New kicker

[Riley Martin]

Graduate Transfer Kicker out of UCLA Andrew Strauch

[highlandute7]

Hmmm. According to his stats, he hasn’t attempted an XP or FG since 2016. Didn’t see the field in 2017 and only punted in 2018.

 

https://uclabruins.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8274

[McBride of Frankenstein]

I trust the ability to recognize talent.  Matt Gay wasn’t remotely accomplished when he came.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Bottom line is, any new kicker is going to be unproven.

Incoming freshman? Unproven.
Guy off your own bench? Unproven.
Transfer? Unproven.

Guys who are proven – who have a track record and have been executing recently – aren’t transferring.

[highlandute7]

I never said he would be bad or good. Just presenting is stats as this is basically all we have to go on right now. Hopefully he will turn out and be awesome.

Looking at his Twitter account, he has posted some videos of him kicking and doesn’t look all that bad. Glad they were able to get someone. 

[chinngiskhaan]

You never know with kickers until you get them in a real game situation. More options is always better. I’m confident that at least one of them will be pretty good.

When was the last time we’ve had an awful kicker?

[KiYi-Ute]

Coleman Peterson.

[chinngiskhaan]

Coleman wasn’t what I would consider a bad kicker, but he wasn’t what we are used to, that is for sure.

Either way, nothing wrong with having another option at kicker. If Gay and Andy can master the art of kicking field goals as quickly as they did, why wouldn’t one of these guys be able to improve enough to give us at least one solid option? I think we’ll be just fine boys. Maybe not all american fine, but fine fine.

[Utesbyfive]

It’s a damn high standard for sure. One of these days, perhaps this year even, we’re going to have an average kicker. Prepare, and don’t hate on the kid.

[PhiladelphiaUte]

I gotta say…I’m to hyped on this addition.  Know what Automatic Andy and Gay both had in common?

Answer:  Big bodies = Big legs

And this guy is only 180-lbs.  Johnston and Redding were pretty petite as well.  That means that in long kicks, they have to focus on the “power” of their kicks, whereas Andy and Gay could focus more on their “accuracy”.

 

Personally, I would have preferred that 210-lbs Longhorn on the transfer portal…

https://texassports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8169

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Correction:  I meant to say that I’m NOT too hyped on this addition.

[Anfernee]

We already have armchair quarterbacks. The last thing we need is armchair kickers. If there’s one position I give our coaches the benefit of the doubt and trust, it’s kicker.

[PlainsUte]

I don’t think it is that simple.  John Daly should be the greatest golfer in the world since at 220+ he had plenty of power and could focus on accuracy.   There is a large part of place kicking that is mental — don’t think we can guage that from our vantage point — hope the coaches know what to look for and got the best available at this point.  A couple guys competing is good also.

One interesting twist is this new guy is left-footed so the long snapper and holder will have to get used to dealing with right- and left-footed kickers.

[Utesbyfive]

I’m not sure weight as a golfer is equivalent to weight as a place kicker. I’m not sure I can buy your argument.

[leftyjace]

I LOVE THAT HE’S A LEFTY!!!!!

(Get it? Lefty? Jace? Leftyjace? Ahem.)

[TheJuggernaut]

Sakoda was 5’9″ 175 lbs.