Post by elon_phan on Apr 17, 2007 20:15:41 GMT -5
Try to get a kick out of this: College kickers must adjust
By Bob Sutton / Times-News
April 16, 2007 3:00 AM
Elon University’s Brian Siegel said there’s no reason to make major changes in approach with a new rule designed to make it more difficult on college football kickers when they tee up the ball.
Just kick it farther.
“You’ve got to kick it the same way,” said Siegel, a rising junior out of Williams High School. “The kicking is all mental. Backing up 5 yards, you’ve just got to try to put it out of your mind and kick it the same way.”
A new college rule for 2007 has moved the point of kickoffs back 5 yards to the 30-yard line. This was done to create more returns and fewer touchbacks.
“It kind of levels the playing field,” Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said, pointing out that teams with kickers who could boot the ball a few yards into the end zone might not have that luxury any more.
Elon coach Pete Lembo said Siegel is likely to be the team’s primary specialist on kickoffs. The rule change didn’t surprise most teams, so they’ve dealt with that during recent spring drills.
Still, Wake Forest kicker Sam Swank was pushed from one of his habits.
“During spring ball, I put it at the 35 and they said, ‘No, you have to move it back,’ ” Swank said. “Obviously, I’m not very happy about it because just makes what I do that much more harder.”
An NCAA committee officially passed the rule last week.
Aside from the extra distance, Siegel said getting good height on kickoffs might increase in importance.
Wake Forest counts on Swank, who was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, in a variety of roles, including as the punter. But Grobe said the rising junior will adjust.
“Sam is fine with it,” Grobe said. “There’s not too many things that upset Sam Swank. So as long as Sam is fine with it, I’m fine with it.”
Elon has been practicing with kickoffs at the 30-yard-line in anticipation of the rule change. For the Phoenix, this issue is vital because Lembo said his staff identified kickoff coverages as the weakest component of the team’s special teams in 2006.
“We’re putting a good amount of time on that this spring,” he said.
Ultimately, offenses could benefit.
“It would improve field position for the offenses, which you would think would result in higher-scoring games,” Lembo said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but it probably will change things.”
Siegel and Andrew Wilcox, who handles Elon’s placekicking, were used on kickoffs last year. Siegel is a backup kicker for field goals and extra points.
Grobe said the new rule might make it more difficult to recruit kickers if more programs decide to make scholarships available to kickers. Incoming college kickers will be tested because in high school kickoffs are done from the 40-yard line.
Meanwhile, Siegel figures the change might force improvement.
“Hopefully, my leg will get stronger because of this,” he said.
By Bob Sutton / Times-News
April 16, 2007 3:00 AM
Elon University’s Brian Siegel said there’s no reason to make major changes in approach with a new rule designed to make it more difficult on college football kickers when they tee up the ball.
Just kick it farther.
“You’ve got to kick it the same way,” said Siegel, a rising junior out of Williams High School. “The kicking is all mental. Backing up 5 yards, you’ve just got to try to put it out of your mind and kick it the same way.”
A new college rule for 2007 has moved the point of kickoffs back 5 yards to the 30-yard line. This was done to create more returns and fewer touchbacks.
“It kind of levels the playing field,” Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said, pointing out that teams with kickers who could boot the ball a few yards into the end zone might not have that luxury any more.
Elon coach Pete Lembo said Siegel is likely to be the team’s primary specialist on kickoffs. The rule change didn’t surprise most teams, so they’ve dealt with that during recent spring drills.
Still, Wake Forest kicker Sam Swank was pushed from one of his habits.
“During spring ball, I put it at the 35 and they said, ‘No, you have to move it back,’ ” Swank said. “Obviously, I’m not very happy about it because just makes what I do that much more harder.”
An NCAA committee officially passed the rule last week.
Aside from the extra distance, Siegel said getting good height on kickoffs might increase in importance.
Wake Forest counts on Swank, who was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, in a variety of roles, including as the punter. But Grobe said the rising junior will adjust.
“Sam is fine with it,” Grobe said. “There’s not too many things that upset Sam Swank. So as long as Sam is fine with it, I’m fine with it.”
Elon has been practicing with kickoffs at the 30-yard-line in anticipation of the rule change. For the Phoenix, this issue is vital because Lembo said his staff identified kickoff coverages as the weakest component of the team’s special teams in 2006.
“We’re putting a good amount of time on that this spring,” he said.
Ultimately, offenses could benefit.
“It would improve field position for the offenses, which you would think would result in higher-scoring games,” Lembo said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but it probably will change things.”
Siegel and Andrew Wilcox, who handles Elon’s placekicking, were used on kickoffs last year. Siegel is a backup kicker for field goals and extra points.
Grobe said the new rule might make it more difficult to recruit kickers if more programs decide to make scholarships available to kickers. Incoming college kickers will be tested because in high school kickoffs are done from the 40-yard line.
Meanwhile, Siegel figures the change might force improvement.
“Hopefully, my leg will get stronger because of this,” he said.