THE DEATH OF THE KICKER?

Okay, maybe the title of this is a bit harsh. Many Bronco fans may feel that way considering all that has happened in recent weeks to the BCS standings. Teams losing that would have set up the matchup all of Bronco Nation has been waiting for. That all too elusive shot at the National Championship Game.

Here is my take on the position of the kicker when it comes to football. First let me clarify that I am in no way a fan of Futbol, in any way shape or form. I let my Daughter play for a few years when she was young and she has no desire to play it again. She thinks it is more boring to play than it is to watch. She truly is my Daughter.

One would think that with my strong opinion about soccer and kicking that I would be anti-kicker. That is not the case at all. See, I also coach Youth football and, ironically enough, hold the position of Special Teams Coach. Until recent years it wasn’t a big role. Teaching kids how to cover kickoffs and the occasional punt wasn’t tough after all. The past two seasons, when we made the jump to an invitational spring league the kicking game became a large role in what we do.

Armed with my old Defensive Lineman mentality my first year I just wanted to ram the ball down the throat of the opposition when it came to special teams. After a not so successful year, the next off season I studied up on Special Teams and put more emphasis on the kicking game. After all it can play a HUGE role in a teams success.

In our second game of the season we were down by two points with less than a minute to go. It was 4^th and 2 with the ball inside the 20. Timeout had been called. Coaches had a meeting to discuss going to the 1^st down or kicking the field goal. I was confident that our kicker could make a 35 yarder to win the game for us. The other coaches were also confident. The Head Coach called over the entire offense and asked them what they wanted to do. The 14 and 15 year olds wanted the gold so they chose to go for the 1^st down. That decision was one that burned deep with guilt for a week. Instead of lunging forward our young QB went back and tried to go forward over the left tackle. By then the defense had surged into the backfield and stopped any opportunity we had.

I am one of those that believed Boise State would have beaten TCU had the ball remained in Mr. Boise State’s golden hands. However, the decision was made by the coach to go for the field goal, and we will have to accept it. He knew something that we the fan’s didn’t. Not mention did you see how elated TExas was after their kicker made a game winning field goal? Let’s never forget that Bronco Nation. 

Bronco fan’s can think back to the winning field goal against BYU in 2004, the winning field goal against SJSU in 2006 that kept Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl mix. Then there was the fake punt against TCU in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. Special Teams plays a huge role on the field and that little punk the kicker has a huge part in what happens.

Like it or not, Bronco Nation we live and die by our kicker. We are just on the wrong side of the foot right now. The ship will right it’s self, rest assured. Look at last week’s game against SDSU and the kicking efforts there. Remember we are part of a great thing happening on the Blue Turf. These kids on the field play their hearts out for us fans each week. As much as it hurts our pride, think about how they feel when they don’t succeed.