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Rutgers Should Hold Open Try Outs for KO's

RutgersMO

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Since Smolar can't reach the end zone (he didn't in any of the kicks against New Mexico)...team should hold open try outs for new kicker (we have over 30,000 students...maybe there are a few hidden gems).

Anyone, male, female, both, one legged dwarf's....who can kick the ball into the end zone > 80% time gets a full ride THIS YEAR! PERIOD! Oh yeah and they NEVER will have to tackle or get involved in an actual football scrum ...just "kick the ball into the zone marked END": spoken in Baldwinesque tones - "make them sign on the line that is dotted".

MO
PS And just what is the staff waiting for regarding the kicker in NJ:Justin Davidovicz - for god's sake offer him , show him the love....and let's get another piece of the jigsaw puzzle in place!
 
They did that a number of years ago after Federico was injured. I know a guy who tried out but didn't make it. IIRC, the kid they did put on the team kicked an XP against USF in the last home game that year.

EDIT: It was Joe Behnke, a 20 yard FG back in 2013.
 
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I have to admit, I didn't realize it's that hard to do. Every damn school we play against not named Howard has a kicker who can nail the goalposts.
 
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When I was in HS (early 60's), we had a guy who only did kick offs. Although he couldn't reach the end zones, he could kick it further than anyone else. Got a varsity letter.
RU just sucks when it comes to finding kickers or QB's. Really mind boggling.
 
Find the last GK released from men's soccer; there's your kickoff guy.

To put a football through the uprights requires "football" technique; to kick the crap out of it, not so much. (Think Tony Meola when he tried out for Jets, kickoffs no problem, FGs were an adventure. )
 
Find the last GK released from men's soccer; there's your kickoff guy.

To put a football through the uprights requires "football" technique; to kick the crap out of it, not so much. (Think Tony Meola when he tried out for Jets, kickoffs no problem, FGs were an adventure. )

Would a soccer player who's used up his eligibility in that sport be allowed to play a 5th year on the football team?
 
As a person of Lithuanian ancestry (and Italian) the thread title always reminds me of this great story of a Lithuanian soccer player from Easton HS (Pa.):

Steve Aponavicius is an American football kicker. In 2009, he became the leading scorer in the history of Boston College's football program.[1] A left-footed soccer convert, Aponavicius made his career debut against nationally ranked Virginia Tech on October 12, 2006 and successfully kicked two field goals and two extra points in the Eagles' 22–3 victory.[2]

Aponavicius never played competitive football before coming to Boston College. Growing up, Aponavicius played baseball and soccer in Easton, Pennsylvania, a city known for its high school football. He was an avid member of the "Rover Nation" student cheering section at Cottingham Stadium, where the Easton Area High School Red Rovers played football.

As a freshman at Boston College in fall of 2005, Aponavicius began kicking field goals inside Alumni Stadium where he was spotted by Jay Civetti, a Graduate Assistant in the program. Civetti informed Aponavicius the team was currently looking for kickers and offered the special teams coach's contact information. After a brief one-kick tryout, Aponavicius began practicing with the team. His sophomore year, when starting placekicker Ryan Ohliger was suspended from the team for an incident at a local bar, Aponavicius was given the starting nod for a Thursday night matchup against Virginia Tech in front of a packed crowd of 44,500. Aponavicius' success as a walk-on kicker for Boston College gained him the nickname "Sid Vicious" and drew extensive press coverage and comparisons to the famed Notre Dame walk-on "Rudy."[3][4][5][6]

He ended his dream-like season in 2006 with a game-winning 37-yard field goal to defeat Navy in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.[7][8] Aponavicius finished the season as the team's leading point scorer, amassing 48 points. He was also named to the All-ACC Academic Team.

After receiving his undergraduate degree, Aponavicius enrolled in graduate school for his final year of eligibility.[9] As a fifth-year senior, he became the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Boston College football program.[10][11] At the time, Boston College coach Frank Spaziani said, "To drop out of the student body and come in here, and after a lot of hard work and a lot of time and energy, to become the all-time leading scorer – that's a great accomplishment that he can be very proud of. And we're very, very happy for him."[12]

Aponavicius is of Lithuanian ancestry.
 
Said it before: If you can kick, you can and if you can't, you can't. It also applies to distance. Yes, weather conditions can affect a kick too. Unless you were injured and recouped, you could regain the distance. But if it wasn't there already, it's probably not going to happen short term.
It's a BIG part of the game especially when other teams already have that guy.
 
Find the last GK released from men's soccer; there's your kickoff guy.

To put a football through the uprights requires "football" technique; to kick the crap out of it, not so much. (Think Tony Meola when he tried out for Jets, kickoffs no problem, FGs were an adventure. )
Stepson who goes to Univ. of Arizona tried out for the team freshman year. Made a 40, and 3-50 yd field goals. They took the kid that couldn't make a 40 yd field goal, sine he was from Tucson.Go figure!! Rod can blow his ass off!! Would have gone to RU with they didn't have his major.
 
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