Indiana's FG Kicking is (almost) As Bad As Ours
While we have truly sucked in making FGs this year - Indiana is not far behind. Their regular kicker - N. Freeland - who was quite inconsistent last year (14/25, none for 40+ yards) - did not play the last two games because of hip and/or knee injury. In case Freeland is still unavailable this Sat, then IU will again turn to freshman M. Ewald who is 2/3 o FGs this year. Considering Freeland is considered better than Ewald - we should expect inconsistency in FG kicking by IU.
Interestingly - Ewald was IU's highest rated recruit in 2009 (#4 Kicker in country as per ESPN). C. Hagerup (listed as QB recruit by ESPN, but really a Punter) was IU's highest rated recruit in 2007. IU is clearly trying to improve its special teams - I hope the improvement happens after this Sat.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:40 AM ^
September 27th, 2010 at 10:38 AM ^
3 kicks is a small sample size. They could all have been inside the 5 yard line. Even we would be better than 66% on those. If Indiana thinks this guy is 2nd string behind mediocrity, then I would venture to say it doesn't stay 66% for long, or else they just don't kick outside of the 20 yard line.
September 27th, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^
September 27th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
No, but if you actually read my post, I would consider us better than 66%.
September 30th, 2010 at 10:21 AM ^
That miss has to be put on the shoulders of the holder, as stated by Rich Rod, even though I know the holder is part of the special teams, it is much easier than PK and should have improved by now (as far as I can tell all the holds have been good since).
September 27th, 2010 at 9:34 AM ^
But it goes to the success that we have enjoyed over the years having a solid kicking program. I think our kicking game will come around, but I do not think we will see real solid progress this year. Rodriguez is right to be publicly concerned.
The scariest thing is that so much of kicking is a mental thing, not a physical thing. And with Rodriguez being vocal about it, I just don't know these players well enough to know how they will respond.
Here's hoping that we make Indiana's kicker a mental case!
September 27th, 2010 at 9:36 AM ^
He was 4/5, although all 4 were inside of 35 yards
September 27th, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^
Ewald must have gone to Indiana for the chicks. Good call.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:45 AM ^
C. Hagerup is Will Hagerup's older brother. They both trained extensively as kickers growing up, though Will is the better kicker.
September 27th, 2010 at 10:04 AM ^
Did anyone else watch the end of the Tennessee game on Saturday? UAB's kicker, Josh Zahn, missed 4 FGs (30, 35, 41 and 49 yards) when they got a chance to win the game late in the 4th. Rather than go for it on 4th and 6, they tried a 54 yard FG, which he of course pushed way right. He must have a decent leg since they obviously felt confident in him enough to try - and it turns out he did have the distance.
5 FGs missed in regulation. That's not good. He ended up making two in OT, but Tennessee won it.
Also, Janikowski missed 3 yesterday and Hartley of NO missed a chip shot game winner in OT for New Orleans, so at least it's not just us who can't kick a field goal.
September 27th, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
September 27th, 2010 at 11:02 AM ^
why would UM kick a field goal?
September 27th, 2010 at 12:32 PM ^
I read somewhere on here that ours was last or second-to-last in the country, with an average punting distance of -5 yards. I'd like to find the source of that, to see if it's changed any after last week.
September 27th, 2010 at 2:20 PM ^
Well I'll tell you, I can't remember a single good punt we had against BGSU.