How many times have we seen a game won/lost at the last minute by the place kicker? So I cannot even believe that I wouldn't use my very first scholarship for a good high school kicker. I know punters usually get one maybe later, but if there is a kid who could do both, why not?

 

Article in the Courier-Journal mentions the kid from Bell County who wanted to go to the Cards/Cats but was never offered and has committed to Western Kentucky. This isn't a knock on the Toppers but an example.

 

I know last year at Bama we gave one to a kid and he had to play in one game and did really bad, but he is our future.

 

I know the Cats/Cards had a serious problem in the field.

I agree. I think a lot of people take having a good kicker for granted...

I agree, I watched a kicker by the name of Shane Popham kick for Covington Catholic several years ago. The kid was hitting regularly from 50 yards during the season. I believe his long for the year was 56(?). I was stunned that none of the local school's did not jump all over the kid and offer a scholarship. He ended up at Wake Forest and should be taking over the regular kicking duties next year as he has been backing up an All American kicker. It is just so frustrating watching all of the problems that UK went through this past year in the kicking game and know that they let a good one get away.

Just curious, is there much scouting done in regards to kickers?

I agree, I watched a kicker by the name of Shane Popham kick for Covington Catholic several years ago. The kid was hitting regularly from 50 yards during the season. I believe his long for the year was 56(?). I was stunned that none of the local school's did not jump all over the kid and offer a scholarship. He ended up at Wake Forest and should be taking over the regular kicking duties next year as he has been backing up an All American kicker. It is just so frustrating watching all of the problems that UK went through this past year in the kicking game and know that they let a good one get away.

 

Popham was 7/12 on fgs this year at Wake Forest and 9/9 on xps, good for 30 points. He also punted 54 times for an average of 39.2 yards with 19 punts downed inside the 20 yard line.

 

:thumb:

I agree, I watched a kicker by the name of Shane Popham kick for Covington Catholic several years ago. The kid was hitting regularly from 50 yards during the season. I believe his long for the year was 56(?). I was stunned that none of the local school's did not jump all over the kid and offer a scholarship. He ended up at Wake Forest and should be taking over the regular kicking duties next year as he has been backing up an All American kicker. It is just so frustrating watching all of the problems that UK went through this past year in the kicking game and know that they let a good one get away.

 

Record kick was from 57 yards out! Best kick made was from 45 yards out in a driving rain storm that was kicked into a 25/30 MPH wind against Cin St. X....

 

Pop (The Vacuum) Popham

 

See Pops Stats

In the next to last year for Coach Mike Shula at Bama we won three games including the bowl game on last second field goals. 10-2 could have been 7-5.

Most college coaches want there scholarships used on "skill" position players. Kickers and punter are important but you can't waste a scholarship on them. Normally they walk on and earn a scholarship in a year or two. It is harsh to say but that seems to be the way it isfrom my experience.

^^^I agree with you 100%, that is the main topic of my thread. "Waste" a scholarship when he might win three games for you?

Like Alabama said, a kicker can win numerous games a year for you. Would it be wasting a scholarship to someone that can do this for your team? Is there a runningback, wide reciever, lineman, or any other one player that can make that much of an impact. To me this is a no brainer.

 

Wonder how many free rides UK has sitting on the bench, that will never see playing time in there career?

One major reason why coaches don't use full schollys on kickers out of high school is that only one kicker on the team normally gets a full scholly and that goes to an upperclassmen. The kids out of high school have to put their time in and prove they are the best guy on the roster to get in the game. They normally get the full scholarship after that season. Many schools only give a full scholarship to one kicker, which means that either the starting punter or the starting placekicker has the full ride and the other starter has a partial.

 

I know this varies at individual schools; some schools give both starters a full ride. It is very rare for a kicker to be good enough out of high school to earn that full ride at a big time school. Janikowski did it when he was at Florida State. Nugent did it a Ohio St. too, I believe. The Colquitts at Tennessee were full ride guys to, I believe. All of the guys mentioned were also the starter from day one on campus, though.

I understand what you all are saying but IMO coaches are looking to get more skill positions players. They are the players that will will you 12 or 13 games. Florida and Oklahoma have supreme skill position players and they don't need a scholarship kicker. I guess it all depends on where you are as a program.

There is another factor that deters colleges from offerring kickers full rides. The kicking game in high school and college is completely different, moreso than any other position in football IMO. In high school, kickers are allowed to use a tee. In college, they cannot. Back in my younger days, I could kick a 50 yard field goal with a tee, but when placed directly on the ground, I couldn't kick it nearly as far. Those couple inches change everything. Many coaches don't want to 'waste' a scholarship on such an unknown. They'd rather spend it on a guy they know can throw, run, catch, block, or tackle. Now, if a kid is kicking it directly off the ground in high school and is making them from 50+ with ease, then yeah, I'd use a scholarship on him. Otherwise, I would invite them as a walk-on and give them one later if they work out. As for Popham, I believe he used a much shorter tee in high school, which helped him once he hit Wake Forest.

There is another factor that deters colleges from offerring kickers full rides. The kicking game in high school and college is completely different, moreso than any other position in football IMO. In high school, kickers are allowed to use a tee. In college, they cannot. Back in my younger days, I could kick a 50 yard field goal with a tee, but when placed directly on the ground, I couldn't kick it nearly as far. Those couple inches change everything. Many coaches don't want to 'waste' a scholarship on such an unknown. They'd rather spend it on a guy they know can throw, run, catch, block, or tackle. Now, if a kid is kicking it directly off the ground in high school and is making them from 50+ with ease, then yeah, I'd use a scholarship on him. Otherwise, I would invite them as a walk-on and give them one later if they work out. As for Popham, I believe he used a much shorter tee in high school, which helped him once he hit Wake Forest.

 

That is 100% correct. Kicking off of an extra point tee is much easier than kicking off of the ground and provides an unknown vaiable in the transition from high school to college. This is one of the reasons teams keep so many kickers on the roster. You never know who will successfully make the transition, so you have to keep insurance on the roster.

I agree. I think a lot of people take having a good kicker for granted...

I think special teams in general is often vastly overlooked. Your field goal kicker is typically the leading scorer on the team. A kicker that can put the ball in the end zone on a kick off is a very valuable asset, as it assures that the other team will start from their 20 each time. A punter will often dictate field position, and that's so often the difference between winning and losing.

 

It's not the most glamorous position to have, and kickers are often not considered real players, but they're extremely important.