With our extra 5th - let's get the best NCAA Kicker

[JMFP]

Sam Swank, Wake Forest

Height: 6-2. Weight: 206.

Projected Round (2009): 5.

5/26/08: Sam Swank nailed every attempt within 40, and was 5-of-8 from beyond that distance, including 2-of-3 from 50-plus. Most impressive is the fact that Swank is 9-of-12 from 50-plus in his career.

 

 

http://www.walterfootball.com/draft2009K.php

 

 

[Treehugger]

Yes please. Having some stability at K would make me happy.

[Allstarjim]

Swank is not even the best kicker in the ACC, Joe! What about Groza award winner Graham Gano from FSU? He was 24 of 26 in FGs, and more impressively, was 19 of 19 from inside 50! He was 4 of 6 over 50 yards, and nailed all 5 of his attempts of FG's from 40-49.

 

In addition, he is an AWESOME punter that can easily take over for Feagles when he hangs 'em up. I saw him (in person) drop 3 punts IN A ROW inside the 3 yard line! One landed on the two, bounced, and spun in place on the one yard line, unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't know if he has a foot at the end of his leg or a pitching wedge! He averages just about 43 yards per punt.

 

He is truly the best kicker in the country, probably the best punter as well. Whoever gets him will only need to carry one player for kicking AND punting duties, creating good value and allowing for an extra roster spot. We ended the season with 3 players for kicker and punter!

[JMFP]

Swank is not even the best kicker in the ACC, Joe! What about Groza award winner Graham Gano from FSU? He was 24 of 26 in FGs, and more impressively, was 19 of 19 from inside 50! He was 4 of 6 over 50 yards, and nailed all 5 of his attempts of FG's from 40-49.

 

In addition, he is an AWESOME punter that can easily take over for Feagles when he hangs 'em up. I saw him (in person) drop 3 punts IN A ROW inside the 3 yard line! One landed on the two, bounced, and spun in place on the one yard line, unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't know if he has a foot at the end of his leg or a pitching wedge! He averages just about 43 yards per punt.

 

He is truly the best kicker in the country, probably the best punter as well. Whoever gets him will only need to carry one player for kicking AND punting duties, creating good value and allowing for an extra roster spot. We ended the season with 3 players for kicker and punter!

 

You know what, I just checked my own link and the damn thing was dated May 2008, meaning it wasn't updated after the season. That's kind of embarrassing.

 

So, yeah, let's forget about Swank, and talk about your guy Gano instead. But my main point is that we need to spend a mid-round draft pick and get a young, solid leg so we don't need to revisit the position every single season, and sometimes, every few games.

[Allstarjim]

You know what, I just checked my own link and the damn thing was dated May 2008, meaning it wasn't updated after the season. That's kind of embarrassing.

 

So, yeah, let's forget about Swank, and talk about your guy Gano instead. But my main point is that we need to spend a mid-round draft pick and get a young, solid leg so we don't need to revisit the position every single season, and sometimes, every few games.

 

 

Yeah, Joe, I agree. This continual trying out B-level kickers every year is getting old. No knock on Carney, but he did so well because the vast majority of his attempts were inside 50 yards. In fact, Coach Coughlin only asked him to make one FG all year from 50 yards or more, in the Minnesota game, which, to his credit, he made. But that was off the artificial turf in a dome. Otherwise, Carney was only 5 of 9 from between 40-49 including playoffs. So Carney was not asked to make FGs from distance really at all this year, showing a lack of confidence from Coughlin that he even had range for the longer FG tries (which he really doesn't). Tynes is similarly somewhat less consistent than you would like in a kicker.

 

And when you think about it, the kicker position can be immensely important. It would be nice if Reese drafted Gano, and we can have confidence that our kicker was going to make it everytime, even the long ones.

 

That said, I don't have any confidence that the Giants will actually draft a kicker... they seem to be completely averse to that idea.

[JMFP]

Yeah, Joe, I agree. This continual trying out B-level kickers every year is getting old. No knock on Carney, but he did so well because the vast majority of his attempts were inside 50 yards. In fact, Coach Coughlin only asked him to make one FG all year from 50 yards or more, in the Minnesota game, which, to his credit, he made. But that was off the artificial turf in a dome. Otherwise, Carney was only 5 of 9 from between 40-49 including playoffs. So Carney was not asked to make FGs from distance really at all this year, showing a lack of confidence from Coughlin that he even had range for the longer FG tries (which he really doesn't). Tynes is similarly somewhat less consistent than you would like in a kicker.

 

And when you think about it, the kicker position can be immensely important. It would be nice if Reese drafted Gano, and we can have confidence that our kicker was going to make it everytime, even the long ones.

 

That said, I don't have any confidence that the Giants will actually draft a kicker... they seem to be completely averse to that idea.

 

Neither do I. Free agent retreads seem to be how the Giants like to operate. I remember when Mason Crosby was on the board, and we passed on him....then we failed to sign Raynor, who lost a close competition to Crosby with the Packers.

 

I'll always be thankful to Tynes for that Green Bay kick, but I've never completely felt comfortable with him, and of course, Carney's limitations were painfully exposed this postseason. Gano could cover three roles - FGs, touchbacks, and as an emergency punter.

[Allstarjim]

Neither do I. Free agent retreads seem to be how the Giants like to operate. I remember when Mason Crosby was on the board, and we passed on him....then we failed to sign Raynor, who lost a close competition to Crosby with the Packers.

 

I'll always be thankful to Tynes for that Green Bay kick, but I've never completely felt comfortable with him, and of course, Carney's limitations were painfully exposed this postseason. Gano could cover three roles - FGs, touchbacks, and as an emergency punter.

 

 

Yes, and eventually, he would be the Giants' punter. His skill there cannot go unrecognized. In fact, Gano was just the punter for FSU prior to this year. Then when Gary Cismesia (their previous kicker) graduated, they had that hole there and tried out Gano, and discovered they had a guy right there who will probably go down as the 2nd best kicker in school history, and only 2nd because Sebastian Janikowski had such an illustrious career there for his tenure at FSU.

[JMFP]

Another great prospect is Utah's kicker, Louie Sakoda.

 

I saw him in person when the Utes played Michigan at the Big House, and he was unfookingbelievable. He was absolutely killing the ball. THAT dude has a cannon for a leg, and he can punt too.

[Allstarjim]

Another great prospect is Utah's kicker, Louie Sakoda.

 

I saw him in person when the Utes played Michigan at the Big House, and he was unfookingbelievable. He was absolutely killing the ball. THAT dude has a cannon for a leg, and he can punt too.

 

 

Never heard of him. Stats?

[JMFP]

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/mobilere....xml&coll=3

 

Utah's Louie Sakoda -- king of kickers -- to face Alabama in Sugar Bowl

All-American enjoys celebrity status with Utah football fans

Friday, December 26, 2008

By GENTRY ESTES

Sports Reporter

Louie Sakoda wants to change what you may think about the role of a place-kicker on a football team.

 

Around Utah's campus, he already has.

 

They call him "King Louie." At 5-foot-9, 178 pounds, he's a local football celebrity in an area not usually consumed by college football. He's also the most decorated member of the seventh-ranked team from Utah (12-0) that's set to take on No. 4 Alabama (12-1) in the Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

 

"To see what I've come to now, it's unreal," Sakoda said. "A lot of times when I go out places, sometimes it's more of a burden than anything, like going to the grocery store or something.

 

"It's cool to get recognized and have people come up and tell you good job, this and that, but at some point it does become a little bit of a burden. But I have to tell myself, how many people have the opportunity to experience something like this."

 

Sakoda, a senior from San Jose, Calif., heads into his final collegiate game after a whirlwind of flights and public appearances. He was a finalist for the Draddy Award (academics), Lou Groza Award (kicker), Ray Guy Award (punter) and one of only nine players — Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith was another — to be chosen as a unanimous All-American.

 

It was the first time that has happened to a player in the Mountain West Conference.

 

"He has a huge following here. People love him," Utes quarterback Brian Johnson said.

 

"He makes clutch kicks, and he's very popular. He gets the job done."

 

Sakoda went 21 of 23 on field-goal attempts this season, making all 17 chances from inside 48 yards. His two misfires both occurred in one game. He missed attempts of 48 and 54 yards against Air Force, but he booted game-deciding field goals against Michigan and Oregon State this season.

 

The one against the Wolverines was a season-best bomb from 53 yards that provided the winning margin in a two-point victory.

"He's won us some big games," Utah defensive end Paul Kruger said.

 

That success alone would be enough. But Sakoda's reputation has been built on something more — basically a deep-seated belief that he isn't just a kicker, but a football player.

 

He lives with offensive linemen. He makes sure to be a regular in team functions, and above all, he never misses a workout, just like everyone else.

 

"Often times, kickers are — I don't want to say ostracized — but they isolate themselves a little bit and don't hang out with the boys," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. "But Louie does that. He's also a tremendous worker. A lot of kickers don't place a lot of value in the weight room and so forth, but he's in the weight room working right alongside our guys and doing everything that everybody else is doing."

 

To Sakoda, the last thing he wants to be is just another kicker.

 

"Playing every sport that's been available to me, you kind of learn a certain work ethic," he said. "I don't see any reason why one should lose his work ethic if he becomes a kicker and fall into that horrible stigma that we often get."

 

What gets a relatively unknown specialist to this point?

 

Sakoda said he played wide receiver and cornerback in high school in addition to his special-teams duties. He enjoyed baseball as a pitcher and outfielder, but saw no future in that sport at the next level. His one opportunity was as a place-kicker, but even that wasn't a sure thing.

 

Utah coaches noticed Sakoda at a kicking combine in Las Vegas, an event Sakoda described as, "Hundreds of kickers show up. They basically pay to be able to showcase their skills in front of college coaches."

 

When it came down to it, he chose the chance to walk on at Utah over a scholarship offer from Idaho State and interest — but no offer — from UCLA. He started immediately as the Utes' punter and became the full-time place-kicker the following season.

 

Another stigma to Sakoda's success is the thin air in the mountains of Utah. Does it make a football travel farther?

 

"I'd say it helps a little bit," Sakoda said. "When I go back home to San Jose and California and I go and kick there, the ball always seems a little bit heavier. At the same time, when we've played teams at sea level, I've had some of my farthest punts and best field goals. It's really hard to say."

 

Looking ahead, Sakoda said he has never kicked in a dome, a new experience waiting in New Orleans.

 

He also wants to finish a flawless season by downing the Crimson Tide.

 

"I know I'm going to be doing a lot of kicking," Sakoda said. "It's going to be a game of two defenses. We've got one of the top (defenses) in the nation. It's going to be a grinder on both sides, I feel."

 

 

[Lughead]

Swank is not even the best kicker in the ACC, Joe! What about Groza award winner Graham Gano from FSU? He was 24 of 26 in FGs, and more impressively, was 19 of 19 from inside 50! He was 4 of 6 over 50 yards, and nailed all 5 of his attempts of FG's from 40-49.

 

In addition, he is an AWESOME punter that can easily take over for Feagles when he hangs 'em up. I saw him (in person) drop 3 punts IN A ROW inside the 3 yard line! One landed on the two, bounced, and spun in place on the one yard line, unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't know if he has a foot at the end of his leg or a pitching wedge! He averages just about 43 yards per punt.

 

He is truly the best kicker in the country, probably the best punter as well. Whoever gets him will only need to carry one player for kicking AND punting duties, creating good value and allowing for an extra roster spot. We ended the season with 3 players for kicker and punter!

 

I would never carry all my eggs in one basket. that would leave us One Hammy or roughing the kicker penalty away from having no Kicker or Punter.

[Allstarjim]

I would never carry all my eggs in one basket. that would leave us One Hammy or roughing the kicker penalty away from having no Kicker or Punter.

 

 

I'm sure we can find some athlete on the roster to suffice in such a drastic scenario. Perhaps Jacobs can be an emergency kicker, he does have a tree trunk for a leg!

[Lughead]

I'm sure we can find some athlete on the roster to suffice in such a drastic scenario. Perhaps Jacobs can be an emergency kicker, he does have a tree trunk for a leg!

 

Surely you jest?

[Allstarjim]

I just at the Jacobs reference, but not at the idea that another position player could be identified as a worthy player to hold the emergency kicker/punter duties. He would only need to hold down the fort for that game, as another kicker and punter would be signed the next week. It's really not that big of a risk anyway as kickers and punters are rarely hit and when they are, usually not hit too hard.

 

Plus, Gano is no shrimp. He's an athlete at 6'1" and 200 lbs. He can take a hit or two!