Is Georgia the Real “Kicker U”?
I was going to post this last year and never did. Now, as of yesterday, I am working the Georgia Kicking Camp next Tuesday June 1st. Dax Langley is running the camp. It will be great to see him.
Ole’ Bill King of Junkyard Blawg fame or infamy depending on who’s posting, was apparently short on material one day. He posed the question that I am sure was on everyone’s mind at the time. Who is the best kicker in Georgia history?
I have no delusions on this one and actually posted a vote. UGA has had it’s share of successful kickers, whether on the college level or in the NFL. But is Georgia the true Kicker U?
I had to know!
Here is my UGA list:
Bobby Etter – Falcons – 1968, 1969
Alan Leavitt -All-America 1976 - Buccaneers – 1978?
Rex Robinson – All American 1979-1980 - Patriots – 1982
Kevin Butler – All American 1983-84 – Bears, Cardinals 1985-1997?
John Kasay – Seahawks, Panthers – 1990-Present – Holy Crap!
Todd Petersen – Giants, Seahawks, Falcons – 1991- 2005?
Billy Bennett – NCAA leader in FG’s (87)
Brandon Coutu – Seahawks – 2008
Blair Walsh – Lou Groza Finalist 2009
Who will be next? We may see him Tuesday.
Any guesses of the other Kicker U? The University of California-Berkeley
Ray Wershing – 49er’s – 1973-1987
Jim Breech- Bengals – 1978-1992
Mick Luckhurst – Falcons – 1981-1987(could have been longer)
Doug Brien – 49ers, Saints, Jets, Bucs, Colts, Bears -1994-2005
Ryan Longwell – Packers, Vikings – 1997-present
That’s a pretty strong group, but a couple of the guys I thought went to UC, Berkeley actually went to other California schools. Frank Corrale went to UCLA. So maybe UGA does out- shine Cal. It has been an amazing run for those who wanted to be a part of a great group of guys at Georgia.
Kickers? Different? Well yeah, you have to be to do what we do. It’s hard to put a finger on what came first. Crazy people being drawn to kick or kicking making them that way. Either way, you have to have a different mindset or you will be cuckoo for cocoa puffs.
As I mentioned earlier, I cast my vote on AJC.com. As much as I love the young guys, Kevin Butler is still the man. But who was the man that made the man, wanna be the man. Hmmm? Yeah, that’s right. lol. If you look, Kevin is still ranked #3 in career field goals and #4 in kick scoring in SEC history, nearly 25 years later!
Rex, did you forget about the other Marietta High UGA product, the great Hap Hines! Why is he not on the list, at least for his 7 PATs against Auburn and his famous postgame quote: “I never miss PAT’s, and you can quote me.” Then he missed one the next week. You gotta give it to him for confidence!
06/22/2010 at 10:04 PM
Hard to pick just one but UGA has defiantly had some good ones. The best thing about Walsh is we have him for two more seasons, not to mention Butler punting. That combo should give the Dawgs an advantage in special teams over every team we play this fall. Not to mention Brandon Boykin returning kicks!
06/01/2010 at 3:21 AM
Alan Leavitt, then you Rex, and then Kevin Butler. It is quite a run of fun football games against great opponents beating them; and we always counted on you 3.
I am quite torn on who is best, but I guess everyone would give that to Kevin Butler, the 1st kicker in the Hall of Fame. I really liked Alan Leavitt. Those were great kicks he made. You did your part on the big stage beating Top 10 Final AP Poll teams.
If you just said which is the best family for special teams, that would go to Kevin and his son Drew, who has been on the most amazing run of punting ever witnessed. He has done his part, even if we have wasted some of his best kicks by losing the games, and many of those have been against really bad SEC East teams not even ranked in the Top 25 Final AP Poll.
Football is a team sport. No more true than that of Special Teams. Alan, then you, then Kevin; we really counted on you Rex. Are you the character Kevin is ? Do you have the leg Alan has ? You certainly continued what Alan had going for us, and Kevin certainly came in and did his best to keep it up.
In the last 4 years, we are 1-5 vs Top 25 Final AP Poll SEC East teams. Wish we were having the kind of success the last 4 years you 3 had for us Rex. That all boils down to little Aaron Murray this up-coming season, if we are to turn this around before we graduate 14 seniors after this season and lose another 4 juniors – all starters. We really have to do something about the offensive coaching staff.
05/31/2010 at 2:29 AM
I’ll vote for Kasay just because I had a class with him. I think it was Greek lit. Then again, he’s a Clarke Central product. As a Jaguar, that’s offensive. So I’ll go with whoever you discover Tuesday at Dax’s camp. As long as he doesn’t kick it out of bounds.
05/30/2010 at 7:43 PM
Was there any sweater words from the great Larry Munson than, “Rex Robinson does it again”!!!
05/29/2010 at 9:31 PM
Hang ‘em High!!
Clempson has had a few good ones, but nobody compares with UGA. I had no idea about the Golden Bears’ kicking tradition.
05/29/2010 at 6:53 PM
What an unfair and biased poll. All the fans that saw the guys kick in the mid 70′s and before are either no longer with us or crazy or both! Let’s vote on which guy was the best looking……………………………………heck………still! LOL.
05/29/2010 at 3:47 AM
If you are brave enough to submit an un-retouched photo(fully clothed), we will take another poll.
05/29/2010 at 6:10 AM
Which kicker has the National Championship ring? Nuff said.
05/28/2010 at 7:47 PM
Well, that’s a “TEAM” thing…but hopefully I did my part.
05/28/2010 at 9:45 PM
I’m all good with UGA being ‘Kicker U”…all very fine and Damn Good Dawgs on that list!
GO DAWGS!
05/28/2010 at 12:40 PM
I am a bit biased, saw the Butler do it against Clemson in 1985–have to go with Kevin. You, my sentimental fave, come in second. Billy Bennett has great taste in music (worked for MGMT) and was really fun to watch on TV–so he’s third.
05/28/2010 at 10:42 AM
You are such a suck-up, but thanks! lol
05/28/2010 at 6:47 PM
Hey dude, you’re the only one with a ring… and yes, there is a bit of suck-up in play–but only a tiny bit.
05/28/2010 at 7:57 PM
Not necessary…you’re my fav Dawg in all of La Jolla!
05/28/2010 at 9:46 PM