Coutu Redo
Georgia Bulldogs everywhere remember Brandon Coutu. He’s the one that made Dawg fans feel a little better about losing Billy Bennett. I just hope NFL personnel departments have not forgotten him. They can have extremely short memories. Brandon is one of the best kickers in recent years and a hip condition prevented him from performing at the highest level when drafted by Seattle a couple of years ago.
Now he is rehabbing from a second surgery on his hip(click here) and is hoping to get just one more shot. There is no doubt he has the ability. As always, he just has to be at the right place at the right time.
I wish him well.
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!
Blair Walsh, My Man!
I have waited to talk about Blair Walsh and his game-winning 37 yard field goal Saturday night against Arizona State. I was as nervous as I’ve been in a long time. Not because I was not confident in Blair. I always get nervous watching young kickers in pressure situations and this one was worse because I actually know him.
In the past year or so I have seen Blair ride the proverbial roller coaster that is a kicker’s existence. He started out very well last year, particularly on field goals, but the challenges of directional kicking derailed him temporarily. He finished strong but the seed of an idea was already growing in Mark Richt’s mind. Maybe Blair was not the answer after all. He even said as much in a press conference when he said he would go as far as Poland to find some one that could kick-off through the end zone. I can’t tell you how angry I was at this uninformed flippant statement from some one I had grown to respect very much. It was a low blow.
Following up on his promise, Georgia signed a junior college kicker, Brandon Bogotay based on nothing more than a recruiting video. Now I believe Brandon to be a very good kicker as well. He, like Blair is not allowed to kick as he did previously.
As most of you know, I have been an advocate of Blair’s for several reasons. First, I knew how well he had performed in high school and after meeting him last summer, I knew his resolve to succeed at this level. Secondly, I knew the flawed philosophy he was being forced to employ. Third, he was being unfairly criticized by coaches and fans alike for struggling at times with said flawed philosophy.
This past off-season has been a time of tremendous growth for Blair I’m sure. He has already surpassed last year’s number of touch-backs with five. Even so, he is not allowed to even try but from time to time. As of now, he is a perfect 8-8 on field goals with two over 50 yards. Just so you know, he will miss someday, so don’t have a hissy fit when it happens.
I could not be happier for this young man who has been through so much from fans and coaches alike, for no good reason. I have never met his parents, but I’m equally happy for them.
Billy Bennett, Brandon Coutu & now Blair Walsh,
aka The Killer B’s,
Coach Richt must think he’s in heaven already.
All he ever knew before Georgia was WIDE RIGHT.
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…)
Tell me what you really think!