Kicker Recruiting
In the wake of Rodriguez saying that the coaches are looking everywhere for a kicker after yet another game in which the kicker contributed to a loss, I thought I'd do a little looking myself.
I went to ESPN's recruiting site and sorted by kickers. I was looking for people who were somewhat local, had decent ratings, and were undeclared. Here's what I found:
- Kyle Brindza (Plymoth, MI) - Unfortunately he's not a good candidate since he's been committed to Notre Dame for months, but I thought it was worth a mention. He's a highly rated kicker (#6 to ESPN) who was a stone's throw from UM and went elsewhere.
- Taylor Zalewski (Orland Park, IL) - He is ranked #13 and gets pretty good comments from the ESPN site. Right now there are no listed schools on his recruiting profile. Seems like a logical candidate.
- Michael Rasmussen (Orlando, FL) - Also not committed to anyone, maybe Rodriguez could work some of that Florida pipeline magic and get this guy, who is rated #15 by ESPN.
- Tyler Wedel (McFarland, WI) - Gets yet another good set of comments from ESPN and at the #21 ranking is the last of the available 3-star recruits. No schools listed under consideration.
I realize the kicker recruiting is a total crap shoot (i.e. Brendon Gibbons and Bryan Wright were both scholarship kickers who couldn't see the field), but we have to do something. It has always been frustrating to me that schools like EMU or even MSU have consistently had better kickers than Michigan.
The secondary is horrible but will gain a year of experience, bring in a couple of recruits, and get Woolfolk back next year. The LB have been bad and losing Mouton will hurt, but Mike Jones and Kenny Demens look like promising starters for next year. Black should be able to slide into Banks' spot next season reasonably well. The only weakness without an obvious development plan is at kicker.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:11 AM ^
Brindza is a great talent, it's really unfortunate he's headed to the Domers.
If I were you, I wouldn't worry about looking locally. Rodriguez has shown time and again that he's willing to look anywhere for talent (particularly in Florida and Texas, but other places as well), and his comment from today's presser that the staff is "scouring the nation" seems to indicate they're looking elsewhere.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:47 AM ^
Tim- totally off topic, but I clicked on the link to your blog, and saw the post about Binny's in LP and John Leinenkugel. I live like 2 blocks from there. Creepy. And that place is awesome, obvs.
Wait a second...do you mean the one that's technically in Lakeview, or the old Sam's Wine & Spirits across the street from the original Goose Island? (The latter is the one i live near).
Small world, it seems.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:24 AM ^
Paul is the one who wrote that post, so I couldn't really tell you. Great to hear people are clicking through (and interested in the content).
October 19th, 2010 at 3:57 PM ^
I've clicked through several times in the past month or so to check it out (the name is what got me to click through).
Good stuff. I've been thinking about starting to homebrew and my work internet filter has yet to block your blog as being related to "Alcohol". I'd love to be able to pick your brain sometime once I get up and running.
And it was interesting to see that John Leinenkugel and I have similar tastes in beer (malt and hops in balance), though it always varies based on what sounds good at the moment.
October 19th, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^
If you go back in the archives, there are a few posts about the basics of starting homebrewing, what equipment you need, etc. I'd encourage you to try it out, as the world will never be hurting for another homebrewer.
October 20th, 2010 at 8:16 AM ^
Thanks a lot for the reply!
I'm looking forward to getting the equipment and making my first batch.
I'll stop with the OT posts now.
October 19th, 2010 at 3:34 PM ^
I live right by the one in Lakeview, but the tasting was held at the one by Goose Island. You also totally missed your chance to be the first commenter on Yeastbound and Down!
October 19th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^
Doesn't one of our former kickers (Kornblue?) run a big national kicking camp several times a year in Newsterbaan?? Can't imagine giving him a ring to get the lowdown would hurt.
Glad to hear that RR is willing to address the problem with a scholarship if the right guy emerges.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^
Rivals had an article about it. Sorry, but the article is "premium" content.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:41 PM ^
That a school like Michigan, which has students from around the world, could find a soccer player who can reliably kick a 40 yard field goal (and an occasional 50 yarder) and can send a kickoff high and straight. Any good soccer defender or keeper ought to be able to do that. The technique for kicking the ball is almost the same. So let's find some Croatian or Argentine or Ghanian student and plug him in.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:28 AM ^
Get Dr. Phillips HS kicker
October 19th, 2010 at 7:28 AM ^
Does he have dreads? White dudes with dreads look funny (assuming he is white since he is a kicker). Don't beleive me? Can someone throw together a photoshopped picture of Lloyd Brady with dreads. please? that would make my day a whole lot better.
October 19th, 2010 at 4:03 PM ^
His name is Shawn Moffitt and he is definitely a D1 Kicker. i live in Orlando and have been to a few of his games. This kid is money.
And No, he doesn't have dreads. If he did, he might look like the son of one of those dudes from Matrix Revolutions
October 19th, 2010 at 12:47 AM ^
I'm assuming that no kickers emerged from the recent tryouts?
October 19th, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
what was Gibbons rated as a SR in H.S.? Wasn't he among tops in nation? No way we are going to find someone better than him for next yr. IMO the best option is to develop the talent at K already on the roster.
October 19th, 2010 at 10:41 AM ^
To all sites
October 19th, 2010 at 11:12 AM ^
#8 to rivals
#11 to scout
#16 to espn
October 19th, 2010 at 12:47 AM ^
can we get a D2 kicker to transfer?
October 19th, 2010 at 1:05 AM ^
Only if they want to come here and contact the coaches about it. It is a major violation to recruit a player away from another program.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:53 AM ^
I have no idea why we tried to get Brian Wright to take a medical scholarship.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:42 AM ^
I looked at scout and rivals as well but most of them are not rated.
*** 79 Kristopher Albarado LA
*** 78 Mauro Bondi FL
*** 78 Drew Kaser OH
*** 78 Spencer Roth TN
*** 77 Taylor Zalewski IL
*** 77 Ryan Felix CA
*** 77 Michael Rasmussen FL
*** 77 Riley Lyons GA
*** 75 Tyler Wedel WI
After that about 80 two stars and 60 NR prospects still out there.
Honestly i don't think there is anyone on the coaching staff who knows what to look for in a kicker. They should hire Chuck Priefer as a consultant if not a coach, the lions old Specal teams coach (97-06). He retired after 2006.
According to wikipedia jason hanson had his best years under him (pro bowl 97,99) as well as Nick Harrises finest year (2005) with 34 punts downed inside the 20. from 02-05 the lions had more returned touchdowns than any other team in the NFL (returners durring 02-05 terry fair,desmond howard, az-zahir hakim, eddie drummond, and reggie swinton).
October 19th, 2010 at 11:28 AM ^
Bryan Wright had a legitimate medical issue (chronic herniated spinal disc) that prevented him from being able to perform the duties of a D-1 kicker. Despite that, the coaches never tried to push him out the door on a "medical scholarship." He graduated from Michigan in four years, and decided to move on.
That should clear up the issue enough without having to get into the fact that he's been terrible for Bowling Green this year, as well.
October 19th, 2010 at 2:29 AM ^
Serious question that I'm wondering about...Can Haggerup placekick? I know punting and placekicking are different, but in some ways kicking is kicking. Wondering if he has tried at all. Though I'm sure this has crossed the coaches minds.
October 19th, 2010 at 2:34 AM ^
I just checked his Scout profile and it looks like he kicked FGs in high school: http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=3824507
Even if he could just hit the chip shots from, say, 32 yards and in, that would be a big help.
October 19th, 2010 at 8:46 AM ^
I was wondering about him, not so much kicking field goals, but handling kickoffs.
October 19th, 2010 at 8:51 AM ^
There was a fall practice report on either Rivals or Scout that stated he was tried out when he got to school, and it wasn't pretty. That's saying a lot since it is currently less than pretty.
October 19th, 2010 at 9:41 AM ^
but his punting has come around. The place kicking however after 7 games is still awful. This job is so wide open I cannot believe that no one has locked it down yet. Big Will?
October 19th, 2010 at 6:49 AM ^
RR also said the kickers were hitting the field goals and not kicking out of bounds in practice. Wasn't Gibbons something like the second highest rated kicker in the nation when he came out of HS?
Like the OP said, kickers are in large part a crap shoot. I think this is one position where RR cannot be blamed for poor recruiting.
October 19th, 2010 at 7:16 AM ^
Even he'll be better at kicking than our current crop.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:58 PM ^
IIRC, we had Justin Merman on the roster for the spring game.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/meram_justin00.html
October 19th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
RR has mentioned Merman before. He said his main focus was soccer right now and that's why he isn't kicking on the football field right now.
October 19th, 2010 at 8:42 AM ^
They had a 2012 Ohio kicker at the MSU game I believe, his name escapes me at the moment. The Dr. P kicker is pretty good as well. I say why not? We are recruiting the rest of the team anyway.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
Ross Martin is the Ohio kid you're thinking of. The Dr. Phillips kicker is named Shawn Moffitt.
October 19th, 2010 at 9:01 AM ^
does have its downside occasionally. You miss out on a few positions of need.
/s
October 20th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
retirement thread. Hopefully the next loss will drive you over the edge.
October 19th, 2010 at 9:29 AM ^
Will Campbell not standing strait up trying to block the defender on the feild goal team for starters.
No wonder RR says he has work to do to spend meaningful time on the playing field.
October 19th, 2010 at 9:46 AM ^
Here's a story about a girl in Ohio who kicked a 43-yard FG:
We could be like that movie Necessary Roughness with Sinbad that had Kathy Ireland as the kicker. :-)
October 19th, 2010 at 9:51 AM ^
Ah, hell, I'll do it. I have all 4 years of eligibility left.c I don't see the fact that I have never played football at an organized level, or the fact that I am 34, as a problem. How much worse can I be than what we have?
October 19th, 2010 at 10:02 AM ^
Gibbons was a 2-star and the number 8 kicker in the country according to Rivals.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/michigan/football/recruiting/player-Brendan-Gib…
Also played in the Army All-American game.
October 19th, 2010 at 10:24 AM ^
we might as well give Gibbons another shot at kicking FG's. He is, afterall, only a freshman, and his kicks at least clear the line of scrimmage.
October 19th, 2010 at 3:25 PM ^
Gibbons = 2 star is true but kickers never earn more than 3 stars. As you say, BG was an Army AA. Does anyone really believe we are just gonna snag someone better. No. Coach him up!!
October 19th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^
Here is what I don't understand: Gibbons clearly at one point in his life could kick a ball far. Now he's super erratic. What happened? It seems to me the only possible scenario is something mental. Could his strength really have deteriorated to the point that what we are doing now is better?
If it is something mental, it seems to me this is something that can be worked on and coached. At the very least he should be able to do kickoffs.
This situation is so ridiculous and so frustrating.
October 19th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
Yep. My thought exactly. Can't the coaching staff find a shrink, or hypnotherapist, or life coach or something to have a sit-down with Gibbons, get in his head, figure out what's going on with him, and fix things?
Maybe it's just the transition to college. I remember in a health class I had as a freshman in college that the college transition often includes many of the most stressful life situations at once....moving, being away from family, massive change in job/career/daily routine....it really is a big transition, esp. if living far from home on a residential campus. Couple that transition with the demands of an academically elite institution and being a student athlete..... I reckon some 18 year old kids don't handle it well and it takes some time to adjust and get settled in and used to the new way of life. Plus kickers tend to be head cases anyways. Maybe what's going on with Gibbons just comes down to all that and he'll bounce back.
Anyhow, I now feel kinda creepy for psychoanalyzing an 18 year old kid I've never met.
October 19th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
Maybe, instead of blaming the problems on the players, we could look toward the lack of special teams' coaching. Gibbons was a high value recruit (one of our top two targets at the position I believe). Picking up another high value kicking recruit isn't going to solve our problems. Missed field goals are not our only special teams problem. We don't get depth on kick-offs; we can't break good returns on kick-offs/punts; we seem to be giving up good returns; etc.
If our special teams problems were limited to "a bad kicker", that'd be one thing. The problem extends to the entire special teams portion of the team.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^
I agree that a lot of our ST coaching has been below-average this year, but how in the world ca you blame a lack of depth on kickoffs on the coaches?
October 19th, 2010 at 12:41 PM ^
Although having someone to coach kicking technique could help our non-recruit kicker get some depth, I understand most programs don't have such a coach. So...maybe that's a wash. I do think that Gibbons has the leg to get the necessary depth. Hopefully, he's still got some confidence left. I think the bottom line, however, is that ST is a neglected part of the program.
October 19th, 2010 at 3:47 PM ^
We have some issues regarding kicking, but I guarantee you OSU and Wisconsin wish their coverage units played as well as ours have. Special teams involves more than just kicking the ball.
October 19th, 2010 at 3:53 PM ^
That may be the case, but OSU's kicker is 11/12 this year and a former MLS player for the Columbus Crew.
October 19th, 2010 at 4:03 PM ^
That can't be correct. I know they've had two kicks blocked, and they missed one against Wisconsin.
But again: placekicking is probably the area in which coaches have the least control over. They have a lot more control over coverage - and OSU has massively failed there.
October 19th, 2010 at 3:56 PM ^
You're right. It's not just kicking the ball; it's blocking (which hasn't been so great for our returns) and also playing with full effort and focus. Nothing shows lack of effort/focus more than our players hanging their heads and walking from the play on that blocked FG against Iowa.