We have our kicker!

[Acymetric]

According to Scout, Cutcliffe has announced that Nick Maggio will be our starting kicker, with Surgan coming in for field goals in the 50+ yard range. Kevin Jones will punt, and Surgan will be the kickoff man.

The article is free, so go ahead and check it out.

http://duke.scout.com/2/781383.html

[ehdg]

Hmmm guess this means we won't be going for it on 4th down as much now.

[PDDuke85]

Unless this kid spells his name Stenerud, I'm keeping my options open for 4th and long:D

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Hmmm guess this means we won't be going for it on 4th down as much now.
It's much too early to say. While tickets are being delivered to fans at this time, the first game is more than a week away. Coach Cutcliffe has been clear in saying that all the practices or scrimmages open to the public are run using a limited array of offensive plays or defensive plans. I have a hunch that Coach Cutcliffe is going to surprise everyone during the season to such an extent that the famous "shoestring" play involving Wes Chesson will seem a fond, but distant memory. This coach we have now has a great offensive mind and he's working with intelligent players. It's going to be very difficult to second guess him!

[CameronBornAndBred]

All of the kickers have my best wishes. Like the entire program, it can only get better.

[Uncle Drew]

All of the kickers have my best wishes. Like the entire program, it can only get better.

I agree with you 1000%. It's tough to be hard on college kids doing the best they can, but we as fans get frustrated. I'm sure Cut is looking long and hard at kickers in recruiting. But I hope he has some knowledge that will help the guys we have perform better as well.

On a side note, Sumner mentioned the possibility of Coach K perhaps having an inside track with basketball players from other countries. With soccer mania world wide, why is it football coaches don't look overseas for help with the kicking game? Having played both sports growing up I know very well there is a difference in how each ball is kicked. But a strong leg is a strong leg and some of these guys are accurate from midfield in soccer.

[RPS]

With soccer mania world wide, why is it football coaches don't look overseas for help with the kicking game? Having played both sports growing up I know very well there is a difference in how each ball is kicked. But a strong leg is a strong leg and some of these guys are accurate from midfield in soccer.

It's much more different than you think and the transition takes longer than you think. It's similar to the idea of taking a great track athlete and making him a wide receiver. Remember how Renaldo Nehemiah turned out (Bob Hayes being the exception that proves the rule)? A good soccer player with a strong leg can step right up and make some good kicks, but to do it consistently and under pressure is a real problem. In football, the goal is for the mechanics to be identical every time and soccer isn't played that way. Besides, how many soccer players are willing to commit the months needed to become consistent enough to help at the D1 level, especially with the outcome uncertain? Most football kickers have a soccer background, but the idea that a coach could just grab a quality kicker off some soccer pitch is mistaken.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

It's much more different than you think and the transition takes longer than you think. It's similar to the idea of taking a great track athlete and making him a wide receiver. Remember how Renaldo Nehemiah turned out (Bob Hayes being the exception that proves the rule)? A good soccer player with a strong leg can step right up and make some good kicks, but to do it consistently and under pressure is a real problem. In football, the goal is for the mechanics to be identical every time and soccer isn't played that way. Besides, how many soccer players are willing to commit the months needed to become consistent enough to help at the D1 level, especially with the outcome uncertain? Most football kickers have a soccer background, but the idea that a coach could just grab a quality kicker off some soccer pitch is mistaken.

When I played Club Football back in the 70s, our kicker was a grad student from Australia named John Leaper. He could drop kick a field goal from over 50 yards, and was quite consistent when we needed an extra point. He hadn't played football before he ambled to our practice one day and thought he could play. He was right!

[RPS]

When I played Club Football back in the 70s, our kicker was a grad student from Australia named John Leaper. He could drop kick a field goal from over 50 yards, and was quite consistent when we needed an extra point. He hadn't played football before he ambled to our practice one day and thought he could play. He was right!

I still like to drop kick and recall Doug Flutie drop kicking an extra point for New England before he retired. But for more than fun, drop kicking isn't practical because it is hard to get it off quickly enough (D1 kickers are expected to make contact with the ball about 1.2 seconds after the snap, requiring that the run-up begin with the snap and that the ball is only ready to kick when the plant is made) and with enough height to clear the line (D1 kickers practice with an 11-foot net in front of them a yard or two inside the line of scrimmage, simulating some defensive "push" and leaping defenders). It's also hard to be consistent (think about punting -- they aren't nearly as accurate as placekickers). It is fun though.

[duke74]

It's much more different than you think and the transition takes longer than you think. It's similar to the idea of taking a great track athlete and making him a wide receiver. Remember how Renaldo Nehemiah turned out (Bob Hayes being the exception that proves the rule)? A good soccer player with a strong leg can step right up and make some good kicks, but to do it consistently and under pressure is a real problem. In football, the goal is for the mechanics to be identical every time and soccer isn't played that way. Besides, how many soccer players are willing to commit the months needed to become consistent enough to help at the D1 level, especially with the outcome uncertain? Most football kickers have a soccer background, but the idea that a coach could just grab a quality kicker off some soccer pitch is mistaken.

As a Jets fan, I remember Johnny "Lam" Jones as well (too well). Our current punter, however, is an excellent former-Aussie Rules footballer.

Isn't the difference between crossing over in soccer and football really based on the position - e.g., the ability to take a hit and/or get off the line cleanly as a receiver?

[RPS]

As a Jets fan, I remember Johnny "Lam" Jones as well (too well). Our current punter, however, is an excellent former-Aussie Rules footballer.The games (and the ball) are sufficiently similar that crossing over is relatively easy.


Isn't the difference between crossing over in soccer and football really based on the position - e.g., the ability to take a hit and/or get off the line cleanly as a receiver?I'm not sure what you mean here, but if I understand you I agree. I think we're far too ready to assume crossover skills by great athletes (e.g., "Wouldn't Charles Barkley have made a great tight end?"). But remember, Michael Jordan couldn't cut it at baseball. Dave DeBusscheres (and even Danny Ainges, despite his lackluster baseball success) are few and far between.

[cspan37421]

Jordan's baseball year was not such a failure if you look closely. (This from a guy very suspicious of the whole "taking a year off from the NBA thing). IIRC, his batting average improved sharply as the months of the season went by. Yes, his first month was a joke, the second merely bad, but by the end of the year, although his overall average was still underwhelming (.202 says google, but .252 for another minor league team), his last month with the Barons (or 4-5 weeks) BA was in the high .200s at least. That's what I recall. I saw him play here in Chattanooga toward the end of the season and IIRC they showed his month-by-month avg on the board (or maybe it was on TV that night).

In the game I saw him, he drew a walk, pretty amazing for 6'6".

Given the tiny sample, given how long it had been since he played baseball, I think his improvement from "joke" to "ok but not good enough" is really quite remarkable.