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.

 

:thumb:

I believe Popham was a walk-on his first/redshirt year then went on scholarship.

Shane walked on at Wake and was advised if he was good enough during practice his redshirt year he would receive a scholarship, which he did. We hated the whole recruiting process for a kicker/punter especially in this state where there was an attitude that kickers/punters were low on the food chain. How many games come down to a last second field goal or a punt to pin. Of all of the schools were dealt with Wake was up front and truthful. Shane made a good choice. The young man from Bell County is a gifted kicker and deserved a good program. Hats off to Western Ky. for knowing how important a kicker is. We got the same cold shoulder treatment from UK & UL also.

Look kickers and punters are very important but to give them a schorlarship out of high school just does not happen right away. They do run out and kick the game winning field goal and punt the ball inside the 10 on occasion but college coaches are not going to give them a schorlarship for doing that right away. They need to prove they can be a college kicker and handle the pressure and the different style that you have to play college. The biggest jump a player can make is high school to college. They need to prove themselves. And before I get yelled at by every kicker and punter out there I do like Shane and I know his brother so take it easy on me this is my opinion.

Look kickers and punters are very important but to give them a schorlarship out of high school just does not happen right away. They do run out and kick the game winning field goal and punt the ball inside the 10 on occasion but college coaches are not going to give them a schorlarship for doing that right away. They need to prove they can be a college kicker and handle the pressure and the different style that you have to play college. The biggest jump a player can make is high school to college. They need to prove themselves. And before I get yelled at by every kicker and punter out there I do like Shane and I know his brother so take it easy on me this is my opinion.

 

Good opinion! The biggest switch is kicking off of grass rather than the block that most high school kickers use. This is WAY different and may quality kickers at the high school level cant make it happen at the college level.

At Bama we have a senior/Sophomore/ on scholly for next year and a kid who is going to walk on in the fall. Has great stats and can afford to walk on. We do give them for kickers, but rather not.

At Bama we have a senior/Sophomore/ on scholly for next year and a kid who is going to walk on in the fall. Has great stats and can afford to walk on. We do give them for kickers, but rather not.

 

Is my memory correct that the main Bama kicker struggled this year? Is he back next year?

We had a kid at Frankfort that could flat out kick, was a good soccer and basketball player. He walked on at Western and told us how much different it is in college. He said height was the main thing and getting it off the ground was much more difficult.

That's what I was trying to say. Anyone can pretty much kick off a tee but to be consistent of grass os tough and takes some adjustmenting. Not to mention the speed that is has to happen. In high school you can take your time in college that ball has to get away or its getting blocked.