Question: Is anyone else concerned with our kicking game?

[Clubfitter]

I've already spoken to this before, but watch where his weight is going at impact. On every KO except one, his weight is traveling sideways, sometime almost to the point of falling over to his right. The one kick where he kept his balance, the ball traveled to the goal line. If you'll look at other better kickers, you won't see their weight traveling sideways, it'll be moving in the direction of the kick. It's not a matter of strength. If you hit a golf shot with your weight traveling in the wrong direction, the result will be the same - high and short. So far, we've been able to deal with the good field position we give our opponents, but that doesn't make it desirable. The same lack of balance is what makes his field goals so erratic...

Agree totally. An old adage in golf is you hit through the ball not to the ball. As you point out his follow through (what little he has) is to the right of center thus no balance. If he would rotate his hips at impact he would develop more foot speed and have better balance. I have no inside info but I'm sure this has been pointed out to Cade. My guess is that he (like golfers) struggles with swing changes. He should have learned technique before now. I'm afraid we got what we got. Best we can do is tweak his swing without major swing changes. I would suggest he take less of an approach angle. He seems to take about 6 1/2 steps. I would suggest he take 4 1/2 steps and swing more upright with his leg. This would allow him to better rotate his hips and have a better follow through and balance. I am no coach. I'm just trying to apply logic here but I think this would work in his case.

 

[Tide Warrior]

I love it. I knew it would not take long for a naysayer thread about what is wrong with our team. Got to love fans. 8)

BTW our kicking game was not the best in 09 but oh well.

Foster in HS was also a starting LB and that was not the first time he has laid a hit on a player during a return.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Agree totally. An old adage in golf is you hit through the ball not to the ball. As you point out his follow through (what little he has) is to the right of center thus no balance. If he would rotate his hips at impact he would develop more foot speed and have better balance. I have no inside info but I'm sure this has been pointed out to Cade. My guess is that he (like golfers) struggles with swing changes. He should have learned technique before now. I'm afraid we got what we got. Best we can do is tweak his swing without major swing changes. I would suggest he take less of an approach angle. He seems to take about 6 1/2 steps. I would suggest he take 4 1/2 steps and swing more upright with his leg. This would allow him to better rotate his hips and have a better follow through and balance. I am no coach. I'm just trying to apply logic here but I think this would work in his case.

Part of the problem is that the NCAA has shrunk coaching staffs to where there is no longer room for a kicking coach. Usually, the ST coach handles it and is almost never a kicker himself. Most ST coaches really get their information on kicking technique from books and tapes. But I think you're right - he'd have a hard time changing his style at this point...

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I love it. I knew it would not take long for a naysayer thread about what is wrong with our team. Got to love fans. 8)

BTW our kicking game was not the best in 09 but oh well.

Foster in HS was also a starting LB and that was not the first time he has laid a hit on a player during a return.

It's a discussion board - all opinions welcome...

 

[Rush]

I too am concerned, but many of the posts here are helpful in understanding why he's not kicking it through the endzone.

Is there not another Tiffin on the way?

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I too am concerned, but many of the posts here are helpful in understanding why he's not kicking it through the endzone.

Is there not another Tiffin on the way?

I wish!

 

[TIDE-HSV]

That makes sense.

That explains how you can see a little kicker with a big leg.

Exactly! It's foot speed which determines distance, just as clubhead speed determines distance in golf. The size of the kicker, within reasonable limits, is not that important...

 

[Bad Pony]

I posted last night in the game thread that I noticed on his last kickoff (I think) it looks like he rolls his ankle on his plant foot like he just sprained his ankle...if that makes sense. I just have to shake my head when I see Cade kick then watch Parkey for *barn. That kid has 15-16 touchbacks so far this year and I'm pretty sure I saw one of his kicks clear the end zone against SC.

 

[Displaced Bama Fan]

Personally, if I was Saban, I'd put a call in to Kent State's punter and DT and see if they want to come to Bama, red shirt next year and then play 2 years for us. Just my thoughts though. We saw enough of KSU's punter to know he was better than Bama's.