The nice thing about having a good kicker...

by **SMUPhil** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:11 pm

...is that you aren't dealing with this type of situation:

Texas Tech's situation at place-kicker has evolved from a concern to a source of frustration. Now, it seems as if it has taken an unexpected, crazy twist.
Having already gone through two kickers - who have combined to miss six PATs and half of their field-goal attempts - the sixth-ranked Red Raiders are now seriously considering giving Matt Williams a shot against No. 18 Kansas this weekend.

Williams is a Tarleton State transfer student who won a month of free rent at the Tech/UMass game several weeks ago by kicking a 30-yard field goal. After his successful try, Williams was walking back to his seat when he was flagged down.

"They relayed a message to me saying that Coach [Mike] Leach wanted to talk to me," Williams told RedRaiderSports.com the next day. "He told me to come into his office on Tuesday and talk to him, and then Coach [Clay] McGuire told me to come and speak with him on Monday."

Initially, it was thought that Williams was ineligible this season due to transfer rules. However, according to McGuire - who heads up the Red Raiders' special teams unit, Williams has been cleared to play.

"That is the way I understand it, yeah," confirmed McGuire on Tuesday. "He's got a real good shot. Only Mike Leach could bring a guy out of the stands and make it work."

This wouldn't be the first time that Tech has relied on a non-scholarship kicker, although not quite under such unconventional circumstances.

"We have a tradition of walk-on kickers rising to the top," commented Leach after the UMass game. "[Robert] Treece and [Alex] Trlica both were walk-on kickers that eventually ended up getting to play significantly. We're always looking for guys. We're excited to see what [Williams]'s got to offer if he's interested."

What Williams offers, compared to Donnie Carona and Cory Fowler, is something that is absolutely necessary for PATs: trajectory.

"I've seen that guy try one kick," added Leach. "But the difference between his and the others is that they barely got off the ground. His got up right away."

by **smupony94** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:13 pm

Ha, we posted the same article at the same time

by **smu diamond m** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:16 pm

Hah, you guys posted the same article at the same time.

by **DiamondM75** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:17 pm

Hah, two people posted the same article at the same time.

by **J.T.supporta** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:20 pm

screw tech

by **smupony94** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:33 pm

J.T.supporta wrote:screw tech

New show on adult TV kind of like Mythbusters?

by **that's great raplh** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:26 pm

lucky us

by **smupony94** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:34 pm

that's great raplh wrote:lucky us

Us lucky?

by **J.T.supporta** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 5:09 pm

smupony94 wrote:
that's great raplh wrote:lucky us

Us lucky?

U suckly?

The nice thing about having a good kicker...

The nice thing about having a good kicker...

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