Kicking game

[GrapevineMustang]

Is it time to give Trent Stephenson a chance? That missed field goal by MacMurtray was a killer.

[ponystudent]

He had his chance two years ago. Why is he back?

[Corso]

According to the game report on PonyFans.com, Bennett says Trent Stephenson will get some chances against TCU.

[ponymange]

How does Trent's stats compare to McMurtray? Don't know anything about him. McMurtray's stats seem impressive. I think the snapper/holder/kicker need more practice time together as evidenced by the mishap with the snapper/holder during the extra point attempt. McMurtray has a powerful leg, but he is only as good as snapper/holder will allow him to be. I think it would be crazy to bench McMurtray after missing only one field goal.

[MesquiteStang]

Trent also has a strong leg too. But Mcurtray has always had problems in practices to with kicking the PAT's. they have their time to kick right at the beginning of practice and then they don't do anything for the rest of the day..that concerns me. What if we need one of these guys to kick the game winning field goal for the WAC. Don't know if i can rest on them just yet. But i think Coach Bennet will have this figured out soon! Go Ponies! BEAT TCU!!!

[DallasDiehard]

Can any of the coaches teach/coach kicking? I realize it's a very specific technique, and most college staffs don't have a kicking coach. Most college teams rely on kickers to arrive already knowing how to kick, or they confer with a soccer coach to work on technique.

[sam]

And we expect our QB's to come in knowing how to quarterback and our linemen knowing how to block and our running backs knowing how to run so we don't need any of those coaches either. Where is Bartel and why has he not got any time,after 5 picks in two games you would expect to see Bartel, and Jay Taylor not much time at all but we see "hands of stone " alot and TC where the hell is he, Whose dog did he kick? Billy Ford
don't we remember the great catches he has had. Cody is seeing time and that is great but if Chris had not been injured he would not be starting

[This message has been edited by sam (edited 09-10-2002).]

[DallasDiehard]

Thanks for making my point for me: we expect the other players to know how to play, yet we have an assistant coach who is teaching them, and I'm saying we should have a kicking coach, at least a part-time guy. Someone who knows the mechanics involved, etc.

Bartel has talent. But with the improvement Tate showed between his first start and his second, you really expect Coach Bennett to make a switch now? If he levels off and doesn't get any better, then maybe. But his performance against Tech - although far from perfect - was lightyears ahead of his showing against Navy.

Give the other receivers time. The coaches will get Tate more comfortable and help him spread the ball to more receivers.

The only funny part of sam's rambling tirade is the part where it says it was "edited."

[sam]

Sorry,I had to edit it or it would have been a tirade and I understood what you were saying,SMU does not have a quailifed person to coach the kickers and it will continue to be a problem. As far as Bartel,I would like to see him get some reps,I suspect he is probably in the doghouse because of baseball.I just thought that Bennett using the same logic that he used on the kicker would give Bartel a chance after 5 interceptions and 3 or 4 passes batted down.
I would love to see Ford,Cody and John get their hands on the ball and that means we need to stretch the field,an ability that Tate has not shown.

[ponystudent]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ponystudent:
<B>He had his chance two years ago. Why is he back? </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Once again, I pose the same question after he got his chance, why is he here? His extra point attempt was pathetic and embarrasing. There was a TCU promotion in the first half and the fan out of the stands' kick went farther and higher. If his kick hadn't have severly curved to the left, it would have gone below the field goal and we still would be missing the extra point. The snap and hold both looked good. There is no excuse for this.

[Horseshoe]

Just on their knowledge of the mechanics involved, any kicker with a shred of coordination should be able to convert an extra point with either foot. Missing an extra point is inexcusable.

Welcome back to the starting role, McMurtray

[SMUguy]

Did anyone else realize that McMurtray and Stephenson BOTH are on scholarship?

Stephenson and Brad Bean got scholarships this offseason.

[sam]

This is not a problem of kickers it is a problem of coaching.Name me one Div I school that has its starting QB as its holder. Because of this the kickers get very limited live kicks(2 to 3) a day. Given they have a freshman snapper who will not play on the o-line this year,if they had a wide receiver or a running back or the punter doing the holding they could get 30-50 reps a day.Case solved.Also the kickers should be out early at half-time to warm up again like all other Div I schools

[ponymange]

Wonder why a scholarship was offered to Stephenson and then the kicking job yanked from Mac so quickly after only one missed field goal? That doesn't seem like coincidence to me.

[ProudPonyMa]

I'm with you ponymange, it's no coincidence at , not one bit.