DMN Blog: Thoughts from Nick Folk

[WoodysGirl]

11:21 AM Mon, Apr 27, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer E-mail News tips

As a field goal kicker, few in the NFL are better than Nick Folk. As a kickoff guy, Folk knew before the Cowboys drafted David Buehler in the fifth round Sunday that he would have to improve.

Folk did not have a touchback last year. He had a league-high five kickoffs sail out of bounds. Part of his struggles was the philosophy of former special teams coach Bruce Read. He wanted Folk to kick directionally, putting the ball in a precise area outside the numbers to help a coverage team that needed help.

I spoke with Folk last week for another story and slipped in a few kicking questions.

"For me, I think it was more mechanical," Folk said. "I don't want to say I didn't trust myself but I sort of didn't trust myself too well. I wanted to get it over there and not hit it too hard and have it go down the middle of the field or go right or out of bounds if I was going left. I kind of took it a little bit slower and not as tough as a swing."

Folk said new coach Joe DeCamillis wants some direction but he is more of a power guy. Last year, Jacksonville, Decamillis' former team, had the best coverage team allowing an average starting position of the 24.5 yard line. The Cowboys were 29th at the 29.3.

"He doesn't care if I show which way I'm starting off [as he approaches the ball]," Folk said.

With Buehler, the Cowboys are committed to keeping two kickers. It's a risk given the value of gameday roster spots. And it's a risk knowing they are keeping a third quarterback all season too. There will have to be at least one spot the Cowboys go lighter this year.



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[Hostile]

Two Kickers

uke:

 

[Future]

Two Kickers

uke:

Three quarterbacks

uke:

 

[Hostile]

Three quarterbacks

uke:

We have never won a Super Bowl with only 2 QBs on the roster.

 

[Cowboys22]

The 3rd QB doesn't count towards the 45 man game roster so that has no bearing. It is still correct that they will have to go light at a position to have two kickers on gameday. It has been done before and it means either a few starters will have to play special teams or you have to have 1 or 2 backups that play multiple positions like G/OT, G/C, LB/DE, or CB/S.

 

[Future]

We have never won a Super Bowl with only 2 QBs on the roster.

Did we ever win a super bowl with a third stringer getting significant playing time?

 

[gimmesix]

Two Kickers

uke:

The way I added it up, based on who we took in the draft, I think it's likely that we only keep nine offensive linemen this year, which would open the spot for the extra kicker (although five receivers is also a possibility).

 

[Yeagermeister]

Two Kickers

uke:

 

[Joe Realist]

We have never won a Super Bowl with only 2 QBs on the roster.

That means nothing, really.

 

[Audiman]

The 3rd QB doesn't count towards the 45 man game roster so that has no bearing. It is still correct that they will have to go light at a position to have two kickers on gameday. It has been done before and it means either a few starters will have to play special teams or you have to have 1 or 2 backups that play multiple positions like G/OT, G/C, LB/DE, or CB/S.

like a kicker that plays FB as well?

 

[CowboyWay]

Two Kickers

uke:

I'm starting to come around on this pick. Remember how dreadful our kick off coverage was? Remember how often you held your breathe when the ball was in the air?

This kid gets touchbacks 55% of the time. Thats an incredible number. That single pick just did more to help our special teams than any two other players if you ask me.

Does it suck to keep two on the roster? Yep. But I think it may be worth it.

 

[Hoofbite]

We have never won a Super Bowl with only 2 QBs on the roster.

How many Superbowls have ever been won with the #3 QB on the field.

I have been against the 3 QB way for a while but I am not against it this year. I've been against it in the past because Dallas had absolutely nothing in the way of a developmental guy in the past.

I can live with the 3 QBs as long of them is a guy the team plans to invest some time in.

As far as 2 kickers goes, if that kid can knock 40% of his kicks for TBs I will be content.

But what if Folk is right in saying he can put them into the endzone but was told not to?

 

[casmith07]

That means nothing, really.

Yeah, I mean Aikman didn't take a seat so that Bernie Kosar could play

 

[jazzcat22]

since we will go light at a position, then another player will need to be more versatile. Teams did it befrore. I think for a while Dallas even had 2 K's.

 

[cowboyjoe]

Two Kickers

uke:

hey hos, did you see jerry jones press conference after the draft with wade and stephen. Jerry indicated strongly that the cowboys would keep 2 kickers, like when wade was defensive coordiantor with dan reeves and they had 2 kickers there.

Now goose, the gooselin said this, on theticket, that generally most teams lose a kicker, and that some team may call dallas come preseason for a better draft pick then the one we drafted him, something like a 3rd round draft choice.

but i think from what i heard wade say, jerry say too, that the cowboys will keep 2 kickers as well as 3 qbs; for kitna to help tutor mcgee with wade wilson, while mcgee learns the pro system.

 

[Hoofbite]

I'm starting to come around on this pick. Remember how dreadful our kick off coverage was? Remember how often you held your breathe when the ball was in the air?

This kid gets touchbacks 55% of the time. Thats an incredible number. That single pick just did more to help our special teams than any two other players if you ask me.

Does it suck to keep two on the roster? Yep. But I think it may be worth it.

That was just last year. His college career percent is less.

 

[cobra]

The thing I like about Buehler is that in addition to hopefully kicking deeper, he actually is a coverage player too that can run down the field and make a tackle.

I wince whenever I see the typical shot of a KR having only the kicker left to beat and seeing the kicker just embarass himself.

This kid can actually go down field with speed and make some serious tackles.

Of course, its all going to come down to distance. If he can put it 10 yards deeper than Folk, he'll have a job. If he only goes 5 yards deeper, I'm not sure you can justify that roster spot.

 

[SMCowboy]

I'm starting to come around on this pick. Remember how dreadful our kick off coverage was? Remember how often you held your breathe when the ball was in the air?

This kid gets touchbacks 55% of the time. Thats an incredible number. That single pick just did more to help our special teams than any two other players if you ask me.

Does it suck to keep two on the roster? Yep. But I think it may be worth it.

And he put 17 of his 22 kicks into the endzone if you take out onside kicks/pouch kicks, and kicks where he was kicking from the 15 yardline because of penalties....

That is really an insane statistic.

 

[Nightman]

Why is it insane to keep 2 kickers as opposed to 9 OL or 5 WR? If Folk pulls a hammy, who would placekick? McBriar?

 

[silverbear]

The 3rd QB doesn't count towards the 45 man game roster so that has no bearing.

Well, that might not be the case here... it's true, most teams do keep their 3rd QB inactive, because that inactive QB can still come in the game if the first two QBs get hurt (but then the first two cannot reenter the game)... this loophole effectively allows teams to keep a 54 man roster...

However, the Boys (Jerry) have said they want to look into the Wildcat formation as a changeup offense, and they see McGee as the Wildcat QB... but if they wish to use that in a game, McGee will have to be active, because if he isn't, once he enters the game, Romo and Kitna are done for the day...

It is still correct that they will have to go light at a position to have two kickers on gameday. It has been done before and it means either a few starters will have to play special teams or you have to have 1 or 2 backups that play multiple positions like G/OT, G/C, LB/DE, or CB/S.

Bear in mind that the Boys apparently think that Buehler can contribute on special teams like punt coverage, or blocking when the Boys are receiving a kickoff... so he wouldn't be strictly a kickoff guy, though of course he offers no value as a position player...