National Camp Series Event
I have been asked to run another camp for Michael Husted of National Camp Series. The event will be held at Roswell High School on December 4th, 2010.
We will test participants in field goals, kick-offs, punting and also long snapping. Grades 9-12 are welcome.
Henry to Kick vs. Bama
Florida’s Chas Henry has earned the reputation as one of the best punters in the country. As a Ray Guy finalist last year, he has seldom allowed any return yards in 3+ years as the Gators punter. Now he is being called upon to kick field goals tonight versus the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.
The starting placekicker Caleb Sturgis has been attempting to play with a back injury for weeks. Just this week, an MRI revealed a cracked vertebra and slipped disc. The injury apparently happened while lifting weights.
I spoke to Chas’s dad by phone this morning and he confirmed that Chas was kicking field goals and extra points and a walk-on freshman was kicking off for Florida tonight. This could prove to be a huge development because it changes everything for Henry. From weekly practice routines to pre-game and in-game preparation,
One positive is that Chas, who also is the holder when Sturgis kicks, feels very confident in his freshman holder. I hope Chas does well. I met Chas when he was a junior at East Paulding HS near Atlanta and I helped him prepare for the combine where he was discovered and ultimately offered by Florida.
To be perfectly honest, I hope Chas kicks four field goals and no extra points, if you know what I mean.
Alabama 24 Florida 12
Just Kickin’ It!
The next two weekends are going to be fun for me. This Saturday I will be headed towards Athens to hold a kicking clinic at Prince Avenue Christian School. Some dude named Tarpley had the bright idea that they might be interested. For once he was right and he and Coach Brian Wommack have worked to put it together. I really appreciate it.
All I have to do is show up and coach, the easy part.
I don’t even know how many kickers will be there, maybe 8 or 10. I just want every kicker to take something away from the experience. It may be something fundamental or a tip about getting more powerful. It’s different for every kid. Check back, because I will post pictures and maybe video if I can figure out how.
Next weekend, on July 24th, I will host a National Combine Series event at Riverwood HS in Atlanta. Click here to learn more.
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!
All-American Kickoff
I am very proud to announce that I will be partnering with Michael Husted of National Combine Series and Football University in coordinating the All American Kickoff combines in Atlanta, Birmingham and Nashville for 2010. NCS is providing input to Football University(FBU) in choosing the kickers for the Army All-American Bowl Game. I will continue to work with kickers on a small group and one on one basis in Marietta. In addition I may be doing a weekend camp at Irmo HS in Columbia, SC this summer.
The Atlanta camp will be at Mountain View HS in Lawrenceville, Georgia on April 30 – May 2.
The Birmingham area camp will be at Spain Park HS in Hoover on June 4-6.
The Nashville camp will be held at Father Ryan HS on June 25-27.
Go to the FBU website and nominate yourself or someone you know!
Of course, you can always call me at 404-455-0393 if you have questions.
Rex
Trion HS, A Kickers Reunion
Last summer, I received an email from a Dad I know. I had worked with his son before and he was very happy. I work with a lot of young guys each summer, mostly young kickers who have grown up playing soccer. That is a plus but not a guarantee of success. Kicking soccer balls and a football are very different. Every once in a while I will hear from someone that has never kicked anything, and that was pretty much the case with the Carons.
Rex,
I want to let you know how much I appreciate your having taught my son Corey two years ago. As a novice, with his hard work and your instruction, he was very successful in his only year as a place-kicker.
I, the coaches, and the other Trion fans were impressed enough that I would like to send my younger son, Craig, for lessons this summer. He, too, is a novice and I fully anticipate similar results. Thanks again for your help.
Sincerely,
Douglas E. Caron, M.D.
Things have gone well with Craig as well, and it illustrates a point I try to make with coaches. Don’t accept the idea that if you don’t have a great kicker, your stuck. I always say you can take a good athlete and make them a solid high school kicker. Many great south Georgia football programs breeze through the regular season only to suffer in the playoffs with a sub-par kicking game. For that matter, any school in an area without much of a soccer influence can suffer.
All these two have done is everything their coaches have asked of them. Consistent extra points and short field goals can be a valuable thing to a high school coach. Corey kicked a last minute 43 yard field goal against Jefferson his senior year. Trion was down 20-17 and the kick sent the game to overtime. Clutch. Craig’s longest attempt last year was a 37 yarder, and yes he made it.
Corey and Craig Caron
We worked out today to make sure we are ready for the season. Craig will be ready. Call me if you have a young kicker that needs help.
Kicking Camps vs. Private Instruction
One of the nations cottage industries is kicking camps. If you do a google search you will find more choices than Carter’s has pills to use an old cliche. In Atlanta alone their will be a half dozen camps/clinics and the like. Some with names you know, some I never even heard of, but still they come. Many parents send their kids to these camps, holding out hope that the promise of a college scholarship might come their way.
The promise is implied usually, because they have a list of college coaches that “listen to them”. So if you come to camp and “do well”, they will put you on the list of kicking prospects. Most major universities hold kicking camps. There are too many of these that are nothing more than glorified tryouts for the cream of the crop and the rest of the kickers are left to learn from a college “counselor”. This “counselor” may be a very good college kicker but that does not mean he can coach.
In 1996, I moved back to my home town of Marietta Georgia. It was not long before I met few of the guys who were kicking for the Blue Devils. They expressed mixed feelings about their “camping” experiences and felt that the big camps were just that, too big. I decided I would try and help a few guys on a small group basis and after 13 years I have coached literally hundreds of kids from 10-25. But never more than 5-6 at a time and these days more often than not, one on one.
This summer I will have kickers I have worked with, either kicking or competing for jobs at Kentucky, Florida, Georgia Tech, Miami of Ohio, Wofford, Air Force Academy, The Naval Academy, and Tennessee Tech. Click here to learn more. I have resisted going the way of the big camp, which is the only way to really make any money. I want to maintain my level of involvement with each guy, and not rely on a kid to do my job. If you know a young kicker or their parent, I can help them improve. That’s all I guarantee, a better kicker.
Billy Bennett hosed in Heisman voting!
I recently recieved a comment from a reader that made the statement that Billy should have won the Heisman. Of course this is more than silly, but Billy Bennett’s worth to his team goes largely unrecognized. I initially thought this person had found the Elmer’s again, poor fellow, but I did know for a fact that Billy was a big part of the formula that made this team a winner and not a loser. In fact, in 2002 and 2003, Billy Bennett was as valuable a “player” to his team as any other player in the nation.
How can I say such a thing? Well, I’m gonna tell you if you give me a minute…gah!
I’m not sure if you realize this, but the young Mr. Bennett, kicked more field goals than anyone in the history of college football. Let me repeat, Billy holds the NCAA records for field goals attempted and made. Heck, he made more FG’s(87), than I attempted(84). He also has two of the top three seasons for field goals attempted in the history of the SEC. Let me repeat that. The 2002 and 2003 seasons are #3 and #1 in attempted field goals in the history of the SEC. As a side note, the 2005 season is a tie for 7th(Brandon Coutu).
In doing my research I came across this blog, showing some much deserved love for Billy. For you stat-nics out there whenever a kicker attempts an equal number of field goals as extra points, that team is usually a loser. Yet, that’s exactly what happened in 2003. Billy attempted 38 FG’s and 38 PAT’s, and that is a formula for disaster. In 1977, I attempted 20 FG’s and only 16 PAT’s. This is an extreme example as we were extremely bad, but the formula normally holds true. When a team attempts as many or more FG’s than PAT’s, they go .500 at best, but usually worse. The 2003 Georgia Bulldogs went 11-3 and a Top 10 national ranking. This might be the biggest statistical anomaly in history. Go ahead stat-dude, check it out.
Now what most Georgia people already know is that the defense of Coach Brian Van Gorder ranked 3rd nationally in scoring defense, giving up only 11.4 points per game. Players like David Pollack, Odell Thurman, Thomas Davis and Sean Jones should get some love too. Just a little. But do you remember how many times the Dawgs bogged down in the red zone at the beginning of games and Billy was always there, getting us some points and salvaging a drive.
Billy did not not even get an invite to the Heisman party. That’s highway robbery. I know that in general Georgia fans appreciate his accomplishments, but there was much more to the story, and I thought you should know. Some might take this as an indictment on the offenses on those teams. Maybe so, but more than anything I am campaigning for ‘take a kicker to lunch day”. I am free tommorrow and Friday.
Jack Nicklaus suggested “Practicing with Purpose”
Tiger Woods dominates the sports pages these days, at least as far as golf goes, but one of my heroes as a young athlete was Jack Nicklaus. You know, the one Tiger aspires to equal and possibly surpass in career wins. He influenced my thinking as much as anyone.
As I began to take kicking and football more seriously, Jack Nicklaus impressed upon me the two principles that guided my steps. The first was the idea that every off season he went back to his old coach and said these words,” Teach me to play golf, all over again“. The focus on the fundamentals was the hallmark of his stellar career. He never took for granted that he knew it all. We shouldn’t either. As a kicker and as a coach, I never want to settle for the status quo. I want to get better.
The other aspect of his teaching was actually the name of one of his videos. Practicing with purpose became my mantra. I never went out the same way again. I never settled for kicking one hundred balls and actually felt like I had accomplished something special. From that point on my focus became quality vs. quantity.
It has been said that practice makes perfect, but many of you know that only perfect practice makes perfect. Go out next time with a specific goal in mind for that day…Perfect on field goals inside 40 yards…better hang-time on punts or kickoffs…improve your directional abilities on punts or kickoffs…control your emotions better…the list goes on and on.
So many young kickers go about their business in an unconscious manner. Be aware of everything you do and don’t do to achieve your goals. I have coached very talented kickers who thought they were all that and they have underachieved because of their attitude. One is 20 and out of football completely because he wanted to do it his way. Be coach-able, seek to understand rather than be understood. Work hard, be the best.
This article was originally published on kicking.com on April 19, 2003…RR
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NCAA says no to touchbacks…
Imagine if you will, a professional golfer who is consistently able to drive the ball 300 yards with reasonable accuracy. Now you tell him he HAS to either to drive it 330 yards with the same degree of accuracy OR drive it 290 with an even higher degree of accuracy on the left side of the fairway, with greater height. WITH THE SAME CLUB. But he can’t tee it UP, he has to tee it down. If you are a golfer and/or a knowledgable golf fan you probably see the lunacy in these expectations.
Yet this is what was expected of Blair Walsh last year.
I am going to try to explain this with as much factual information as possible, so it will not appear I am trying to make excuses for Blair or anyone else. (more…)
The Decision to Excel(from Kicking.com 2003)
It was January 1978, and I was going through my first off-season workouts at the University of Georgia. It was by far the toughest thing I had ever been through physically or mentally. It was tougher than usual because we had just suffered through the only losing season Coach Vince Dooley would ever have while Head coach. We were 5-6 this my freshman year and while I started as a freshman it was anything but an auspicious start.
I was 10-20 on field goals and it was during these same winter workouts that I would watch kicking game film (this is pre-video), and I noticed something. It wasn’t anything technical in my swing. It was the obvious letdown my teammates suffered when I missed perfectly makeable kicks. Now, I was not the reason we went 5-6 but the bottom line is, I was not doing my part for the team to succeed.
My resolve to change this was huge. I worked harder and harder as the winter workouts came to an end and spring football began. The problem was, just like a lot of you, I did not or could not do a lot of kicking during the winter. As spring began I was a little rusty. At the same time, a transfer named Dave Allison became eligible to compete for the job and compete he did.
There were times during that spring that moré than a few people warned me about losing my job. It was a long spring but my goals had been set in February and they never changed. Not only will I keep my job but, I want to be the best in the SEC. I reached my goals. Dave Allison helped make that possible. Don’t ever be afraid of competition. I have known kickers that would rather not go out or transfer to another school than run the risk of not being THE MAN.
I have pretty strong feelings about that type of attitude. In fact, it is not printable. Just let me say this. If you ever shy away from competition, you don’t deserve to be THE MAN. I just told one of my local guys a couple of weeks ago, just because you are going to be a 10th grader this fall, don’t settle for being the JV kicker. Let the head coach make that decision, don’t you make it for him. The good thing is, if you are on this site and reading this you are probably not that kind of person.
If kicking is what you want to do, you have some tough choices to make. Becoming the best at something is not an accident. It has to be intentional. There will be some sacrifice. When you go to the beach, take your footballs. No field, no goal-posts, no problem. Go to a park and kick over the swings or better yet aim at a single object like a light pole and hit it. Yes you heard me, HIT THE POLE. We do this drill every day to warm up. See the Pole, be the pole, hear the ping. If all you ever do is kick between uprights, you’re not going to be focused enough on accuracy. Work hard, be the best.
This article was originally published on kicking.com on 3.14.2003…RR
P.S.- Exactly one year later, I sat to have the picture you see above taken for the 1979 Playboy All-American Team. I am seated by Billy Sims of Oklahoma who had won the Heisman Trophy in 1978. Beside him is the 1979 winner, Charles White from USC. My what a difference a year makes.
Tell me what you really think!