colonel

Just wanted to throw the word out one more time about the punting/placekicking camp being held by American Football Specialists this coming weekend (April 19). The camp will be at Montgomery Bell Academy from 9am to 5pm. AFS is directed by Rick Sang, who also runs/directs former Oakland Raider great Ray Guys kicking camps (also MTSU kicking camp). The feature instructor will be Vanderbilt's all-time leading scorer, John Markum. John is currently under contract with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons for the 2003 season. If interested please contact Rick Sang at (270)843-8393 or go to the web site www.prokicker.com. Registration on the day of the camp is ok, but you'll need to contact Rick before hand at the above number. The Knoxville camp on April 5 had over 12 guys from around the area (including Johnson City and Chattanooga) to get instruction from Jeff Hall (former Tennessee All-American) Gerald Robinson (for MTSU great and coach of Halls Mr. Football kicker Ian O'Conner). Come to learn basic fundamentals or fine tune for the Mr. Football award. Thanks.

Thought I would post again on this tread one more time for some players/parents that may not have seen it. American Football Specialists will still be conducting the camp at Farragut High School on April 5 (this coming Saturday) 9a.m. to 5p.m. In most cases it will go on rain or shine. Very good opportunity to make a contact with a local kicking specialist (there are not many around). I believe you will even be able to sign-up on the day of the camp at Farragut. Look at my previous post and you'll find the contact info for Rick Sang of AFS or the web page (www.prokicker.com). Preparation starts now, not in August. [Edited by colonel on 4-2-03 8:58A]

Thought I would post again on this tread one more time for some players/coaches that may not have seen it. American Football Specialists will still be conducting the camp at Farragut High School on April 5 (this coming Saturday) 9a.m. to 5p.m. In most cases it will go on rain or shine. Very good opportunity to make a contact with a local kicking specialist (there are not many around). I believe you will even be able to sign-up on the day of the camp at Farragut. Look at my previous post and you'll find the contact info for Rick Sang of AFS or the web page (www.prokicker.com). Preparation starts now, not in August. [Edited by colonel on 4-2-03 8:57A]

Please excuse the interruption, but I wanted to make mention of a football kicking camp for those of you which might have the interest in playing football in your off season. There is a placekicking/punting camp scheduled for Knoxville on April 5 and one for Nashville on April 19. Your soccer skills can be of possible great value to your high school football team and could possibly increase your chances of a college scholarship (soccer, football, or both). Almost all of the college and professional placekickers/punters have soccer backgrounds, but there are specific differences between the kicking techniques that have to be learned. The camp will feature instructors Gerald Robinson (former MTSU all-american kicker and coach of TN Mr. Football kicker Ian O'Conner), Jeff Hall (former UT all-american kicker and NFL draftee), John Markum (Vanderbilts all-time football leading scorer and NFL draftee), and others. Those of you with interest can contact Rick Sang of American Football Specialists/Ray Guy Kicking Academy at (270)843-8393 or go www.prokicker.com. I can also answer some questions you might through this thread or my email: jajacampbell@hotmail.com. Thanks. [Edited by colonel on 3-9-03 10:41P]

I just wanted to mention the kicking camp post again due to the time to prepare for "the season" is very close. The preparation to help your team win with the kicking game starts in the early part of summer. Not when fall practice starts. There is specific technique (basic fundamentals) that has to be developed within your specific style (everyone is different). This takes a lot of time to develop. For every point learned, it takes a thousand kicks before you do it as habit. I kicked at the high school, college, and pro levels and know these are good people who care about getting it right. See my previous post for contact info.

There is a one day kicking camp scheduled for April 5th in Knoxville. It will be at Farragut High school with instruction by American Football Specialists. This is the same group that does camps for the Ray Guy kicking academy/talent search. There will also be a one day camp in Nashville on April 19th. Instruction same people as Knoxville. Gerald Robinson (former MTSU all-american and coach of Hall's Ian O'Conner), Jeff Hall (former UT all-american and NFL draftee), and John Markmum (Vanderbilts all time leading scorer and NFL draftee) will be some of the instructors. AFS also does two day camps coast to coast, which are scheduled from May through August. I'm not sure on the price, but they are reasonable. Very good instruction by which the fundamentals are taught within your style. They don't change you to one mold for everybody is different. Also, the talent search has had some success in assisting kids with getting scholarships that were overlooked or didn't have big all-state senior years. I have been told some colleges have called wanting camper charting to help them make their recuiting decisions. Rick Sang (AFS director)has been doing these camps for around 25 years and is a former punter himself. You can find out more by calling him at (270)843-8393 or go to the website, www.prokicker.com. I don't believe the Knoxville and Nashville camps are advertised on the website, but there are being planned. [Edited by colonel on 2-3-03 4:48P] [Edited by colonel on 2-3-03 4:51P]

WC will eventually win under Dickie. The man has took on rebuilding challenges every place he has coached. He's smart, knowledgeable, and driven. Also, add on the fact that he cares. The WC kids will respond to him. Just wait.

American Football Specialists (AFS) plans to hold a one day kicking camp at Farragut High School (Knoxville) on April 5th, 2003. AFS is the same group that manages/directs the national Ray Guy punting/kicking camps as well as several other camps at major universities (i.e. Notre Dame, MTSU, EKU, Kansas, and others). It is my understanding that Gerald Robinson, Ian O'Conner's kicking coach (Halls High School), and possibly Jeff Hall (former Tennessee all-American) will be on hand to instruct in the camp. The camp will be open to various ages and skill levels. Also on the board is a one day camp for the Nashville area. The possible date for it will be April 19, 2003 with instruction being provided by a host of former specialists including John Markum (Vanderbilt all-time leading scorer and NY Giants draftee). I'm not certain if Ray Guy will be in attendance at the camps. Contact Rick Sang at American Football Specialists for more information (270)843-8393 or on the web site www.prokicker.com.

You also had the ball in field goal range two different times during the game (both arounnd 45 yard attempts) and your coach chose to go for the first down. Both Hillsboro fourth down (both around 3 to 4 yards for the first) attempts were stuffed. Your kicker, E. Holt, looks very capable of making those kicks from what I saw of his warm-ups. If he would have been given the chance and made only one of the two attempts, it could have made a major difference. This "go for it" or "we don't deserve it" attitude that many high school coaches have, kills me. Kick the dang ball unless you just have to have touch downs. This is my opinion having kicked at all levels of football from high and up.

You also had the ball in field goal range two different times during the game (both arounnd 45 yard attempts) and your coach chose to go for the first down. Both Hillsboro fourth down (both around 3 to 4 yards for the first) attempts were stuffed. Your kicker, E. Holt, looks very capable of making those kicks from what I saw of his warm-ups. If he would have been given the chance and made only one of the two attempts, it could have made a major difference. This "go for it" or "we don't deserve it" attitude that many high school coaches have, kills me. Kick the dang ball unless you just have to have touch downs. This is my opinion having kicked at all levels of football from high and up.

AC get off the fire hose. This rumor apparently started with someone calling into the post game show on channel 12 after the AC/GP game. Nothing like that could have happened just before the game for the field paint would have been a mess (and it was most likely painted on Thursday night). GP just had your number. You'll are winners and winners don't stir this stuff up. Seems like GP had the worst rain that week than most other places (didn't see any other news pictures of games that were this type of mud bath). It frustrates me just has as much knowing what your chances were had the field been dryer, but that's football. Learn and put it behind you. Show your class for you had a great year. Also, congratulations to G-P, great run/season. P.S. Did I hear it right that it was a Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge helicopter that flew over to dry out Fulton's field.

Paintedorange, the girls can develop some. Use golf as a comparison. Even good high school golfers have been playing/practicing for a while. Check the high school team where they would be playing for depth at kicker. PAT's are very important and most coaches would probably welcome someone who is very reliable putting that point on the board (not just down the middle, but also quick times with quick elevation). Punting and kick-offs are a little different mind set. A majority of coaches are happy with a 30 to 35 yard punt as long as it hangs a little bit and gotten off very quick. The main issue after the kick is the ability to tackle. Encourage them to do and acheive what ever they can no matter what the time limits.

Soccer is very good for building leg speed and overall leg strength for football kicking. However, there are differences in technique. I've heard Jeff Hall (in person) say to youngsters "quit soccer if you are very serious about kicking the football (could have been joking, but it didn't sound like it). I never played soccer, so I never had to battle the technique differences. The technique taught for kicking fieldgoals is almost like punting the ball off a tee (very straight form through and after the kick). The body can't turn away from the target after the kick hardly at all and the legs have to be completely lock-out at impact to elevate the ball. Going back and forth from football to soccer makes it very hard to get consistency in form.

Bailey is phenomenal. I say this having seen him first hand at a kicking camp this summer. I was his counselor. Not much instructing on my part, he was just there for the exposure. This kid is real and for real. He has power that puts him in the league of steve little and kevin butler. He won the camp long fieldgoal competion from 60 yards (it went clean into the stands with hardly no wind). He continued hitting on out to 64 yards, which would have been good from 70 ( the ball bounced and still went into the stands located about fifteen yards behind the uprights). Kickoff's were out of the endzone with no adrenalin. Punts were mostly 4.8 to 5 second hangs or better ranging from 42 to 65 yards. I predict punting and kick-offs will be what he does at Georgia for they will probably want him to focus on excelling at one discipline (Kick-offs will be easy for him). It looks like he maybe didn't have enough fieldgoal attempts or punting gross to put him in the running for Mr. Football this year. I think he is better than the year he actually had, but wasn't exactly chopped liver. Bliss was at a camp I worked two summers ago, but I can't remember him (due to over 150 kids in the camp). I am wondering what he averaged on punts during this years regular season to be the only punter nominated (I don't know of him attempting any fieldgoals this year). It must be high. I also predict that where ever he goes, he will punt and kick-off. Vaugh sounds like a major college senior not a high school senior. He has over 40 fieldgoals in highschool. That is pretty much what I had in college (Wow, I couldn't hit PAT's as a sophmore). He should be great in college as a placekicker for that position is all about accuracy. Big legs come and go, but the great teams just can't set aside a accuracy kicker who is good out 52 yards. I did follow O'Conner due to knowing his kicking coach. This kid is also for real. He had something close to 16 or 17 fieldgoals during the regular season. Two or three won ballgames. He too puts them through the uprights on kickoffs. Colquit has the blood and put up some big numbers to go with it. Two or three times I saw his friday night averages over 50 yards. He did this after accepting the need for him be fill a wide receiver position on offense. This took away the entire practice for him to work on his punting/fieldgoals. Very unselfish. In ending, we (Tennessee) have a great crop of kickers finishing up this year. Don't we.

Paintedorange, sounds like you know the Price twins. If so ask Justin what he can tell you about kicking the football. He can give you his opinion of technique involved and difficulty making it work. Let me warn you, at some schools females are still fighting the age old battle for playing time. Females are not usually as strong total body wise as males. However, females can develop the other attributes in kicking that could give them the advantage (i.e. accuracy and quickness). Kicking positions are legitimate areas where females with good soccer skills can help high school football teams. They will need to work hard to develop their skills and not expect anything to just be given to them. I have seen females play other regular positions on the field, but so far it only seems to be of novelty nature. I kicked in high school and some beyond. The kicker before me in high school was a female. She was the first girl to score a point in football in Tennessee and Kentucky. She was a steady and needed PAT producer for her team. If the girls you are referring to really want to play, they can. The keys are education, hard work, discipline, dedication, and determination.

Wonder if Fulton could have been unfocused against Loudon due to them looking at AC coming in the following week? AE destroyed Loudon and AE was beaten by Fulton. GP looks bigger/stronger than Fulton up front, but not by much. Fultons speed is what AE had last year and I just don't think GP has anything comparable. AC has speed that is close, but Fulton is maybe slightly faster (Fulton also has a quarterback with college potential, if he is 'on'. Advantage to Fulton. However, I will say any given team can beat any other given team on any given day. GP wanted it more that AC. Fulton, I believe, will be highly focused on GP due to them taking to AC. Not meant as an insult, just an opinion.

GP can't play this game entirely between the tackles on either side of the ball. Fulton by twenty points.

Can't accuse GP of watering down the field or say anything close to it for I didn't see anything other than the field. It was just weird a thing. Nothing could have happened just before the game for the field paint was in good condition. It was just a terrible night and AC got crunched after being forced to play pure power football against a team that was better suited for it. I did however park my vehicle on the field located at the end of the football field (this probably was the baseball diamond) and had no problems getting out. Anyways, AC now goes back to planning/preparing for next year. This years team finished 10-2 with a good mostly junior laden team. Not too bad. It's still all over, but the crying. Good luck to everyone else in the playoffs. Gatlinburg is still one of my favorite places to visit.

AC went into the game with the advantage due to overall team speed. The wet field was the equalizer in this match. GP even may had the advantage due to the depth of mud. One AC player was jumping on the field in pre-game warm-ups and sinking down a half foot. GP was in their hayday for they ran the ball up the gut just about every time. The splits between the GP's O-linemen was pretty much foot-to-foot. AC's offensive speed was nowhere to be found. It didn't matter how much the ball was wiped, the AC quarterbacks could only shotput the ball toward receivers. Very weird nobody else in the ET area had to play in the same conditions (as far as I know). GP will not get any breaks from the weather this week. It will not matter how much rain comes down before the fulton game for the field will be dry. Im' wondering if fulton has a field tarp or just one unbelievable drainage system (I say this with no disrespect). GP is a good big strong team with a tailback and a tightend. Fulton is a big strong fast team with more stars than I want to take time to name. GP will not win this game or will be close.

Personal kicking coaches are hard to find and could be very expensive (unless one just happens to be in your area). You also don't necessarily need one. Depending upon your skill level and age, videos may be all you need at this point. The basic fundamentals have to be learned and ironed into your form first. These fundamentals are not that hard to pick up on and after a month or so of work you'll see the difference. Steve Hoffman (Dallas Cowboys kicking coach) puts out a very good kicking video. Ray Guy (former Oakland Raider punter) does the same with a punting video. There is no magic instruction to either. There are base fundamentals and thousands of hours of hard work. Several kids that I have coached had good potential to be college level kickers. Some Played other positions and only wanted to work on kicking in their teams fifteen minute speciality period in practice. That is not even a start. Once you've been exposed to good fundamentals, I would recommend camps so mistakes can be pinpointed by an instructor (several groups hold two day kicking camps in Tennessee). You will also be around other young kickers and see their strengths and mistakes. You will learn plenty this way. In conclusion it all comes down to basic fundamentals, desire, and work.

Many people have opinions on this matter. Who really knows what is going on and can tell me what are their specific stats on these kickers/punters for the 2002 season. How many fieldgoals/PATs attempted and how many were successful. What was their kick-off percentage in the endzone and average starting point after a kick-off. Any fieldgoals/PATs that were the difference in a tight ballgame (who was/is the biggest factor for their team and it's success). What were the punting averages (gross and net average). How many punts went were pinned inside the 20 yard line. I know some individual highlights on these guys are from last year or the year(s) before. This award is for this year and to put anything from previous years into the mix is wrong. If it is included, then it is not a 2002 Mr. Football award. I also think that the entire season must be considered for the brentwood boys could show their best stuff in a championship game (I don't know when the award is actually given out). Everything that comes out of this vote will set the precedence for future voting and could make this award a joke, so do it right. Kickers have been viewed as partial players long enough, the pressure to wait on the sidelines to go out and produce a game winning/saving kick/punter is unbelievable. Most great coaches at any level will tell that the kicking game is probably the most important part of the game due to it quite often being the difference in the game. Good luck to all three.

Pipdad, run a search of Andy Bailey on this site back through the summer. I believe you'll find several posts made with the mention him. This kid didn't have as good a year as he was capable of having. I saw kickers this summer at several kicking camps around the mid to eastern U.S. He was the strongest I saw that had the control to go with it. His punting is also big-time college as well. A major college should grab him.

If you are refering to the new artifical stuff seen on tv (astroplay or fieldturf), Vanderbilt I believe is the only one in Tennessee with it on their field. I have heard that Lexington Catholic High School in Lexington, Kentucky has it on their football field and they love it. I saw and walked on the stuff at Morehead State this past summer. Looks pretty nice and all that I have heard sounds positive. You wear regular cleats and the fine rubber pellets down in the long synthetic blades allows good footing as well as it to give if hit from the side. It is wild for I can't tell on tv if the field is it or not until it is obvious that there should be stains on the players pants. This comment may not be exactly what you are looking for, I heard several college players say it is good stuff. Also no more field painting.

4AFAN, I did name Ian O'Conner from Halls and several of his stats. The kicker I refered to that made the 56 yarder earlier in the season is from Karns High School. His name I don't know. Also, got to mention Andy Baily from McMinn Co. Just won tonight's game against Cumberland Co. with a 53 yard kick. His K.O.'s also go through the uprights.

Longest kick I've heard of so this year, was by a kid at Karns High School in Knoxville. It was 56 yards. Also, the kid at Knoxville Halls, Ian O'Conner, hit one from 52 yards. He is also something like 15 or 15 on fieldgoals on the year with five in one game. Also had multiple game winners. That's strong!