Kicking- or the lack of it

[Nitt1300]

I'm not getting why or how we can be without a capable placekicker. Not having one creates a situation where you have to play the game differently, taking chances you shouldn't take and forcing coaches and players into the mindset that every drive must lead to a TD. It's a recipe for disaster.

I think this was a bigger factor in our loss Saturday than I've seen discussed.

 

[NittanyBuff]

No reason not to have a reliable kicker. Much lack our lack of size on the defensive interior, need to recruit it better obviously.

 

[PSUMichFan]

I haven't followed the place kickers on this team, but don't we have more than 1 that can potentially kick field goals! Are they all that poor at kicking?

 

[rudedude]

Pinegar does better on the left hash vs right hash. Simple, try to get the ball to the left!

 

[GrimReaper]

Wonder how many other schools have two scholarship kickers on the roster.

 

[Ram20]

Can it also be mentioned that our punter is supremely talented at pinning teams deep on short punts, but has a very weak leg?

 

[bbrown]

I'm not getting why or how we can be without a capable placekicker. Not having one creates a situation where you have to play the game differently, taking chances you shouldn't take and forcing coaches and players into the mindset that every drive must lead to a TD. It's a recipe for disaster.

I think this was a bigger factor in our loss Saturday than I've seen discussed.

Agree about finding a capable place kicker but IMO that didn't factor in the loss at all.
But as good as Barney A. has been through the first 7 games he was not good on Sat.
Kickoffs going out of bounds is still an issue and the last thing you need to give a team like OSU is starting position at the 35.

 

[Bvillebaron]

Can it also be mentioned that our punter is supremely talented at pinning teams deep on short punts, but has a very weak leg?

Yeah he has been great but, naturally, he picked this past Saturday to have his worst game punting.

 

[Alphalion75]

Pinegar is on a Scholls. So there's that.

 

[CDLionFL]

The confidence in the kicker has nothing to do with some of the 4th down decisions. The Ravens have the best kicker in the history of pro football but even they pass up the automatic 3 to take chances on 4th downs. Yes, I'm talking about the 4th and 2 on the first drive of the 2nd half. We're in a football society of analytics and every coach at every level is a slave to them. Yes, you can say that 'we need touchdowns in order to beat a team like Ohio State' and if that's the first drive of the game, then I can see it. But after a half of establishing how the game is going, you need to have a feel for the game and know that a FG in that spot in the beginning of the 3rd quarter to get it to 17-13 will continue to bolster the feelings of the team that were borne of the first half effort.

 

[UncleRoyBiggins]

Pinegar does better on the left hash vs right hash. Simple, try to get the ball to the left!

This board is no place for logic. Please leave that kind of thinking at home!

 

[TrevYoung]

Can it also be mentioned that our punter is supremely talented at pinning teams deep on short punts, but has a very weak leg?

Amor has been subpar in recent games. Every time he punted against Ohio State, their punt returner had to step up to catch the punt. When OSU punted, our returner had to run backwards just to catch it. How does OSU always have a good kicking game?

 

[Bvillebaron]

The confidence in the kicker has nothing to do with some of the 4th down decisions. The Ravens have the best kicker in the history of pro football but even they pass up the automatic 3 to take chances on 4th downs. Yes, I'm talking about the 4th and 2 on the first drive of the 2nd half. We're in a football society of analytics and every coach at every level is a slave to them. Yes, you can say that 'we need touchdowns in order to beat a team like Ohio State' and if that's the first drive of the game, then I can see it. But after a half of establishing how the game is going, you need to have a feel for the game and know that a FG in that spot in the beginning of the 3rd quarter to get it to 17-13 will continue to bolster the feelings of the team that were borne of the first half effort.

Yep. That's why they lost. By the way, how did Pinegar look on those two "misses" he had before he got bailed out by penalties and PSU converted two 4th downs first for a first down and then for the short-lived go ahead score? I get your point and for the most part agree with it, but unlike the Ravens, why is it that ever time PSU lines up for a FG I look at my buddies and say well let's see how this goes?

 

[CDLionFL]

Yep. That's why they lost. By the way, how did Pinegar look on those two "misses" he had before he got bailed out by penalties and PSU converted two 4th downs first for a first down and then for the short-lived go ahead score? I get your point and for the most part agree with it, but unlike the Ravens, why is it that ever time PSU lines up for a FG I look at my buddies and say well let's see how this goes?

Because they're college kickers. With the exception of a notable few at both college and NFL levels, kickers are a pretty average bunch. Hell, the Steelers employed a guy yesterday that holds NCAA & ACC accuracy records but has been stuck on the practice squad all season. You can definitely put kicking FGs in the top 3 of hardest things to do in sports.

 

[PSU Mike]

Amor has been subpar in recent games. Every time he punted against Ohio State, their punt returner had to step up to catch the punt. When OSU punted, our returner had to run backwards just to catch it. How does OSU always have a good kicking game?

So people who get federal tax refunds pay lower taxes than those that owe money on tax day?

You’re using a flawed reference point.

 

[Woodpecker]

Amor has been subpar in recent games. Every time he punted against Ohio State, their punt returner had to step up to catch the punt. When OSU punted, our returner had to run backwards just to catch it. How does OSU always have a good kicking game?

So if the PSU punt returner would set up another 10 yards back, our opponents' punters would be terrible!

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

Pinegar does better on the left hash vs right hash. Simple, try to get the ball to the left!

100%! All you need to do is watch him warm up. Almost all his misses in warm ups are when he wants the ball to go left to right, like a fade in golf. When he wants to hook the ball, or make it go right to left he is much longer and more accurate. He kicks like I golf!

 

[VaDave4PSU]

Considering we didn't kick a fg (after the 2 failed ones prior) on the first possession of the 3rd quarter, I think it was kind of waving a red flag to kick the fg down 30-21. They had moved the ball on their last 3 drives, leading to a FG, TD, and a TD. It wasn't the time to take the points where as had you done so earlier, you at least would have had a 3 pt game.

Still, this was the Buckeyes. Conservative wasn't going to cut it.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Well Jake has had a better career than he has gotten credit for:

FGs over his five years at PSU: 44-60 73.3%

FGs 2022: 7-9 77.7%

For the record…..he was 1-1 against tOSU on Sat.

(Note: Robbie Gould was 39-61 63.9% at PSU! ‍)

 

[Nitt1300]

Pinegar does better on the left hash vs right hash. Simple, try to get the ball to the left!

sure- give up half of the field

 

[PSUFBFAN]

Well Jake has had a better career than he has gotten credit for:

FGs over his five years at PSU: 44-60 73.3%

FGs 2022: 7-9 77.7%

For the record…..he was 1-1 against tOSU on Sat.

(Note: Robbie Gould was 39-61 63.9% at PSU! ‍)

You are right, he was 1 for 1 on Saturday "for the record".

Also, "for the record", I happened to look at him take his final practice kick just prior to the third quarter on Saturday - he yanked it about 20 yards to the left - horrible. I also saw him put a kickoff out of bounds in the first half. I also saw him miss 2 chip shot attempts in the game that didn't count because he was bailed out by two penalties. He was having a really bad day. Hopefully, we won't need him for a game winner the next 4 weeks.

 

[Bvillebaron]

Because they're college kickers. With the exception of a notable few at both college and NFL levels, kickers are a pretty average bunch. Hell, the Steelers employed a guy yesterday that holds NCAA & ACC accuracy records but has been stuck on the practice squad all season. You can definitely put kicking FGs in the top 3 of hardest things to do in sports.

Well I guess I am old enough to remember being spoiled by the Bahr brothers.

 

[Bvillebaron]

Well Jake has had a better career than he has gotten credit for:

FGs over his five years at PSU: 44-60 73.3%

FGs 2022: 7-9 77.7%

For the record…..he was 1-1 against tOSU on Sat.

(Note: Robbie Gould was 39-61 63.9% at PSU! ‍)

Yeah the Robbie Gould story was a strange one. He was very disappointing his senior year. I then saw he was trying out as a kicker for the Bears. Much to my surprise, he not only won the job, but became one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. Go figure.