A Tale of Two Kicks · KICKERSCAMP: Kicking Skool

A Tale of Two Kicks

This first is a PAT operation that's solid and gives every sideline coach a breather from the stresses of the game. 😄 The second — same personnel — only this one under pressure. This is what gives coach's gray hairs. 😳

BUT watch the second more closely and understand what your kicking operation could do... but you actually have to train for it — and you should, as a unit.

ON A PAT, THE DEFAULT IS TO KICK THE BALL.
The snapper's nerves got to him and he slid the snap. Not good, but not bad (bad is a snap over the holders head). A skipped snap can be caught and placed for kick in about the same time it takes on a clean snap.
Holders are already "ready" for anything. It's a hard job, you have so little time to catch and place the ball down (on a tee or the ground). This ball skips. Have soft hands, like we say to punters (catch it first). Make the catch and place the ball (when something goes wrong, we're no longer worried about laces or tilt), just catch and place.
Were that the case, the kicker needs to split second decide if he can continue his approach... if the answer is NO, then stop, regather and do a 1-step FG kick. Learn how far you can make a 1-step kick. Most high schoolers can easily make a PAT. Don't panic... just STOP, SHUFFLE and KICK. It doesn't have to look pretty, it just needs to be through the posts.
But the holder now bobbles the ball... Now you have two choices: 1) Get up and run it as best you can 2) Get the ball and put it down for the kicker for a delayed 1-step kick.
BUT YOU SAY — it would surely be blocked! Would it? On a wing block attempt, the attackers most likely runs or dives past the spot of the ball. If the holder and kicker stayed put, they make this kick. [Put your finger on the video slider and move the second video frame by frame... tell me that they couldn't get that kick off if the holder would have simply stayed put] — I know, that takes some nerves of steel, but it can be done. And if it's blocked — SO WHAT — the play was already doomed from the outset, right?

Why not take a sure FAIL and attempt to turn it into a WIN?

PRACTICE:

1) Tell your snapper or holder to intentionally screw up the play and see if you kicker can respond.

2) As a coach, I would often stick my foot in front of the snap to mess things up to see what they would do.

3) Kickers, tell you holder to put the ball down within about a yard or two of you (so that your position is wrong to kick a FG). Then kick the FG anyway. How do you do it? (You have to re-gather, shuffle and 1-step kick).

PROBLEMS SOLVED. 🤓

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A Tale of Two Kicks