So we have 3 options in camp right now. Pros and cons of each:

1. Liegghio - the anointed one coming into camp. Did not survive that coronation out of camp, thrust into the FG role out of injury.
Pros - he can punt, so not going anywhere yet (still think he is going to get one blocked and doesn’t follow through on his kicks), has a decent leg for FGs and came through with a 4/4 game and a game winner in the last minute in the one game our kicking truly mattered.  
Cons - misses the makeable ones, especially converts from the middle of the field. Seems to get under the ball too much and sky them at times. For a supposed strong leg, his kickoffs don’t get that deep.

Crapigna - brought in to camp to save the day. Then hurt with people calling for a replacement anyway

Pros - a veteran with a super high career average of 88%, so no worries about long term yips with him.

Cons - for all his success, all I remember of him is the times he choked in the clutch or rang one off the post. Coach doesn’t seem to trust him outside of 40 yards, and watching him kick there may be credence to that line of thinking. Dead leg?

Mourtada - the saviour as judged from his workout videos. Then we saw him live.

Pros - strongest leg of the bunch. Save for the 3rd miss, every kick was totally straight, so a mechanical alignment issue as opposed to a banana hook problem.

Cons - if the issue was simple mis-reading  of the right hash mark, why did it not get corrected in practice or after the first miss? 
 

So who stays, or do we blow it up and bring in another? For now, I keep Liegghio as punter and let him work on his kicking in practice. Give Mourtada one chance to correct his alignment, but you know the boo birds will eat him up at home with even one more miss, and his face and body language last night make me wonder if he can handle the rejection. Crapigna does not have the distance to compete I fear. 

 

 

Edited September 19, 20214 yr by TrueBlue4ever

16 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Still available...

One more bad game from our kickers and fans are gonna start bringing horses to try and sell to the team. 

3 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Still available...

Major geek points/street cred to whomever can remember the audible that triggered the kicking motion. HINT: It’s not “Omaha” but is 4 letters long and starts with “O”. 

Edited September 23, 20214 yr by TrueBlue4ever

17 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

Major geek points/street cred to whomever can remember the audible that triggered the kicking motion. HINT: It’s not “Omaha” but is 4 letters long and starts with “O”. 

Ohio? Throwing it out there because I do not remember. 

On 2021-09-19 at 2:20 PM, Blue_Dragoon said:

I’m amazed our kicking hasn’t cost us a game yet. That’s a credit to how well the rest of the team is doing but I’m not sure it can last. 

funny thing is the only game where it actually did matter... Leggs made the kicks....

24 minutes ago, bearpants said:

funny thing is the only game where it actually did matter... Leggs made the kicks....

We wouldve had a chance to win the Tor game. 7 point game we missed 2 fgs. But 1 of the issed fgs set up a TD for Tor. Thats a 13 point swing. We also had a brutal 36 net yard punt average, and our kick off distance was the worst for any team this year. 56 yard average kick off on 5 kick offs. Toronto averaged 70 yards per kick off. 

That game was the classic medlock is the difference between winning and losing example. Our offense had its worst performance of the year, and our defense gave up the most points it has in forever. But we were still close enough that average kicking might have won it. Medlock wouldve easily won it. 

On 2021-09-19 at 1:47 PM, Floyd said:

I think you have to include Benson in this discussion... he is the common factor in all three kickers absolutely stinking up the joint...

 

Good point. Some of his snaps have been off for sure.

Just now, ddanger said:

Good point. Some of his snaps have been off for sure.

I havent seen 1 snap that wouldve caused medlock to miss. Ali cant hit from the hashmarks. Legs, I think he just struggled with the wind. 

Id love to see a clip example of a snap that some one thought cost our kicker a clean attempt. Or a hold. As of yet I havent seen the holder or snapper equivalent of what our kickers have been doing. Dropping the ball and snapping it way high or out side. 

16 hours ago, wbbfan said:

We wouldve had a chance to win the Tor game. 7 point game we missed 2 fgs. But 1 of the issed fgs set up a TD for Tor. Thats a 13 point swing. We also had a brutal 36 net yard punt average, and our kick off distance was the worst for any team this year. 56 yard average kick off on 5 kick offs. Toronto averaged 70 yards per kick off. 

That game was the classic medlock is the difference between winning and losing example. Our offense had its worst performance of the year, and our defense gave up the most points it has in forever. But we were still close enough that average kicking might have won it. Medlock wouldve easily won it. 

agree....Medlock here...we win that game....and to the snapper/holder question...non issue, they have been spot on, and at this level if it gets to the tee in the time it's supposed to it's all on the kicker.....Medlock was just uber particular and he earned that right to be....Leggs right now is all mental...he will be fine

5 minutes ago, Booch said:

agree....Medlock here...we win that game....and to the snapper/holder question...non issue, they have been spot on, and at this level if it gets to the tee in the time it's supposed to it's all on the kicker.....Medlock was just uber particular and he earned that right to be....Leggs right now is all mental...he will be fine

agree 100%. Legs should just need time to settle in. Kicking is crazy hard mentally. Instead of 40-60 snaps on offense / defense you get  maybe 10 kicks a game including kick offs and XPTs. The wind in the BJB really seemed to mess with both kickers. At the game it didnt feel like it was a 1 direction thing either, it was frequently gusting and swirling. 

I worry a bit that all 3 jobs might be too much for him to pick up at once, but maybe the frequent reps at many jobs help to calm him down and recover from misses. I cant say. 

I think he needs some coaching up in terms of kick offs and directional punting. But that might be some thing he gets in the off season. A lot of kickers and punters work with other guys in their areas in the off season and thats a really big time when kickers sharpen their tools. 

 We are also extremely lucky that unlike previous years we dont need our kicking game to be lights out in order to compete. Right now our offense is productive and our defense is soo dominant the STs are really complimentary. I do hope we see some improvement this year though. 

It wouldnt be bad if they could pick up a Kicker/punter coach to come in and train legs up. Boudreau is more of a kick cover, and kicking game plan coach. Its like having an OC that isnt a QB coach and wasnt a QB, with a young qb, and no QB coach. 

the return part of the game will be fixed when Grant is back, and I wouldn't be shocked if it's for the BC game...that in itself may be the difference in 40+ field goals and ones in the 20-30 range if the offence fails, and be nice confidence boosts for Leggs, or whomever is kicking.

I in all honesty would have gave the kid the last game still to try and get it right leading into the bye, but trust in the coaches, so will ride with that for now. I just like the idea of not using a DI spot on a kicker, when we could roster a guy as a db...receiver...whatever

16 minutes ago, Booch said:

the return part of the game will be fixed when Grant is back, and I wouldn't be shocked if it's for the BC game...that in itself may be the difference in 40+ field goals and ones in the 20-30 range if the offence fails, and be nice confidence boosts for Leggs, or whomever is kicking.

I in all honesty would have gave the kid the last game still to try and get it right leading into the bye, but trust in the coaches, so will ride with that for now. I just like the idea of not using a DI spot on a kicker, when we could roster a guy as a db...receiver...whatever

I agree... it's only really worth it when your kicker is... Medlock

2 minutes ago, bearpants said:

I agree... it's only really worth it when your kicker is... Medlock

truth!

26 minutes ago, Booch said:

the return part of the game will be fixed when Grant is back, and I wouldn't be shocked if it's for the BC game...that in itself may be the difference in 40+ field goals and ones in the 20-30 range if the offence fails, and be nice confidence boosts for Leggs, or whomever is kicking.

I in all honesty would have gave the kid the last game still to try and get it right leading into the bye, but trust in the coaches, so will ride with that for now. I just like the idea of not using a DI spot on a kicker, when we could roster a guy as a db...receiver...whatever

Yep. And IIRC he's missed 6 weeks on the 6 game IR so hopefully the bombers/media gets us an update this week at TC if he isnt back.

Yeah carrying a DI who doesnt do all the roles at a high level is a tough pill to swallow. Though realistically, the DI would be another DL/LBers for teams and rotation on the DL. 

12 minutes ago, bearpants said:

I agree... it's only really worth it when your kicker is... Medlock

Pretty much.