One big problem about punting and kicking is the coaching. Coaching the passing portion of football is easy because every coach has been involved with the "pass". Most special team coaches have never punted or kicked and gained their knowledge by reading various coaching journals.
PUNTING: A typical GOOD college punt travels high/straight down the field 40 to 45 yards into the waiting arms of the returner giving him ample time to determine a fair catch or run. This is standard punt coaching and wishing. The other style I like is directional kicking that travels less distance in the air but makes the returner run toward the sideline keeping his eye on the ball and not allowing a return because once the ball hits the turf it jumps like crazy making it risky to trap or catch. The punt may only travel 35 yards in the air but makes up for it net yardage wise because it is rarely returned and the ball rolls and bounces along or goes out of bounds. These punters usually roll out and kick soccer style. These punters are much easier to find and train as soccer kicking is common. Kicks are made from the inside of the foot rather than the typical out side punter style. Very easy to control the direction/accuracy of the roll-out punt.
Travis Lulay the cat's QB used that style and the punter from Idaho State killed us with it as we let the ball bounce along 50 plus yards. A right footed punter usually rolls to his right etc. Kramer is one of the few coaches that has this style figured out.
Kicking is a three headed animal. The snapper, the holder and the kicker. The kicker always gets the blame but just as often the snapper or holder screw up causing the kick to go off into lah lah land. Kickers and his other two guys need to practice for months to get it right. Throw in a new snapper or holder and we are off just enough to scare us into going for it on 4th down rather than take a chance. Kickers are needed that can nail it from 30 yards in but have enough leg for a 40+ yard try. Extra points? Go for two! By next fall we should have a fair kicker but I don't see a good one yet. More on this later.
PUNTING: A typical GOOD college punt travels high/straight down the field 40 to 45 yards into the waiting arms of the returner giving him ample time to determine a fair catch or run. This is standard punt coaching and wishing. The other style I like is directional kicking that travels less distance in the air but makes the returner run toward the sideline keeping his eye on the ball and not allowing a return because once the ball hits the turf it jumps like crazy making it risky to trap or catch. The punt may only travel 35 yards in the air but makes up for it net yardage wise because it is rarely returned and the ball rolls and bounces along or goes out of bounds. These punters usually roll out and kick soccer style. These punters are much easier to find and train as soccer kicking is common. Kicks are made from the inside of the foot rather than the typical out side punter style. Very easy to control the direction/accuracy of the roll-out punt.
Travis Lulay the cat's QB used that style and the punter from Idaho State killed us with it as we let the ball bounce along 50 plus yards. A right footed punter usually rolls to his right etc. Kramer is one of the few coaches that has this style figured out.
Kicking is a three headed animal. The snapper, the holder and the kicker. The kicker always gets the blame but just as often the snapper or holder screw up causing the kick to go off into lah lah land. Kickers and his other two guys need to practice for months to get it right. Throw in a new snapper or holder and we are off just enough to scare us into going for it on 4th down rather than take a chance. Kickers are needed that can nail it from 30 yards in but have enough leg for a 40+ yard try. Extra points? Go for two! By next fall we should have a fair kicker but I don't see a good one yet. More on this later.