everyone from Alabama to Notre Dame to Michigan and all those in between, but they just dont give scholarships to kickers. They all want him as a preferred walk-on his first year (redshirt of course) then usually give scholarships after their 2nd year (going into redshirt Sophomore year) after he proves himself.

 

If someone does offer him a full ride (albeit rare for kickers) he will take the first offer from what I understand. Yes, UK and UofL have contacted him. If he wants the preferred walk-on and his family can afford it (Tyler is a bright student with some academic scholarships) then Mr. Pack can pick his school. He simply just has to tell them he is coming.

 

As far as full rides, none from D1 schools right now (which again is rare anyway). A few from smaller schools.

send this man to Ohio State

send this man to Ohio State

 

That would be nice. Personally I would like to see UK get him, but it would be hard to turn down a chance at a National Championship.

I've yet to understand why colleges don't offer scholarships to kickers? A good kicker can when you a few games a year himself while a bad kicker can lose you 2-3 games a year. IMO a kicker and a really good one at that should get offers to go to anywhere he wants. I believe it was Florida State that lost a couple of National Championships because of missed field goals a while back.

I've yet to understand why colleges don't offer scholarships to kickers? A good kicker can when you a few games a year himself while a bad kicker can lose you 2-3 games a year. IMO a kicker and a really good one at that should get offers to go to anywhere he wants. I believe it was Florida State that lost a couple of National Championships because of missed field goals a while back.

 

Very well said. I dont understand it either. Alabama is a perfect example, it seems every year their FG kicker looks like a lineman and has a range of about 48 yards. Seems they would get better kickers, but i guess 5 star athletes are the premium with set scholarship numbers.

Agree on being puzzled by lack of schollies.

 

Buckeyes , though, already have a kicker from LaSalle in Cincinnati committed who I assume will be on scholarship.

Believe it or not, place kicker is one of the toughest positions to project from high school to college.

 

The difference between kicking off of a two inch block versus the one inch block allowed per NCAA rules is significant. There are many top prospects that don't pan out because of this. This is why teams wait- they want to make sure that the dudes they bring in to kick can actually do the job.

 

Combine that with the necessity for faster timing on place kicking execution in college and you end up with more of a crapshoot than most realize.

Believe it or not, place kicker is one of the toughest positions to project from high school to college.

 

The difference between kicking off of a two inch block versus the one inch block allowed per NCAA rules is significant. There are many top prospects that don't pan out because of this. This is why teams wait- they want to make sure that the dudes they bring in to kick can actually do the job.

 

Combine that with the necessity for faster timing on place kicking execution and you end up with more of a crapshoot than most realize.

 

Very nice insight. That may explain why no scholarship offers are present at the big schools but almost everyone of them will take him as a preferred walk-on. If he can kick, then the full ride is given. Again, this makes alot of sense.

 

One thing about Tyler Pack though is he also punts and does it quite well. Does this help or hurt him? Do many college kickers do FG, KO, and punt duty? Pack does all 3 at an all state, dare I say, all time (state of KY only) level!

60 yard field goal as a sophomore and an 89 yard punt qualify a scholarship in my opinion. In fact, what school has a player pull double duty? Always baffled me, but they usually have specialists so if this kid can pull off both, he should be able to "sell" his way into a big time scholarship. He could replace three players...

Very nice insight. That may explain why no scholarship offers are present at the big schools but almost everyone of them will take him as a preferred walk-on. If he can kick, then the full ride is given. Again, this makes alot of sense.

 

One thing about Tyler Pack though is he also punts and does it quite well. Does this help or hurt him? Do many college kickers do FG, KO, and punt duty? Pack does all 3 at an all state, dare I say, all time (state of KY only) level!

 

It helps, but there is a transition here, too, due to faster expected execution, punting from 15 yards away from the snapper instead of 10-12 yards and the required height that must be achieved in relation to distance.

 

Most teams have the Missouri rule when it comes to kickers- if you want the scholarship, then "show me" for a year that you can do the job.

 

The easiest kicking transition is normally kick offs. There isn't much change from execution in high school to college- it is really about the height to distance ratio. If you can boom it out of the end zone (with significant height) on kick offs in high school, then you likely can in college.

60 yard field goal as a sophomore and an 89 yard punt qualify a scholarship in my opinion. In fact, what school has a player pull double duty? Always baffled me, but they usually have specialists so if this kid can pull off both, he should be able to "sell" his way into a big time scholarship. He could replace three players...

 

 

It is EXTREMELY rare to find a dude that is your kickoff guy, place kicker and punter at the higher levels of college. The skills required are not all apples to oranges. One of the advantages to playing college ball is the amount of reps you get at your position. A guy would have to be better than another dude while getting 1/3 of the reps at the skill. It isn't likely.