FOOTBALL: SPRING REVIEW; OTHERS
April 24th, 2008 | by Reed |Continuing with our ‘look back’ to the Spring Game” let’s review the rest of the offense (less QBs and RBs) and the defense, and see what surprises happened that we didn’t expect…
None really, except for Elijah Fields being a non-story.
Thanks - see you next article.
Wait, I can’t log off without mentioning how our second string kicker was set up for failure on national TV.
Our starting place kicker Conner Lee was 2-for-2 in field goals (35 and 20 yards) and 2-for-2 on point-after kicks. He was 7-for-10 on field goals this spring, but 5-for-5 in game conditions the past two scrimmages (the first scrimmage was a special teams drill).
However Wannstedt, who is coaching the Special Teams this season, put in Dan Hutchins (rsSO) after Lee was pulled. He missed both his attempts, one from 52 and another from 22 (which was partially blocked by Aaron Berry). Wannstedt then put in Lucas Briggs, a walk-on, who then missed a 54-yard attempt.
I love Dave Wannstedt - I really do, and believe that he genuinely cares about his players. But why in the world would he put these two kickers behind the eight ball like that? They probably had family and friends there, and may never get a chance to kick on national TV again - and he has them attempting 50+ yard field goals, in the wind, in a kicker’s graveyard.
I’m hoping it was just a failure to notice on his part.
5 Responses to “FOOTBALL: SPRING REVIEW; OTHERS”
By The Prowler on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
I made this same point about the kickers in my post recapping the game. It seemed to me to be a bad idea to put those guys in to kick 50+ yarders on national tv, knowing that the kicking game is a mental exercise more than a skill exercise. These guys can obviously kick FAR or they wouldn’t be D1 kickers. But by putting them in for these type of kicks not only set them up to look bad in front of family and friends. It also gave both of them bad misses on their first nationally televised game. Hopefully they are mentally tough and just brush it off.
By Al From Harrisburg on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
Maybe Wanny and the kickers felt they had nothing to lose by attempting a long field goal nobody thought they could make. They also knew there would not be a lot of chances.
By The Prowler on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
There is nothing to lose as long as the players don’t let it get to their confidence. You could see how frustrated they were with the misses. But as long as the coaches reinforce that, especially in Heinz Field, those were generally unmakeable field goals and that they shouldn’t get down, then they should be fine. The real problem is that these misses are the last kicks they have to dwell on likely until the blue/gold game next year… barring a Connor Lee injury.
I doubt that either of these kickers’ careers are going to be destroyed by this. But kicking is such a mental game that it makes the decision to attempt these kicks curios.
By Matt on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
As a competitor, you always want to take the field and play. If either of the 50 yard plus field goals on a gusty Heinz Field is made, it’s something that kid would remember for a long time. A player (especially a backup) doesn’t want to sit out just because the odds are against him if he gets in. It gets to a player’s confidence if he is doesn’t have a chance to get on the field and compete.
By Reed on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
Yeah, I understand all the reasons that go in the “for” column about this. But, there is a good chance that we’ll be able to insert a back up kicker at some point this season to try a FG - and maybe this is good experience, maybe not. It just seemed to bad in a sense - but the one kid’s chance was a little closer - 22 yards and got blocked.
(Plus I needed something to write about, because the Spring Game has been discussed to death).