Resolution for the kicking game - Old School

[Seebs]

Little known or used rule for field goals.  The ball must hit from the ground.
We have the Aussie kicker that can kick with both legs, and has the ability to put backspin, hang time, end-over-end, pooch - just manipulates the football like Willie Mosconi did to a cue ball.

Can we simply just have him drop-kick the ball for field goals? Heck, Doug Flutie did this for the Patriots in 2006 in an NFL game.

http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1481

Get Irwin-Hill to drop kick extra points and long as heck field goals.

You want old school football? Move over Jim Thorpe, we have some old school football.

[Dr. Starcs]

How about just go for it on every 4th down. You gotta think with our offense, we could get 10 yards with 4 downs more often than not.

[cbhawg03]

How about just go for it on every 4th down. You gotta think with our offense, we could get 10 yards with 4 downs more often than not.

This.

Either we can't kick or can't handle the snap, usually it is the kicking part.

[MJ2]

How about just go for it on every 4th down. You gotta think with our offense, we could get 10 yards with 4 downs more often than not.

Do you happen to coach at Pulaski Academy?

[jgphillips3]

Heck.  I'd love to see that just because.

[Jerrajo]

As far as the kicking game goes we still aren't fielding punts. Thats a killer in field pos games like we had against the gumps.

[PorkSoda]

As far as the kicking game goes we still aren't fielding punts. Thats a killer in field pos games like we had against the gumps.

no doubt this needs to be fixed.  people used to complain that we had a punt catcher instead of a punt returner.  that is sounding pretty good right now.

honestly I think the problem is that we have spent very little time on practicing special teams.  so I doubt anything will change this year.  maybe they will spend a little more time on it during spring practice.

our game relies on fundamentals like field position and time of possession. we need to win in those areas, if we are going to win games.  not just overall, but on a consistent drive by drive basis.

[Locutus_of_Boar]

There is a reason why there have only been a handful of successful drop kicks in the last 80 years...

In 1934, the ball was made more pointed at the ends. This made passing the ball easier, as was its intent, but made the drop kick obsolete, as the more pointed ball did not bounce up from the ground reliably. The drop kick was supplanted by the place kick, which cannot be attempted out of a formation generally used as a running or passing set. The drop kick remains in the rules, but is seldom seen, and rarely effective when attempted.

Austrailian rules football:  Once the preferred method of conveying the ball over long distances, the drop-kick has been superseded by the drop punt as a more accurate means of delivering the ball to a fellow player. It is, therefore, no longer used in the game as it is considered too unpredictable

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_kick

[deshahawg]

We were spoiled with an amazing place kicker in Hocker!

[Melorock089]

That is interesting.

So it's a punt really right?

If you miss, wouldn't that be a touchback?

[Ragnar Hogbrok]

That is interesting.

So it's a punt really right?

If you miss, wouldn't that be a touchback?

Not the same as a punt.  It has to hit the ground first.  Same as a field goal try.  If you miss and it goes through the end zone, it's a touchback.  Same as a field goal try.  Both are returnable, just as a punt.  See Auburn vs. Alabama last year.

[jdevers]

We fielded most punts until the Bama game, since they had three turnovers and lost two on punt return it may not have been a bad idea.  Neither team could hold on to the ball for anything last week...

[farmhawg]

no doubt this needs to be fixed.  people used to complain that we had a punt catcher instead of a punt returner.  that is sounding pretty good right now.

honestly I think the problem is that we have spent very little time on practicing special teams.  so I doubt anything will change this year.  maybe they will spend a little more time on it during spring practice.

our game relies on fundamentals like field position and time of possession. we need to win in those areas, if we are going to win games.  not just overall, but on a consistent drive by drive basis.

If our games relies on fundamental football it seems odd that this part is so bad.

[Locutus_of_Boar]

That is interesting.

So it's a punt really right?

If you miss, wouldn't that be a touchback?

Not a punt as the ball must be kicked on the bounce which is why the more pointed modern football really can't be used do the unpredictable bounce.  Unlike the punt I think the method is to hold the ball cross-wise to the direction of the kick.

Field goal rules apply so a missed attempt goes back to the line of scrimmage outside the 20.

About the only use for the drop kick would be if your line was being repeatedly overwhelmed (as on the extra point) you might direct snap to the kicker and attempt a short range FG by drop kick because the defense would assume a fake and play to contain instead of an all out charge up the middle to block.

[pignparadise]

Drop kicks are hard and unpredictable. In the Arena league I kicked in, an extra point by dropkick was 2 points and a dropkick field goal was 4 points. I tried a long dropkick field goal once and it was wide left. The Arena surface is more like carpet easier to get a good drop than dropkicking on field turf or grass.

[Hogberry Snortcake]

There is a reason why there have only been a handful of successful drop kicks in the last 80 years...

In 1934, the ball was made more pointed at the ends. This made passing the ball easier, as was its intent, but made the drop kick obsolete, as the more pointed ball did not bounce up from the ground reliably. The drop kick was supplanted by the place kick, which cannot be attempted out of a formation generally used as a running or passing set. The drop kick remains in the rules, but is seldom seen, and rarely effective when attempted.

Austrailian rules football:  Once the preferred method of conveying the ball over long distances, the drop-kick has been superseded by the drop punt as a more accurate means of delivering the ball to a fellow player. It is, therefore, no longer used in the game as it is considered too unpredictable

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_kick

This.  Old football was like a rugby ball.  Rugby ball is pretty easy to consistently drop kick.  Football, not so much.

[buldozer]

How about just go for it on every 4th down. You gotta think with our offense, we could get 10 yards with 4 downs more often than not.

This is the solution until the coach decides to play the reliable kicker. If they have 50% success on 4th down, they will score more points (assuming we make most of out extra points) than 100% success kicking field goals..... and we all know they have had much less than 100% success with the kicking game this year!

[ShadowTheHedgehog]

Heck.  I'd love to see that just because.

Same here.