How has kicking evolved so quickly?

[Galian Beast]

Kicking in the NFL has evolved so quickly it's not even funny.

Remember back in the day when we couldn't field a proper kicker, and finally shelled out money for Vanderjagt instead of paying just a little more for Vinatieri?

Well we finally got Folk (who is still a good kicker) and then we got Dan Bailey who is like the kicking god.

But it has dawned on me that I barely ever see any missed kicks.

Last year 11 kickers kicked better than 90% 25 better than 80%

In 2003, only 3 kickers kicked better than 90% and only 15 better than 80%

These kickers are also kicking further as well. I remember when a 50 yard field goal used to be a huge deal.

I'm wondering what occurred to create more impressive kickers in just the last 10 years. Has technique and emphasis increased? Are the kickers just better athletes now a days? Are they on HGH?

 

[Zordon]

Teaching and coaching has gotten better. Retired kickers are now kicking instructors.

 

[GcwRyan]

This is pretty interesting.

 

[Galian Beast]

Teaching and coaching has gotten better. Retired kickers are now kicking instructors.

Are you saying that wasn't the case before?

 

[dstovall5]

I think a lot of it just has to do with athletes in general evolving so quickly, they're getting bigger, faster, and stronger. Kickers are athletes to you know.

 

[xwalker]

Are you saying that wasn't the case before?

Good observation.

In the old days the kicker was on his own. The coaches just ignored him.

I think money has a lot to do with it. With the money that players get paid now, there is a lot of coaching available. A lot of the kicking coaches are consultants or have kicking schools. For a small investment parents can send their kids to a kicking school and for a little bigger investment can get them significant time with expert kicking coaches.

 

[Idgit]

It's the kangaroo DNA injections.

 

[CATCH17]

Without even looking im sure there is tons of coaching tips on youtube so that is good for a kid wanting to become a kicker.

By the time they reach the pro's they already have more knowledge than a lot of guys did when they were coming up.

 

[Galian Beast]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nfl-kickers-dramatically-improved-over-the-years/

Great article on this.

 

[perrykemp]

11 kickers of 90% last year is pretty darn amazing.

 

[Zordon]

Are you saying that wasn't the case before?

my guess is no. i think the position was seen more as a novelty than a necessity back then. as parody increased in the league and the margin for error decreased, the kicking game has become an essential part of winning. so more investment has been put into it, there are academies built around kicking now.

 

[Galian Beast]

It'll be interesting to see if some teams start kicking 60 yard field goals more often. I think the biggest hurdle there is field position if you miss.

 

[Carolina Cowboy]

Kicking in the NFL has evolved so quickly it's not even funny.

Remember back in the day when we couldn't field a proper kicker, and finally shelled out money for Vanderjagt instead of paying just a little more for Vinatieri?

Well we finally got Folk (who is still a good kicker) and then we got Dan Bailey who is like the kicking god.

But it has dawned on me that I barely ever see any missed kicks.

Last year 11 kickers kicked better than 90% 25 better than 80%

In 2003, only 3 kickers kicked better than 90% and only 15 better than 80%

These kickers are also kicking further as well. I remember when a 50 yard field goal used to be a huge deal.

I'm wondering what occurred to create more impressive kickers in just the last 10 years. Has technique and emphasis increased? Are the kickers just better athletes now a days? Are they on HGH?

Ask Hos. I'm sure he'll have an opinion

 

[Galian Beast]

The next position that needs to evolve in the linebacker. The NFL needs a player who can play the run, but also keep up with these tight ends.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

Kicking in the NFL has evolved so quickly it's not even funny.

Simple. Teams now know the importance of a kicker so these days put much more emphasis on that position. I think the Cowboys were one of the first teams to do so.

Remember back in the day when we couldn't field a proper kicker,

Ah, the joys of youth. I remember back in the day we always had a good kicker, Fritsch, Zendejas, Herrera. I forget the perv's name.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Remember back in the day when we couldn't field a proper kicker

Hope you are not talking about the Steve Hoffman era and the no name kickers he used to find and turn into bonafide NFL kickers.

 

[maxdallasfan]

The next position that needs to evolve in the linebacker. The NFL needs a player who can play the run, but also keep up with these tight ends.

I've thought about this a lot since last year. Why not play a defense with 2 big sloppy lineman in the middle, 2 fast DE's, a hybrid LB in the middle, sandwiched between 2 "bigger" safeties, with 4 pure CB's over the top.

In surefire passing situations, eliminate the hybrid LB, and replace with another CB.

There is no reason why the "bigger" safeties can't tackle a RB and also cover a TE. Plus, LB's are getting torched by TE's these days. And, the shift to the quick little RB's is also coming around.

Ok, now poke holes please.

 

[Nav22]

It's not just kickers.

We're seeing wide receivers make insane catches on a regular basis, catches that guys couldn't dream of making 20 years ago. Check out the ridiculous 1-handed TD Brandon Marshall caught vs the 49ers in week 2, then try to remember Jerry Rice or Michael Irvin ever making a more impressive catch. You can't.

It's fun for guys like me who grew up in the '90s to pretend that Dez Bryant is Irvin reincarnated (and I do see it personality-wise)... but the truth is that Dez can do things that Irvin could only dream of. Irvin himself has alluded to this reality many times.

We're also seeing QBs dominate in ways we've never seen before. Of course, nostalgic fans/media like to pretend this is ALL thanks to the rule changes, but that's silly. Rookie QBs are MUCH more ready for game action entering the league nowadays, and guys like Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers look like they've completely mastered the position at times.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Good post. My dad is constantly amazed at home many long kicks are almost givens these days. It wasn't that long ago that a 40 or 45-yarder was very, very iffy. Now, barring bad weather, when they line up from there you expect a make almost every time.

Like everyone else said, I'm sure it's mainly better technique. These guys are like young golfers now -- they use video from the time they're very young and their swings are practically perfect from the beginning. Plus you know they lift and train now whereas back in the day kickers were like some guy off the street athletically.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Kicking cost Clemson the game at Florida St this past week. I agree with everybody I find it inexcusable if you are a Division I coach of a major program not to find a really good kicker out of high school. There are kicking camps where 16 year olds are hitting 50 yard FG's.