Kickers

[Guest HowieP1]

Craig Handel - October 1, 2004

Coaches' futures can hinge on their kickers' accuracy

Published by news-press.com on October 1, 2004

Kickers. No player seems to aggravate, exasperate and frustrate a football coach more.

It probably has something to do with the fact that they rarely hit or get hit, are basically asked to do one job  put the ball through the uprights  and are in two or three situations a year where their boots mean victory or defeat for their team.

That also means the coach continuing at his current residence is directly tied to his kicker's success rate. If the saying "The day you coach kids is the day you're closer to being fired" is true, the day coaches rely on their kickers for their next contract extension is the day they need a physchologist. Badly.

This season, missed extra points have cost Oregon State and LSU games, which also could cost the Beavers a bowl game and the Tigers a second straight national title.

Last week, Texas Christian lost to South Florida on an extra-point attempt that never could be kicked. A bad snap by Texas Christian's backup snapper was the difference as USF won 45-44 in double overtime.

LaBelle grad and USF kicker Santiago Gramatica, who saw the TCU trouble unfold, said, "From Day 1 here, I learned nothing is automatic. There are no gimmees in college football. There's still a degree of difficulty."

Justin Daniel, the former Charlotte High product, who has been the Bulls' snapper for four seasons, said seeing the botched snap didn't make him feel better.

"But it makes my job seem more important," he added. "It all begins with the snap. If it's not good, that usually leads to other bad things."

For an extra point  or field goal to be made  there has to be a good snap, good hold and good kick. A slippery ball, slippery hands or slippery turf can foul up any kick.

Then there are the intangibles, the mental part. In order for USF to go into overtime, then beat TCU, Gramatica had to make four extra points. Each time the pressure grew, but he said he said he tried to approach it like any other kick.

"I put enough pressure on myself on each kick," he said. I work all week on it. I have one shot. Just go and do your job."

Daniel added: "Thinking about it too much is how you screw up. It's hard but I try not to think of the pressure."

Daniel, holder Brandon Baker and Gramatica work on extra points and field goals from 30 to 45 minutes a day. Daniel has a routine of setting his feet, looking back, gripping the ball and waiting for the call. He aims for the holder's knee. Gramatica's ritual consists of getting his steps down, getting a good spot and looking at the uprights.

Gramatica is so intent about positive vibes, he doesn't even like to talk about misses.

"Every kick is important," he said.

The difference is that the ones at the end are the difference between being a hero  or helping your coach lose his job.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041001/COLUMNISTS08/410010387/1075

[Brad]

Good story...nice find...good to hear their angle on the job I think, until recently, many took for granted.

[Guest HowieP1]

Santiago kicked a screwball extra point in that TCU game that could have made him the goat, but it just made it through the uprights.  ;D

[BULLheaded]

I remember that and I was surprised he made it at since it looked like the snap was bad and the ball was practically lying on its side when he kicked it!

[Jamie]

Yeah, that was the PAT that tied the game at the end of regulation. It looked like he duffed it.

[lotsofbull99]

What happens to our kicking game once Santiago leaves?  We've been spoiled by the Automaticas ???

[Jamie]

I don't know, but they better use a scholarship to make sure they get a guy who can kick. Walk-on kickers will absolutely kill you at some point in the season, usually at the most critical times.

[lotsofbull99]

If we recruit Kickers as well as we've recruited Quarterbacks then we are in trouble

[smazza]

pats shouldn't be missed

and they aren't difficult