UGA coaches should listen to Rex Robinson
As anyone who’s read this blog for a while knows, Georgia’s special teams play — and particularly the Dogs’ spotty kickoff coverage and Coach Jon Fabris’ penchant for high, short directional kicks — is one of my pet peeves. The results last season, with the other team too often getting the ball at the 40 or better, were pretty damning. But I think the fact that two of UGA’s most celebrated kickers from the past, Kevin Butler and Rex Robinson, have been openly critical of Fabris’ approach speaks volumes on the subject.
Robinson, who writes the Roughing the Kicker blog, talks about the kickoff situation and how it impacted the overall play of freshman placekicker Blair Walsh last season in a lengthy “catching up” interview with David Hale of the Bulldogs Blog. I think the measured way in which Robinson criticizes the directional kicking plan shows this is more than just a fan’s knee-jerk reaction.
Robinson tells Hale: “Somebody left a comment on my blog the other day calling Coach Fabris a numbskull. I had to answer and said, ‘I don’t think that he’s a numbskull. I just think that he’s possibly stubborn and maybe a little shortsighted on this one issue.’ He’s a great defensive ends coach, but they seem to really feel like they need to … hide the weaknesses they have on the coverage team by putting all the pressure on the kicker, and that’s a tough thing, particularly for a true freshman.”
Now, admittedly, some of Georgia’s coverage problems were a result of the injury situation last year meaning too many walk-ons covering kicks. Of course, if you kick the ball deep in the end zone so that it’s not returnable, your problem is solved. Unfortunately, Walsh wasn’t able to do that consistently enough so Fabris instead told him to kick it high and in the corner to help with coverage, as he’s done with some past kickers. But even when the ball didn’t go out of bounds, the results weren’t much better than if the kick had been taken a step inside the goal line.
Robinson thinks that the pressure of trying to kick it directionally affected Walsh’s game overall. “If he’d been an upperclassmen and had been there a couple of years and was physically stronger and more mature, I don’t think it would have been as big a deal. But to continually put that amount of pressure on him, and even in games when it was obviously very windy, they were still trying to kick over there to the corner and it went out of bounds. I think it ultimately … affected him overall, confidence-wise and maybe even technique-wise. I think even Kevin Butler voiced that opinion in his postgame [radio show] one time. What you’re asking Blair to do … it got to the point where he was almost aiming it instead of kicking it, and I don’t if you ever played baseball or any other sports, but when you start thinking too much, things go bad.”
At the end of the season, a frustrated Mark Richt put a call out for a kicker who could boom it out of the end zone and ultimately signed junior college transfer Brandon Bogotay in hopes he can either do that, or the competition will make Walsh better. But even with Bogotay in the kicking corps, Robinson is realistic enough to say he doesn’t think the Dogs’ kickoff philosophy is likely to change.
“If Brandon wins the job, I think it will be because he’s better at the directional kicking,” he tells Hale. “He may be able to kick it a little bit deeper, but still with good height and into the corner. You probably know that I feel like they ought to just let those guys kick it as deep as they can, even if it’s the goal line or two or three yards deep, and then just cover it. Brandon kicks it a long way, but if he doesn’t kick it 100 percent of the time, Coach Fabris is not going to go for it.”
I agree with Robinson and Butler. Let them kick it as deep as they can and if it’s returnable, then improve your coverage. Butler has said he thinks part of the problem is that Georgia’s coverage team isn’t getting off the kicking team’s first blocks quickly enough.
Whatever it is, it seems like fixing problems like that would be a more effective approach than messing with your kicker’s mind. Robinson and Butler have been there. Coach Fab should listen to them.
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52 comments Add your comment
Doyouknowshon
July 20th, 2009
2:18 pm
I agree with Rex and Butler. Boot it deep and make a tackle!
Saint Simons
July 20th, 2009
2:18 pm
45-42!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Tony Romosexual
July 20th, 2009
2:21 pm
Directional kicking is for penalty kicks in soccer; stop the madness.
Saint Simons
July 20th, 2009
2:21 pm
Has anybody from uga ever won the British Open? NO!!!
Cincinatti Bowtie
July 20th, 2009
2:24 pm
Of course things won’t change, and we will continue to give the other team great field advantage. Starting to wonder if we cook Martinez too much for the bad defense.
45-42, bleah
July 20th, 2009
2:24 pm
That ko coverage was one of my biggest complaints last year also. Kick it deep and let your men do their jobs. If they get one TD returned a year, fine, but stop giving them the ball on the 40 yard line two or three times a game. Lengthen the field on the opponents and make them drive the ball.
Cuz
July 20th, 2009
2:30 pm
After last year I thought it was a new NCAA rule that we had to spot twenty yards to the opposing team on kickoffs. Nice to know I was wrong.
Has anyone from Tech...
July 20th, 2009
2:35 pm
…ever won the Heisman Trophy (named, ironically enough, after a Clemson and Auburn coach BEFORE he coached at Tech)? 3 Tech guys have won the British Open, though!
chazzo
July 20th, 2009
2:37 pm
Finally, someone picking on Fabris a bit. Directional kicking plan sucked. It is a pensive way of playing, making the players pensive and giving the other team the upper hand. It’s kind of like telling a boxer not to throw a punch in the first round; he would tire himself out dancing and avoiding and never get any of the morale boosting reward of landing a punch. I would rather give up a couple of runbacks for scores than hand the ball to the other team on the 45 every time. UGA does not need trick plays to win! No pensive, sandlot crap! Man up and win or die trying!
Too Easy
July 20th, 2009
2:41 pm
Did any of gt’s golfers ever win a NCAA national championship while they were actually at tek? And I’m a Cink fan. Now, back to regular COLLEGE FOOTBALL programming.
Saint Simons
July 20th, 2009
2:42 pm
liisten to this!!! 45-42!!!!!!!!!!! hahaahahahahahahahahaha
Long Dawg
July 20th, 2009
2:57 pm
The special teams play in general last year was maybe the worst I have ever seen it. Kickoff coverage was at the top of the list of “Needs Improvement” and it never happened. We were just as bad in the 13th game as we were in the 1st game. That is what frustrated me most. Blair also missed too many makable field goals. Hope he lives up to his potential this year.
dawgstephen
July 20th, 2009
2:57 pm
Good topic Bill. I agree. meanwhile, the recruiting path seems to be as hot in July as it can be…Since the weather isnt scorching, the coaches and their activity are.
an update on my blog…where there is FULL moderator approval. Come on AJC, you can do it too.
http://www.dawgstephen.blogspot.com
Mike Dawg
July 20th, 2009
2:58 pm
Part of the problem is the level of talent UGA puts on the field for special teams. Seems like UF puts their best athletes on the field for special teams. We seem to reward seniors who’ve stuck around or 2nd & 3rd teamers who Richt promised in the recruiting process would play. Beamer & U. Meyer put their starters out there, and I would bet that special teams play has earned each VT & UF at least 3 victories per season either directly or indirectly.
Saint Simons – Not once in our 7 yr win streak against you clowns, did I post the score on your blog. In fact, I’ve nver even been to any Tech site/story on AJC. Clearly, you have deep rooted issues against UGA. Probably the lack of talent on the GT campus.
BAMA STAN
July 20th, 2009
3:10 pm
12 NATIONAL TITLES – 21 SEC TITLES!!!
A case of outcoaching yourself – instead of letting the players play. Understand trying to cover weakness – but the UGA games I saw – kickoff in the corners was a weakness – and gave opposing teams field position.
Another example – this time in the NFL – did any of you see the Bears – Falcons game last year? Bears score – what they thought was the winning TD with about 14 seconds left – and the kicker SQUIBS it down the middle on the kickoff. A Falcon caught the call – ran up field about 10 yards or so – and got down on his knees to save precious time – give the Falcons great field position. Ryan throws a 25 yard pass – Falcons kick game winner with a few seconds left on the clock.
If the Bears kicked it deep – Falcons have 14 seconds from their 20 – or if the Falcons return – more time runs off the clock. A case of outcoaching yourself.
ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BAMA STAN
July 20th, 2009
3:17 pm
12 NATIONAL TITLES – 21 SEC TITLES!!!
UGA has been blessed with extremely good kickers over the years – in fact, I can not think of another school that has had so many good kickers.
At Bama – we have been blessed with good kickers as well – but not the scope of what UGA has had.
With that said – here are a couple of questions to ask UGA fans:
1. Are the current kickers on UGA’s roster “up to snuff” as compared to UGA’s incredible kickers of past?
2. With only a few scholarships remaining – what are UGA’s needs and who are the targets? RB?, WR?, DT? CB?
ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chazzo
July 20th, 2009
3:29 pm
Just to point it out, Dooley had Lindsey Scott and Hershell Walker receiving kickoffs. I think you have to go for broke from the whistle with the best personnel you can put on the field. That being said, an injury-depleted defense got no break from a quick score or quick turnover offense and crappy special teams. And, that’s the glory of and the story of 2008/9.
DawginLex
July 20th, 2009
3:35 pm
Walsh is capable and played as a true freshman. Bogotay is the answer to the KO dilemma. Kick it deep and make ‘em start on the 20.
Cuz
July 20th, 2009
3:42 pm
I agree Lex, let Bogotay be the kickoff guy and save Blair for field goals and extra points. Kicker by committee as RB’s by committee. On the field as it is in practice. Amen.
shane#1
July 20th, 2009
3:45 pm
Bama Stan, IMO the Dogs should use some of their windfall SEC profits and hire a special teams coach. Fabris had enough on his plate just trying to field two healthy DEs last year. Richt is not a special teams guy either, as a matter of fact CMR once stated that he wished kickoffs could be done away with because he had lost too many good players to injury on kickoff teams. The drop off in FG effectivness, again, IMO, can be directly attributed to coaching. Let Fabris concentrate on getting a pass rush and a real special teams coach worry about the kicking game and watch BOTH areas improve at UGA.
athensdawg
July 20th, 2009
3:47 pm
My problem with the directional kicks probably reiterates what bill said, and is common to the whole uga staff…they get an idea in their head and don’t change….
for example….the fade route that we kept running in the red zone last year. that worked well…
you’ve got one of the best running backs in the SEC and you can’t pound the ball in to the endzone?
FSU fans will tell you that Richt was notorious for “sticking to the gameplan” at FSU whether the plays worked or not, it was almost as if he felt he could get his plan to work through sheer force off will.
One guy I know said that when he did that you could almost start counting down how many seconds till bobby ripped the headphones off of someone else and started yelling at him.
so….this “stubbornness” goes with the territory…..unfortunately for us.
Jeff
July 20th, 2009
3:49 pm
Kick it in the endzone and be done with it. If it doesn’t get there make the tackle. Its not rocket science, and is the easiest part of special teams. Lets get it straight. No more short fields in the toughest division in CFB. Maybe we should let Willie coach kickoffs so he can stop whining about opponents field position.
mike
July 20th, 2009
3:53 pm
St Simons, a real spanker as Kincaid would say. You need to get out and get some fresh air. Be sure and get a hat on and some sun screen on. Hee Hee I can post on the internet, nobody has to know who I am, this is almost as cool as getting a new dungeons and dragons game.
Doyouknowshon
July 20th, 2009
3:56 pm
Mike Dawg – Great point you make there about top players on special teams at other schools. I think last year you saw less starters on kickoff coverage due to the injury bug that plagued the team in 2008.
In years past, our kickoff coverage squad has regularly included a large number of starters from the LB, DB and other positions. I think our coaching staff was scared to put too many starters out there fearing additional injuries might result. Granted Rennie was always out there, but he is not human. Thus you had 2nd and 3rd string guys out there covering the kicks. Regardless of who we put out there though, directional kicking stinks and should be removed from our special teams playbook.
I think Cincinatti Bowtie is right in suggesting we get on Martinez too much for the defense. Stafford threw a pick 6 in the Tech game, 3 picks in the UF game (one was basically a pick 6), and led the offense to 3 and outs at the worst possible times in several games. Yes, the tackling in the Tech game was terrible, but I don’t remember David Greene and D.J. Shockley led offenses putting the defense in nearly as many bad positions as Stafford did in his 3 years in Athens.
Bud Weiser
July 20th, 2009
3:59 pm
Tech players do seem to do well in Scotland, where men wear skirts.
JaxDawg
July 20th, 2009
4:09 pm
There needs to be more emphasis placed on special teams in general. I agree with the fact that the number of injuries may have had a bit to do with the reason behind the directional kicks, but once they saw it wasn’t working, we never even tried anything else. I find it hard to believe that the coverage team was so bad that even if the ball was taken in between the 5-10yd line that teams would have faired much better than just giving them the 35 or 40yd line.
I say with a few exceptions, put the fastest, most athletic players on the kicking team, have the kicker kick it as far as he can IN BOUNDS and let the coverage team do the rest.
AltamahaDawg
July 20th, 2009
4:09 pm
I’ve asked, and asked, never answered. If it were so simple as to kick it deep, why then does the National Football League not recognize this wisdom? or other colleges for that matter.
Einsteindawg
July 20th, 2009
4:15 pm
For what it’s worth…Fabris is an excellent DE coach, but doesn’t know jack about kicking and coverage. Why doesn’t UGA take some of my annual contribution (along with a portion of the other $16M+ for the “honor” of purchasing season tickets) and hire a full-time kicking coach. We seem to be able to spend money on all the film, ass’t film, ass’t strength, ass’t to the ass’t, etc. coaches…why not spend money on something helpful. I would think this is important since coach Urban Liar assumes this responsibility for FLA. Or, are all our coaches stubborn? Just a suggestion.
wbk
July 20th, 2009
4:15 pm
I agree with kick it deep and make a tackel but you must FIRE MARTINEZ!!!!
AltamahaDawg
July 20th, 2009
4:29 pm
I am reminded of Stinchcolm’s mocking remark (on this topic) from last year “don’t you think if kicking it deeper was an option, that’s what they would have been doing”.
Larry
July 20th, 2009
4:29 pm
Amen Brother. I totally did not understand why we stuck that plan that was not working. We would score and then kick the ball out of bounds and give the other team the ball on their 40 and then next play get a 15 yard penalty and it would be 1st and 10 on our 45. Even bad teams can score with 1st and 10 from our 45. LET THE KICKER KICK THE BALL AND THE LET COVERAGE TEAM DO WHAT THEY DO AND EVERYTHING WILL BE JUST FINE.
SuperB
July 20th, 2009
4:30 pm
Kick the ball out of the end zone or kick Fabris out of Athens.
dap01
July 20th, 2009
4:31 pm
When is someone going to say FABRIS IS A BAD SPECIAL TEAMS COACH?
I attend many high school games who have better kickoffs than UGA (I am a huge UGA fan).
Our defense is always handicapped because of that stupid approach to kickoffs. CMR should get that straightened out. Such stupidity should last a game or two but then common sense should prevail.
The special teams at UGA are terrible! I believe that the kickers we recruit have a strong leg before coming to UGA. What happens after they arrive?
harry dawg 73
July 20th, 2009
4:32 pm
Attn: St. Simmons
Tech tailback GREAT Eddie Lee Ivory- Served time in prison for rape.
Frosh recruit of two years ago- quit team due to APD charges for rape
Joey Hamilton- Drug trafficking charges
Reuben Houston- Drug trafficking charges
Lavin, Mooney and Salisbury beat up a itty bitty girl on N Avene at a pizza shop. Assault charges Settled out of court. Facial reconstruction for the itty bitty girl. She went toe to toe with the big linemen too.
How many years has tech defeated UGA since 1960???
Tech QB reggie Ball throwing the ball out of bounds on 4th down still has me giggling.
How many Tech coaches have come and gone, including Dodd, have there been since 1960??? 25?? 32???
UGA class of 73- Harry Dawg
mcdavidastro
July 20th, 2009
4:33 pm
This once again asked the quwstion of who is running the team. We seem to nver hold Richt responsible. It’s always a question of the support coaches. All these problems go back to Richt including why we run out of defensive people when we always have an army of quarterbacks. The kicking game including receivng has been absolutely awful, and part of why we lost or barely won games last year. Richt has got to step up and coach.
Saint Simons
July 20th, 2009
4:34 pm
listen to this!!!! I like tools and I am a Tech tool.
Ted Striker
July 20th, 2009
4:35 pm
Some of the folks talking about hiring a “full-time kicking coach” ignore the fact there are NCAA limitations on the number of coaches a team is permitted to have. Does a team really want to sacrifice a position coach for a “full-time kicking coach?” I wouldn’t.
SC Dawg
July 20th, 2009
4:40 pm
Richt does not want any starters on kickoffs if it can be helped. That is where players seem to be most prone to injuries. Remember Boss Bailey in 2000? Fred Gibson in 2003? He won’t allow kickoffs during the spring game because of the fear of injury.
AltamahaDawg
July 20th, 2009
4:41 pm
Larry I would bet that the actual times we got sent a KO out of bounds to be exact, and followed that up with an immediate 15 yr penalty was about as often as we got an “illegal jumping” call.
Too Easy
July 20th, 2009
5:04 pm
Wish we could get another Bill Hartman to ‘volunteer’ as a kicking coach. Maybe Rex or Kevin have the time.
LifelongDawg
July 20th, 2009
5:26 pm
Altamaha Dawg,
“Illegal Jumping”. I forgot about that moronic call. Thanks for the memory. LOL
SSI gator
July 20th, 2009
5:37 pm
Altamaha Dawg -
Back from OU already? I guess they were not ready for your knowledge and advice about college football.
Greek Dawg
July 20th, 2009
5:48 pm
If you go back and look at how Blair finished his directional kicking you will see he almost fell down on the turf. It is an unnatural technique that had to affect hisnormal kicking stride. Kick the damn ball and do a better job of defending.
Meat
July 20th, 2009
5:53 pm
UGA needs another Bill Hartman SR. to coach the kicking game.
Dawg
July 20th, 2009
6:59 pm
Saint Simons…. why don’t you go blog on the Tech Blog Site and leave this one to REAL DAWG FANS!!!!!!!!!! Wait a minute … there is no Tech Blog site because there are not enough Tech fans out there and noone smart enough to do one!!!!! And after Georgia gets finished with you guys the fair weather fans will be back in hiding! Bye Saint Simons!!
I know how to "shut-up the bugs".....
July 20th, 2009
7:33 pm
Bill….it’s not rocket science….next blog…”Which stadium has the prettiest girls….Sanford…or grant field..??? Do it man…take off the gloves..!!!!
Herschel Talker
July 20th, 2009
9:44 pm
Saint Simons likes men
BAMA STAN likes men
Ho hum dawg
July 20th, 2009
10:16 pm
Fabris is not a numb skull because he is an idiot! Last year he and Willie had flare ups on the sidelines because Fabris couldn’t get the right personnel on the field and wasted time outs. BTW both of these clowns need to go before UGA can stop people from scoring 30 or more points.
Clempsun Taters Rule
July 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
There were two things that Danny Ford always emphasised while he was at Clempsun and they were the kicking game and defense. His defenses were very very hard hitting and dominating. The Kicking game was awesome too. These are two areas that UGA severely lacks.Sorry mutt fans its gonna be a looonnnnggggg year for your boys..
Mike T.
July 21st, 2009
12:04 am
42-45 a fluke!