The consistency of our failures is 100% coaching. We don't have a bunch of junior high athletes out there. Each one has already shown superior ability and was recruited because of that ability. Once they get here it is up to the coaching staff to mold them into a team. The coaching staff has to recognize problem areas and make adjustments. Every athlete is going to make mistakes, but consistent issues such as Shaw's punts getting consistently blocked or tipped fall entirely on the coaches. Consistently throwing bubble screens on third and long are coaching issues. The coaches prepare for each game and the first quarter is when they find out how well they did, or how well their opponents did. From that point on, the ability to make adjustments is what defines a good coaching staff. How many times has the phrase "out coached" been used in referring to our losses? The most disturbing thing is that we never seem to correct problems. I think an opponent could watch a game film from last year and prepare for a game. Sorry for the rant but I get tired of people trying to shift partial or total blame to the players.
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Is our kicking game a coaching issue or talent issue?
- Thread starter HookedonGriz
- Start date
As every sports psychologist will tell you, the best way to "fix" a kicker is to call him a piece of shit on a message board. Or call the coach a piece of shit.
BadlandsGrizFan
Well-known member
It is a COACHING TALENT issue
The kicking game overall was simply brutal. For some reason this was true on both sides with SD being better on FG's and UM better at kickoff's. The only place I've seen a better hook in a kicker than that kid from SD has been on the golf course. Had his last FG been on the opposite hash mark he would have missed badly.
Bottom line is that it is primarily a coaching issue because the coaches are not spending enough time on special teams play. While I do not know for certain, my guess is that the Grizzly staff is spending less than or equal to about 3 hours per week on ST coaching specifically. They should double that, at least 5 to 6 hours per week until the ST play becomes as stellar as the defense. What they need to concentrate on is timing and technique, not results. The results will come if those two things are addressed.
I always watch the kickers not the ball and these were my observations.
I actually thought that Greenberg had a pretty decent delivery even though he missed the two field goals he tried. That 46 yard attempt in the first quarter was a pretty good kick. He just got unlucky. But it was about at the end of his range. A 48 yard attempt may not have cleared the crossbar. His second attempt was not struck as well even though it was on line.
As for Lider, his timing was way off. He got a a late start into the ball and the results were a foregone conclusion. Even had the timing been there he stood very little chance of hitting the field goal because his technique puts the ball on a very low trajectory. He had this same issue last year. Both issues can be addressed by coaching and more practice.
Bottom line is that it is primarily a coaching issue because the coaches are not spending enough time on special teams play. While I do not know for certain, my guess is that the Grizzly staff is spending less than or equal to about 3 hours per week on ST coaching specifically. They should double that, at least 5 to 6 hours per week until the ST play becomes as stellar as the defense. What they need to concentrate on is timing and technique, not results. The results will come if those two things are addressed.
I always watch the kickers not the ball and these were my observations.
I actually thought that Greenberg had a pretty decent delivery even though he missed the two field goals he tried. That 46 yard attempt in the first quarter was a pretty good kick. He just got unlucky. But it was about at the end of his range. A 48 yard attempt may not have cleared the crossbar. His second attempt was not struck as well even though it was on line.
As for Lider, his timing was way off. He got a a late start into the ball and the results were a foregone conclusion. Even had the timing been there he stood very little chance of hitting the field goal because his technique puts the ball on a very low trajectory. He had this same issue last year. Both issues can be addressed by coaching and more practice.
Potomac Griz said:mtgrizrule said:
mtgrizrule said:
Couldn't agree more with the above quoted areas. Hauck & his staff took kickers who were very shaky their Freshman season and turned them into kickers many teams in both FCS and FBS would have loved to have.
We saw progress with the kickers under Hauck. We saw special teams as a strength, not as a part of the game where we all held our breath and hoped it didn't turn into a disaster.
It almost feels like specials teams is an afterthought with this staff where players don't progress like they did under Hauck. I could be wrong but that's what it seems like.
mtgrizrule said:
Greenberg missed the first two FGs against SD on Saturday. They didn't look all that great either unfortunately. He may still be our best hope this year though. I have to wonder how Lider would have developed under Hauck's staff. Maybe Lider would have developed like McKnight and become very dependable by his junior season...who knows. And we have Sullivan who hasn't attempted a FG yet for some reason.
Right now it seems the coaching staff doesn't know who to go with. We have Greenberg kicking FGs (2-4 on the year), Lider being put in after Greenberg misses a couple (0-1 on the year), Sullivan on kickoffs, and all 3 at one point or another kicking extra points. It's a mess out there. With our very tough schedule this year it better get figured out soon or it will likely end up costing us big time
Greenberg's 46 yard attempt was a good kick and looked good, except for being off a few inches and hitting the right upright. His second 40 yarder looked bad.
mtgrizrule
Well-known member
PlayerRep said:
I wonder if most his time is spent with TE's these days? On the "wired" video of him they played at the game, his title was TE coach. I have met Ross, and worked with him when he did summer camps. He is bright, works with kids well, etc. I just don't understand why all of special teams, but the our return game has been so inconsistent and bad the last few years, and continuing this season? It can't be the players. Players have moved on and we are still having the same issues and inconsistencies. This coaching staff needs to figure out where the problems start, and how to fix them.
This is a damn good team with a lot of depth. It would suck to fall short of expectations over special teams play alone. Our offense will improve. Our Defense appears to be the real deal so far this season, which is amazing considering so many losses at LB. Hell, the defense looks like the strength of this team right now. I wish I were more confident our special teams would become better and well rounded. I am sure the coverage teams will improve. Just really doubt drastic improvement in the kicking game.
Sam A. Blitz said:
You make a great point, however, did these players execute in high school...or did they struggle like they do now? Were these kickers recruited by UM, or did they just show up as walk-ons? Either way, the issue lies mainly on the kickers but still has to fall some on the coaches. At some point one, two, or all of these kickers should be told they just don't have what it takes to kick a football thru the uprights so time to give up college ball.
Did I see something around spring ball time were coach double d's said he wasn't worrying about the kicking game??? If so, blame the coaches...
PlayerRep said:
Delusional much. The kicking game problems have never been resolved, hence, there has been huge problems with our kickers regardless of what you think by having one game out of three where they did not have any major issues.
The kicking unit as a whole has been a major problem so go ahead and sugar coat it by saying the Wyo. game wasn't the fault of the kicker. And Greenberg's two kicks were beyond bad, but maybe not as bad as Lider's kick that for the sake of how bad it looked hopefully it was tipped.
billgrizfan
Well-known member
Well we are solving the kicking problem let's also solve the problem of running routes that are one yard short or runners not knowing where the sticks are.
Grisly Fan
Well-known member
Too many attempts to "break the big one". Gotta know when to turn it up-field to get what you can get and forget about personal glory.billgrizfan said:
Is this a "coaching talent problem"? Who is our kicking coach and have they ever played the (kicking) game?
umfootball
Active member
Delaney admittedly doesn't like kickers, even when they make their kicks.
It's unfortunate that there is no leadership for ST unlike past coaches. You would like to think that you could learn from the past.
It's unfortunate that there is no leadership for ST unlike past coaches. You would like to think that you could learn from the past.
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