Phil Steele has Gophers #1 in nation for returning experience

[Ski-U-Ham]

Professional beer drinker is not useless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a profession? I've been doing it on a voluntary basis for about 20 years now.

 

[BTChamp]

That's a profession? I've been doing it on a voluntary basis for about 20 years now.

You're right, maybe its amateur and not professional. I don't get paid for it and I didn't hire an agent (a lawyer is a different story).

 

[FredCoxRocks]

Not sure how to break it to you, but in a post-apocalyptic world 90% of us would be rendered useless

I could sell fish heads.

 

[Word]

They already took a kicker through the portal that was very good in the MAC. So I expect the kicking game to be improved, not sure about the punting or return game though.

Didn't we get 2 kickers as transfers that would both be considered upgrades from last year?

 

[Gophergrandpa]

I don't care how good or bad the coach is. the players have to have a basic level of ability. The greatest coach in the world could not turn me into a placekicker or a punter.

So, I would suggest that this is more of an evaluation or recruiting issue. The Gophers need to put a higher priority on evaluating, locating and recruiting place-kickers and punters.

I would not be surprised if this is something that they use the transfer portal to focus on.

Part of the field position game is kick returns. It’s not just our kickers. A good kick return game can give you some short fields on offense. If you fair catch everything, including kickoffs, and don’t have a kick return threat, you give up a lot when you are in a tough, hard-nosed field position battle game.

 

[BTChamp]

I could sell fish heads.

Thai prisons would love you as a vendor.

 

[btowngopher]

Part of the field position game is kick returns. It’s not just our kickers. A good kick return game can give you some short fields on offense. If you fair catch everything, including kickoffs, and don’t have a kick return threat, you give up a lot when you are in a tough, hard-nosed field position battle game.

I assume the fair catch thing is a coaching decision. Seems like the returners are being told to fair catch everything unless they have a ton of room.

 

[swingman]

Didn't we get 2 kickers as transfers that would both be considered upgrades from last year?

actually 2 kickers and a punter

Matthew Trickett from Kent State: Spent three seasons at Kent State and was named All-MAC First Team in 2018 and was the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019 • made 47 of 57 (82.5%) field goals at Kent State and 94-of-95 career point after attempts for 235 career points • made 4-of-6 field goals in 2020, made 29-of-34 field goals in 2019 and made 14-of-17 field goals in 2018 • tied for NCAA lead with 29 field goals in 2019, while setting a Kent State record • career best five field goals came against Utah State in 2019 • career long of 49 yards came against Ohio in 2018 • punted 36 times (35 in 2018 and once in 2019) and averaged 38.7 yards. 59 yarder in high school at St Ignatius in Cleveland...star on #1 high school soccer team in nation

Will Mobley from Temple: Spent four years at Temple and made 26 field goals and 99 point-after attempts for 177 points • career long field goal of 44 yards came in win against No. 23 Memphis in 2019 • connected on a school-record 51 consecutive point after attempts in 2018

Daniel Sparks from UL-Monroe: Played in all ten games during the 2020 season as a freshman • punted 30 times and averaged 44.6 yards per punt, landing five inside the 20-yard line • average was second-best in the Sun Belt Conference • kicked off 33 times, averaged 55.3 yards on kickoffs and recorded six touchbacks.

Plus, I think the returning kickers should be healthier...both might have been playing injured. The punter from Australia was kind of thrown into it and could have used more practice time.