Should NFL teams sign Kicking Consultants?

[21MadFan]

I read an article today about how the saints signed John Carney as a Kicking Consultant after they released him. I thought this was such a great idea, and all teams should do this. Kickers are hitting only 57.7 percent of their attempts in the playoffs, compared to 81.3 percent in the 2009 regular season. With points coming at such a premium in the playoffs I am sure it would help to have someone there for the kicker when he feels pressure the most.

[Destino]

I think rosters should be expanded to carry two kickers. They are known to have "bad days" and it would be great to be able to do the same thing you can with any other position, put their backup in if they are playing badly. It would employ more kickers and help to stop so many game ruined by multiple bad kicks or kickers attempting to play through injury.

[darklight1216]

They should sign better kickers.

While we're on the subject, does anyone else ever wonder why more teams don't sign punter and kickers who can do double duties?

[Enter Apotheosis]

I read an article today about how the saints signed John Carney as a Kicking Consultant after they released him. I thought this was such a great idea, and all teams should do this.

I'm pretty sure this was just a ploy by the Saints to prevent Carney from signing with another team without having to keep a roster spot open for him.

[zoony]

Kickers are such an important part of the game, but if you look at just about any NFL Coaching Staff, there is nobody who really even understands what they do.

The kicker just goes off and does his thing during warmups and then shows up at the game. He doesn't have a coach pointing out flaws in his technique, etc. He's simply cut from the roster if he starts sucking

[TheLongshot]

The kicker just goes off and does his thing during warmups and then shows up at the game. He doesn't have a coach pointing out flaws in his technique, etc. He's simply cut from the roster if he starts sucking

You mean that Special Teams coaches don't coach kickers? That's news to me.

[bushwack]

Kickers are such an important part of the game, but if you look at just about any NFL Coaching Staff, there is nobody who really even understands what they do.

The kicker just goes off and does his thing during warmups and then shows up at the game. He doesn't have a coach pointing out flaws in his technique, etc. He's simply cut from the roster if he starts sucking

Are you 100% sure about this? When I went to a kicking camp before my senior year in high school that was hosted by a kicking coach and the local AFL 2 kicker. The coach was paid by the team and he taped the kicker during practice and helped him work on his mechanics.

I would think that if the AFL 2 league could afford to hire another coach that all NFL teams would be able to get a coach like this if they don't have one already. I know there's a big difference between the goal posts in AFL, 9 feet wide, compared to the NFL, 18.5 feet wide, but I would think that teams would still have a coach, possibly the ST coach, that looks over the kicker's practice and game tape and helps work on his mechanics.

[pjfootballer]

They should sign better kickers.

While we're on the subject, does anyone else ever wonder why more teams don't sign punter and kickers who can do double duties?

They used to. In fact back before the 70s most teams didn't carry a kicker or punter. Usually a position player would handle one or both duties. Then they started to get into specialization, so the teams had 1 kicker and 1 punter. The Falcons were the last to try it with Michael Keonon, but the double duty got to be too much for him and his kicking suffered. Then his punting went. I think because of the practice time involved, it's hard to get all 11 guys on the kick team and then have to get all 11 guys in the punt team enough time in practice. But I've wondered the same thing myself. You can save a roster spot.

[TheLongshot]

They used to. In fact back before the 70s most teams didn't carry a kicker or punter. Usually a position player would handle one or both duties. Then they started to get into specialization, so the teams had 1 kicker and 1 punter. The Falcons were the last to try it with Michael Keonon, but the double duty got to be too much for him and his kicking suffered. Then his punting went. I think because of the practice time involved, it's hard to get all 11 guys on the kick team and then have to get all 11 guys in the punt team enough time in practice. But I've wondered the same thing myself. You can save a roster spot.

I think it is hard to find guys who are good at both. Not to mention that if he goes down, you are going to be in a world of hurt. At least guys who have done one have done the other at some point in their careers.

[darklight1216]

They used to. In fact back before the 70s most teams didn't carry a kicker or punter. Usually a position player would handle one or both duties. Then they started to get into specialization, so the teams had 1 kicker and 1 punter. The Falcons were the last to try it with Michael Keonon, but the double duty got to be too much for him and his kicking suffered. Then his punting went. I think because of the practice time involved, it's hard to get all 11 guys on the kick team and then have to get all 11 guys in the punt team enough time in practice. But I've wondered the same thing myself. You can save a roster spot.

Thanks interesting. Thanks for the enlightenment.

[mojobo]

They should sign better kickers.

While we're on the subject, does anyone else ever wonder why more teams don't sign punter and kickers who can do double duties?

I kind of feel the opposite and wonder why teams don't all carry 2 kickers. One handles field goals and the other handles kickoffs and possibly long range field goals. It keeps the field goal kickers leg fresh until he's needed and allows for teams to have much better field position.

[darklight1216]

I kind of feel the opposite and wonder why teams don't all carry 2 kickers. One handles field goals and the other handles kickoffs and possibly long range field goals. It keeps the field goal kickers leg fresh until he's needed and allows for teams to have much better field position.

The Ravens did that in 2008. Then they lost 19 players to injured/reserve and that extra roster spot started to look really important. Naturally, the following season their kicker moves came back to bite them.

[BigMike21]

You mean that Special Teams coaches don't coach kickers? That's news to me.

I doubt they coach too much kicking technique. I assume most of their time is spent coaching blocking assignments and such.

[bushwack]

I doubt they coach too much kicking technique. I assume most of their time is spent coaching blocking assignments and such.

I agree that they probably spend most of their time on blocking for both kick and punt returns; however, if they don't know how to help a kicker, then the team should hire a guy who does, and if they just ignore the kicker, then that lies squarely on the ST coach.

[Jeff in D.C.]

I think they should, stats have shown through the years that FG%'s take a major nose dive in the playoffs compared to the reg. season. Every other position on the team has individual position coaches, I don't think kickers do though. Having someone there as a consultant can really help.

[PokerPacker]

The kicker just goes off and does his thing during warmups and then shows up at the game. He doesn't have a coach pointing out flaws in his technique, etc. He's simply cut from the roster if he starts sucking

When Mason Crosby was struggling this season (as bad and at the same time as Suisham), instead of cutting him, the special teams coach sat down and watched film with him, as well as had him doing a drill where he had to hit the ball between the uprights from the sidelines on the 5-yard-line. He started kicking much more consistently after that.

[rebornempowered]

They should sign better kickers.

While we're on the subject, does anyone else ever wonder why more teams don't sign punter and kickers who can do double duties?

As a Nebraska fan I believe Alex Henery to be a king. He is so good at both I honestly don't know which he will focus on when he is done playing college football. Regardless some team is going to get a good kicker who can pull double duty.

[HighOnHendrix]

I think rosters should be expanded to carry two kickers. They are known to have "bad days" and it would be great to be able to do the same thing you can with any other position, put their backup in if they are playing badly. It would employ more kickers and help to stop so many game ruined by multiple bad kicks or kickers attempting to play through injury.

I doubt the teams that benefit from their opponent missing kicks regard those games as ruined. Why expand the rosters? If a team feels that is advantageous to employ a second kicker, they will. Several teams do so every year, often to save their place kicker from having to kick off. However most feel that they are better served carrying an actual football player who can go out and maul somebody. Can't say I blame them. Expanding rosters to allow for extra kickers makes as much sense as Ferrari wanting to run a third car in the Formula 1 championship.

[Mickalino]

does anyone else ever wonder why more teams don't sign punter and kickers who can do double duties?

I think that would be a bad idea, because if one of them is injured during a game, then you don't have someone who take the other guy's place.

Unless, of course, you have a guy like Chris Cooley on your team.

[darklight1216]

I think that would be a bad idea, because if one of them is injured during a game, then you don't have someone who take the other guy's place.

Unless, of course, you have a guy like Chris Cooley on your team.

That's exactly why they should have guys that can do both. If your kicker goes down, your punter can pick up where he left off and vice versa.

Right now, if your kicker goes down, you're still screwed, so why not start looking for guys who can do both?

The Ravens tried to do that by signing Graham Gano, but that didn't really work out. >.<

[Mickalino]

That's exactly why they should have guys that can do both. If your kicker goes down, your punter can pick up where he left off and vice versa.

Right now, if your kicker goes down, you're still screwed, so why not start looking for guys who can do both?

The Ravens tried to do that by signing Graham Gano, but that didn't really work out. >.<

Ok, I misunderstood.

I thought you meant get one guy who can do both kicking and punting in order to save a roster spot, not get 2 guys who can do both.

Then again, it would still be hard to find 2 guys who can do a decent job of both, if Shane Suisham is any indication. When Hunter Smith went down, Suisham's punts really were worse than what Chris Cooley could have done.

[bushwack]

The Ravens tried to do that by signing Graham Gano, but that didn't really work out. >.<

Did Koch miss time in the preseason and Gano struggled at punting? Besides that Gano hasn't had an opportunity to punt in the NFL.