How to fix the Kicking game

[pignparadise]

Here is my once a year post on kicking. **WARNING IT IS NOT A QUICK FIX** but over a couple of years you would see dramatic improvement.
Kicking field goals is a detailed mind game and I am speaking from some experience. It is a job unlike all others in sport. As a Special Teams coach, I would do the following:

1. Install Arena type goal posts (9' wide) on my practice field. My kickers would only kick to these goal posts except on game days. On game day the 18' wide goal posts would seem like a wide cavern easy to enter. When a kicker lines up to try a long field goal he really isn't thinking about how long it is. He is thinking about how narrow it looks and how his margin for error left and right is so small.

2. I would give personality tests to all kicking recruits. What you want is a Prima Donna Showman who wants the limelight ala Steve Little. My friend Steve Cox once said you have to cheer for the other team's defense against your offense so you can come in and be a Badass and save the day. How many times have you seen the kicker warming up and has that look of dread on his face.

3. I would put a lot of emphasis on my holder. His ability to place the ball on the exact spot is paramount. I would film over and over the snapper and the holder executing this without the kicker- charting and analyzing his ability to place the ball exactly on the spot. Would use a white dot on the field turf and a piece of fuss or tape in the game.  My back up Deep Snapper would be used to intentionally snap bad snaps to analyze again his ability to place accurately during duress. Remember the kicker is starting as the ball is snapped. An inch misplacement can easily be a foot left or right at the goal posts.

4. I would hope as Special Teams Coach that I had executed a pressure kick myself. Face it most Special Teams coaches have never been kickers. Its time we looked at ex  successful kickers as coaches. We don't need the James Shibest type (great receiver) coaching kickers. He knows absolutely nothing about making a pressure kick. Very few ex kickers are coaches (Fred Akers is the exception.) After dealing with the pressure and putting up with having a coach who knows not one damn thing about what you are during, kickers don't become coaches. We need to break the never  ending cycle.

See y'all next year cause the problem seems to come up often.

[longtimeHogfan]

I like the 9' uprights for practice and former 'successful' kickers for coaches.  Good ideas....

[Pigsknuckles]

TCU did not even attempt to rush on Hedlund's 2nd chip shot attempt. Didn't want to risk a penalty that would have given us first down inside the 5. They just stood up at the line and watched him clank it off the upright. Gimmicks aren't going to help Hedlund. It's all between his ears now.

[Seebs]

Laces out.

Dempsey had half of a foot. Maybe toe removal would work.

[lstewart]

The narrow practice goal post is a good idea. Probably is being done at some schools. I was never a kicker, but I can relate to feeling the pressure and having confident issues to other sports. It's much like the golfer who gets the yips on shortish putts, and has no confidence. In my case, it is hitting a second serve under pressure in tennis. I was an all conference college player, and have had a national senior ranking, but I have lost all confidence in getting my second serve in play. It is all in my head, but knowing that does not make it any easier. When you lose confidence in your ability to do something that takes some skill and execution under pressure, it is really really really hard to work it out.

[DeltaBoy]

Call the UA Mens Soccer Coach!

[bphi11ips]

I love this OP, especially number 2. 

[ricepig]

Call the UA Mens Soccer Coach!

As soon as we get Men's soccer we will!

[sowmonella]

Send them to a kickers camp.

[RazorPiggie]

Great ideas. That is similar to golfers. On some nice practice greens they usually have a hole cut half the size as a normal one. I usually setup there and try to make 5 3's in a row. It takes a long time.

[Hoggish1]

I like it all...!

[Porkchop#1]

Maybe we should look for someone good at drop kicking the football?

[HardCore]

Good suggestions, especially #1

[ricepig]

Take a look at the Catholic kicker, made a 51 yard FG against Jonesboro tonight that would have been good from 60. He did miss a 42 yard as time ran out in the first half. He's also a good punter, and put 4 kickoffs out of the end zone.