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.
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
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.
Tell me what you really think!