October 22, 200817 yr http://everythinglubbock.com/media_player.php?media_id=29181 - VIDEO http://texastech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=866497 - STORY Texas Tech contest winner may kick this week Texas Tech's situation at place-kicker has evolved from a concern to a source of frustration. Now, it seems as if it has taken an unexpected, crazy twist. Having already gone through two kickers - who have combined to miss six PATs and half of their field-goal attempts - the sixth-ranked Red Raiders are now seriously considering giving Matt Williams a shot against No. 18 Kansas this weekend. Coach Mike Leach was noticeably frustrated about the kicking game at his weekly news conference. Williams is a Tarleton State transfer student who won a month of free rent at the Tech/UMass game several weeks ago by kicking a 30-yard field goal. After his successful try, Williams was walking back to his seat when he was flagged down. "They relayed a message to me saying that Coach [Mike] Leach wanted to talk to me," Williams told RedRaiderSports.com the next day. "He told me to come into his office on Tuesday and talk to him, and then Coach [Clay] McGuire told me to come and speak with him on Monday." Initially, it was thought that Williams was ineligible this season due to transfer rules. However, according to McGuire - who heads up the Red Raiders' special teams unit, Williams has been cleared to play. "That is the way I understand it, yeah," confirmed McGuire on Tuesday. "He's got a real good shot. Only Mike Leach could bring a guy out of the stands and make it work." This wouldn't be the first time that Tech has relied on a non-scholarship kicker, although not quite under such unconventional circumstances. "We have a tradition of walk-on kickers rising to the top," commented Leach after the UMass game. "[Robert] Treece and [Alex] Trlica both were walk-on kickers that eventually ended up getting to play significantly. We're always looking for guys. We're excited to see what [Williams]'s got to offer if he's interested." What Williams offers, compared to Donnie Carona and Cory Fowler, is something that is absolutely necessary for PATs: trajectory. "I've seen that guy try one kick," added Leach. "But the difference between his and the others is that they barely got off the ground. His got up right away."
October 22, 200817 yr QUOTE (knightni @ Oct 22, 2008 -> 03:26 PM) http://everythinglubbock.com/media_player.php?media_id=29181 - VIDEO http://texastech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=866497 - STORY Yeah, I read that over at deadspin. I think I've heard about colleges having open tryouts before because their kicking game sucks so bad.
October 23, 200817 yr didnt some student from boston college have a story kinda like this one a couple years back?
October 23, 200817 yr Never seen a kicking game as bad as this years. Both kickers (Carona and Fowler) have had at least 2 extra points blocked because of low kicks. But the OL is also at fault, so this new guy is going to have his work cut out for him. That's what you get when you let a glorified grad assistant coaching special teams. Nice idea Leach. :rolleyes Edited October 23, 200817 yr by Palehosefan
October 23, 200817 yr QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Oct 22, 2008 -> 01:31 PM) Yeah, I read that over at deadspin. I think I've heard about colleges having open tryouts before because their kicking game sucks so bad. f*** me...why couldn't this of happened at some college in California. My ass would have been there pronto. I've hit a 45 yarder before and can consistently pop them in from 35. 40 is typically my peak though. The 45 yarder I hit went off the crossbar and in.
October 23, 200817 yr QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Oct 23, 2008 -> 12:42 AM) f*** me...why couldn't this of happened at some college in California. My ass would have been there pronto. I've hit a 45 yarder before and can consistently pop them in from 35. 40 is typically my peak though. The 45 yarder I hit went off the crossbar and in. At our last home game, we had a kid kick a 45 yarder for $1000 but just grazed the outside of the goalpost. It had the leg to be good from about 60. Funny thing is, the guy was absolutely hammered.
October 24, 200817 yr QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Oct 22, 2008 -> 05:39 PM) Wouldn't the free rent make him ineligible? It's a scholarship of some type I'm sure, or some rule such as that. I mean, guys that play on the football team their freshman year and have to live in dorms get their rent paid for them too, but it's just apart of their scholarship.
October 26, 200817 yr He kicked at one of the smaller colleges around here before transferring to Tech. Tech lucked into this one, his kicks were perfect. He should be handed the field goal job as well after the scholarship kicker completely blew a 45 yarder again. Scholarship kicker has already missed 3+ extra points and 5 field goals, and that was only in 6 games.
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