Could Van der Kamp kick field goals?

**Sloup** · 09-11-2011, 10:00 AM

Nobody has brought this up yet, so I figure there must be a reason why, but I'm going to ask anyway. Could the staff have Van der Kamp kick field goals? It wouldn't be unprecedented to have one guy handle both punting and kicking. Alex Henery is a good example of a guy who can do both effectively. I understand that the two tasks are not as similar as it would seem to an untrained eye (e.g. me), but Kirby seems to have a pretty good grasp on the punting game, so what would it hurt to at least have him try it out?

**keepngoal** · 09-11-2011, 10:04 AM

the 54 yarder was IMPRESSIVE. the miss on the South End-zone was horrendous. Im at the point I get nervous for PATs .....

-keep.

**cyguytillidie** · 09-11-2011, 10:04 AM

I told my friend in that 3OT when we got the ball that it was going to be the last OT because we were either going to score a touchdown and win or kick a field goal and lose.... terrible feeling to have.

**CyFan61** · 09-11-2011, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Sloup

Nobody has brought this up yet, so I figure there must be a reason why, but I'm going to ask anyway. Could the staff have Van der Kamp kick field goals? It wouldn't be unprecedented to have one guy handle both punting and kicking. Alex Henery is a good example of a guy who can do both effectively. I understand that the two tasks are not as similar as it would seem to an untrained eye (e.g. me), but Kirby seems to have a pretty good grasp on the punting game, so what would it hurt to at least have him try it out?

As a former kicker I can tell you that punting and kicking are completely separate beasts that really are only similar in the sense that you use your foot. They are very dissimilar. There are great kickers who blow at punting and vice versa. The guys who can do both are very impressive.

**Erik4Cy** · 09-11-2011, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by CyFan61

As a former kicker I can tell you that punting and kicking are completely separate beasts that really are only similar in the sense that you use your foot. They are very dissimilar. There are great kickers who blow at punting and vice versa. The guys who can do both are very impressive.

This. As well as playing numerous positions like QB, TE, DE, placeholder, I also punted and did it fairly well, but don't ever ask me to kick FG's further than PAT range. You use different parts of the foot and different motion in the leg to control accuracy. Truly the guys that can do both are impressive. Along with holding onto the ball and correcting penalty miscues this week, the main goal of this team/coaching staff is to put those kickers in pressure situation kicks from different hashes. We must get some confidence injected in Mahoney or Guyer, one of these two needs to step up and act like they want the college kicking job.

**RING4CY** · 09-11-2011, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Sloup

Nobody has brought this up yet, so I figure there must be a reason why, but I'm going to ask anyway. Could the staff have Van der Kamp kick field goals? It wouldn't be unprecedented to have one guy handle both punting and kicking. Alex Henery is a good example of a guy who can do both effectively. I understand that the two tasks are not as similar as it would seem to an untrained eye (e.g. me), but Kirby seems to have a pretty good grasp on the punting game, so what would it hurt to at least have him try it out?

As I have mentioned a couple of times in the past, I work kicking and punting camps during the summer. Camps in which Alex Henery and Van Der Kamp have attended. At the camps, Van Der Kamp worked on only punting (whereas Henery worked on field goal kicking and punting.) I'm not saying Van Der Kamp doesn't have the capability to possibly do some field goal kicking, I'm just saying to my knowledge, he has never worked on it.

**theyork** · 09-11-2011, 10:48 AM

best chant from the student section ever

C-A-R-L G-O-M-E-Z (circa 2000)

automatic punting and kicking. saved our arses, outside of jj moses, he was my favorite player on that team. honestly

**geoff** · 09-11-2011, 10:49 AM

Not unprecedented in Ames, is it? Carl Gomez do both for us back in the day, IIRC. McKnight was our kicker & we struggled then Gomez the punter took over & we were much more consistent.

**Sloup** · 09-11-2011, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Erik4Cy

This. As well as playing numerous positions like QB, TE, DE, placeholder, I also punted and did it fairly well, but don't ever ask me to kick FG's further than PAT range. You use different parts of the foot and different motion in the leg to control accuracy. Truly the guys that can do both are impressive. Along with holding onto the ball and correcting penalty miscues this week, the main goal of this team/coaching staff is to put those kickers in pressure situation kicks from different hashes. We must get some confidence injected in Mahoney or Guyer, one of these two needs to step up and act like they want the college kicking job.

I understand it would be a challenge, but is it so big of a challenge that it's not worth trying? I would have a hard time believing he doesn't have the leg strength to do it, and it seems to me that he has the experience and know-how for punting, and he could be just as effective with it even if he split his time between practicing punting and kicking.