LSU kicker transfers to Texas

Discussion in 'On The Field' started by Dionysus, Jul 24, 2016.

  1. ProdigalHorn

    ProdigalHorn 10,000+ Posts

    That was sort of my thought. Other than the fact that he's played under some pressure and hasn't sucked... I mean I'm glad to have him but I'm not ready to say we just made our kicking game a strength.

    I actually have pretty high hopes for Naggar. Apparently we have a couple of guys that have walked on who are showing some potential, but they haven't done it in a game yet. So we'll see. I think we'll be at least adequate there.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. LonghornDave

    LonghornDave 1,000+ Posts

    Not that any of this matters BUT i was at Kroger today getting postage stamps because the government closed the Post Office near my house. Looking at Dave C Texas Football because the line is slow. Not excited about buying a picture of Tech's Kliff K but it is a nice picture.
    Scroll through to Big 12. Texas ranked number 5 out of ten. Lowest ranked part of Texas team is punting, place kicking etc. "D Plus". Also Baylor still ranked w players that left for Texas etc. and vice a versa. Only needed twenty stamps so didn't stay TOO long but looked like the players that left Baylor for Texas hurt Baylor and filled identified needs for Texas. And we also had significant question marks at kicking.

    That is all.
     
    • Like Like x 5
  3. Creek

    Creek 1,000+ Posts

    Great job to get that guy!
     
  4. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    Career 15-21 (71%) doesn't drop the jaw but is acceptable production. 55 of 56 (one block) on PAT's is a good sign he stays focused on the gimme.

    IMHO, 13-17 (76.5%) when able to prepare as the man before the 2015 season is a better indicator. Nick Rose had the exact same numbers last year.

    Just a lil background on 2015...

    He was a perfect 10 of 10 through the first 9 games.

    Over the next two games he went 1 of 2 and 2 of 5.

    The meltdown game came in a 12 point win over Aggy.

    All 4 misses came late in the year during a two week span.

    The place kicking aspect seems pretty solid. I'm a lil more concerned with 35 of 83 (42%) career touchbacks on kickoffs, 7 of 32 (22%) last year.

    Rose was 153 of 281 (54%) over his career, and 47 of 63 (75%) last year.

    It's not a good thing to drop from 75% (2015 Rose) to 22% (2015 Domingue) on touchbacks. We need to keep the kickoff role open to competition.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  5. MudHorn

    MudHorn Admin Moderator

    • Like Like x 1
  6. LonghornDave

    LonghornDave 1,000+ Posts

     
  7. p_town_horn

    p_town_horn 1,000+ Posts

    Guy is certainly no Justin Tucker but this improves the kicking game substantially. So, while I wont expect him to have any walk-off 50 yarders, I am hoping to avoid things like Cal and Oklahoma State last year.

    I am not sure why some people are pessimistic about this addition. We just took an absolute liability and made it mediocre at worst. That is significant improvement in our team. And it is July. Not many teams are improving their roster in July.
     
    • Like Like x 5
  8. LonghornDave

    LonghornDave 1,000+ Posts

    All good points. I suspect Naggar competes and maybe wins kick off due to his impressive leg strength and their aren't 11 guys rushing him. But everything ive seen indicates a proven kicker, even if not automatic, is a net plus.
     
    • Like Like x 6
  9. OldHippie

    OldHippie 2,500+ Posts

    Maybe his late season drop off was the reason Les Miles was willing to let him go.
     
  10. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    He was 11 of 12 before Aggy game. I'm of the belief he was bewildered by how many clueless morons invaded his stadium and lost focus. :smile1:

    Or he already had a diabolical plan to transfer to Texas and wanted Aggy to claim we snagged a shaky kicker before he leads us back to the promised land. :hookem:
     
    • Like Like x 9
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2016
  11. p_town_horn

    p_town_horn 1,000+ Posts

    No doubt the crotch-squeezing aggies were a distraction. It's still hard for me to believe those people exist.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  12. LonghornDave

    LonghornDave 1,000+ Posts

    Or Les just being Les.
     
  13. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    To be fair, LSU still has their 11-15 (73%) starter from 2014. His career numbers are 24-29, with 14-16 from 30+.

    They also signed an Army All Amer and 9th ranked HS kicker in nation (4th by Scout).

    Handing out a scholarship to a walk-on, grad school Senior with similar numbers (actually less productive) to his back-up was a questionable use of resources.

    Especially with the highly touted true Freshman now joining the roster.

    Two weeks ago we'd have been ecstatic if ANY of those 3 were on our roster.

    It's likely either of the remaining two can handle place kicking as well as Domingue.

    Why burn an extra scholarship when they have two other legit options and he's gone after this season? Can't say I disagree with the decision Miles made.
     
    • Like Like x 3
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2016
  14. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Bobby Burton:

    I asked our LSU writers via text for a quick scouting report on Trent Domingue.

    This is what Sonny Shipp sent me:

    "Good, not great, leg strength and pretty reliable inside 40 yards. Can give you touch backs on kickoffs probably about half the time."

    For my part, "reliable" is the operative word. It's what Texas needs from its place kicker.

    Plus, Domingue already has experience in big stadiums and in big games. So no matter who the Horns already had on the roster or the talent of an incoming walk-on kicker, the Horns, at the very, very least, improved the kicking situation in a big way this weekend because they took a major step towards reliability.

    [Per another poster]

    Big stadiums, big games experience. Good point.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  15. ProdigalHorn

    ProdigalHorn 10,000+ Posts

    He seems like a good safety net. I'd really rather he not be the one that wins the job in the fall - but at very least maybe Naggar or the other guy can handle kick-off duties and potentially be the "long FG" specialist if we go that route.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  16. LonghornDave

    LonghornDave 1,000+ Posts

    I don't think this gain was ever a matter of whether Lsu was right to let him go (until the recent and unfortunate car wreck involving their other kicker). It seems like Horns had a big hole or at least uncertainty at kicker and Lsu had more than they could handle. Lsu may regret letting him geaux because of injuries to other kicker which they could not have for seen. No matter what, Texas gets more competition and stability.

    HOWEVER, (Longhorn Dave comment) Les seemed very defensive about the loss of a walk on kicker and claimed that the kicker left BR for " reasons" other than a non renewal of the scholarship. Seemed chicken sh+t and somewhat silly for a big time coach to even comment on this matter much less comment in that way. Les is a weird duck.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  17. BevoQ

    BevoQ 250+ Posts

    As for the comparison between Nick Rose and Trent there is one huge difference, that is Nicks horrible 2014 campaign and seemingly uncanny ability to make any field goal a near miss or miss regardless of distance. What Trent gives you is the confidence to kick a field goal at 40 or less. That in turn changes the way the offense calls 3rd down plays inside the 30. I don't understand why anyone would be less than enthusiastic about this addition. I know I'll be thankful to not have a cardiac arrest 3 or 4 times a game when our kicker is rolled out there.
     
  18. yelladawgdem

    yelladawgdem 2,500+ Posts

    If IRC Jason Post made one field goal in his entire career at Texas. Along with Bubba's fumble return we beat OU 10-7.

    :ousucksnana:
     
    • Like Like x 1
  19. Dionysus

    Dionysus Idoit Admin

    Bubba Jacques, scoop and score! ... 1991

    bubba-jacques.jpg
     
    • Like Like x 1
  20. ProdigalHorn

    ProdigalHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Forgot about Post. I just remembered Ziegler, and how bad our kicking was all year. Made what we've had the last couple of years look like a dream! 10-for-22 between three guys, seven misses inside 40 yards and three, count 'em, three missed PATs.
     
  21. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    • Like Like x 2
  22. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    Yes such a competent coaching move. :rolleyes1:

    In his 3rd season as head coach of a legendary top tier college football program...CS publicly admits he didn't/doesn't have the ability to locate a decent kicker for his current roster and sarcastically asked the media for help. :puke:

    Glad this luckily worked out by pure chance and not strategy, considering the lack of proactive kicker acquisition measures taken by Strong to insure it did.

    But pretending he didn't display massive incompetence in his preparation at kicker for 2016 is plain absurd.

    Domingue is here by pure luck. Luck Miles refused to reinvest in him and caused his exit. Luck CS answered a media question with a sarcastic remark that his gf saw in a search.

    Strong has made his fair share of great decisions and awful ones. The 2016 kicker fiasco was amateur hour and we'd have suffered consequences without this stroke of luck.

    Actually all this may be a great sign. We lucked out with Domingue, then lucked out Baylor destructed and their studs were set free for CS to pluck.

    Maybe 2016 is a year that Strong is blessed with a heavy dose of luck. Luck can decide a few games a year. Every coach welcomes it with open arms. Hope it's our turn. :hookem:
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2016
  23. Ellis21d

    Ellis21d JediHorn

    What happen to Chris Nagger? Thought he was going to walk on but have not seen anything on him! I saw a lot on him prior to Trent signing with us. His credentials looked really good. Supposedly an All-State kicker in 6A?
     
  24. LonghornDave

    LonghornDave 1,000+ Posts

    Luck is a funny thing, particularly in football. i.e.The ball is not round. But CS makes his own luck by hard work and give a sh#t. Those kids from Baylor came because CS cared about them despite their choice to go to Baylor. His give a sh^t for them is was brought them back. I understand that some think CS was lucky about our new kicker. We will see. But CS made a similar comment at the Touch Down club in Houston about our kicking situation and my immediate response was to find a kicker in my neighborhood now. I think CS is honest and hard working, these two things tend to bring "luck". I believe he really is the next Orange Jesus in no small part because he was "given" nothing when he came to Texas and is creating a team that works hard, doesn't gripe and wants to win while representing the University. Luck creates luck. Girl friend's google searches are examples of good luck but also of CS facing the obvious and admitting the truth. Texas needed a kicker. Some prayed (I did) and we got one. I don't think my prayers or CS "luck" were the only factors but I don't fault CS, or me, or our new kicker's girl friend for what God wants for his team.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  25. BevoQ

    BevoQ 250+ Posts

    :popcorn:
     
  26. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    With the absence of reporting by the various sites and not being privy to what Strong did or didn't do behind the scenes regarding a kicker, I can only say that he shirted a preferred walk-on last year (Jon Coppens) as we already had the two Nick's, and took on another preferred walk-on in December (Max Allan). There are no reports I could find that say why Allan ended up not being a part of the 2016 class or where he is now.

    Max Allan ... Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, TX)
    Kicker ... 5-9/165 ... 12/01/15

    Colleyville Heritage kicker Max Allan accepted a preferred walk-on spot with the Longhorns and will be on campus this summer. – 247​

    ---

    Posted on 12-1-15....

    Per 247:

    “I chose Texas because they have an absence at the kicking position next year, and I believe that I will be able to start four years and earn a scholarship,” Allan told Horns247. “Also, I've been a longhorn all my life.”

    Texas added Jon Coppens as a preferred walk-on in the 2015 class. Freshman Evan Moore is also on the roster.

    Allan made 38-of-42 extra points and 13-of-14 field goals with a long of 48 as a senior at Colleyville Heritage. He also recorded 20 touchbacks on kickoffs.

    ---

    With the super-limited amount of schollies available next year, don't look for one being given to a K in 2017.
     
  27. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    Mack had early success with promising walk-ons (Mangum, Pino, Bailey).

    Then he tilted towards those with more HS accolades...

    2006-09 - Hunter Lawrence - #3 kicker in nation, 2-time All-state

    2008-11 - Justin Tucker - #3 kicker in nation, HS AA

    2011-14 - William Russ - #11 kicker in nation, All-state K and P

    2012 - Nick Jordan - #4 kicker, HS AA

    2013 - Anthony Fera - #2 kicker, HS AA (transfer)

    There are def two ways to skin a cat, but to avoid the clustfudge that almost happened in 2016, it's wise to always have a recruited kicker on the roster to compete with walk-on's.

    If going with all walk-on's, at least make sure they're very promising. Unlike our lame (pre-Domingue) options after CS ignored signing a kicker to date...

    ON ROSTER:
    Jon Coppens - 2-star, #16 kicker, decommitted from 3 non-Power 5 schools
    Evan Moore - unranked, All-district kicker

    NOT ON ROSTER:
    Chris Naggar - All-State P and K

    The only one of the three with impressive HS recognition was Naggar and he isn't and wasn't going to be in Fall camp anyway.

    Without Domingue falling in our laps, we'd be choosing between Coppens and Moore right now. Naggar wasn't designated a preferred walk-on by CS and thus excluded from the 105 player limit for camp. He can't try out until the Fall semester.

    That decision had to have come before Domingue declared intent to transfer in mid July, just a few weeks before players reported.

    No chance the 105 camp player list wasn't already set without Naggar when Domingue declared he was leaving LSU.

    Sorry Folks, but that's piss poor preparation by a coach on the highest level. CS can thank his lucky stars the fans didn't get to see how incompetent it was on Saturdays.


    Just looking at 2017 commits on 247...

    Ohio State has #1 kicker
    Alabama has #2 kicker
    Auburn has #4 kicker
    Oregon has #10 kicker

    Those teams have elite coaches (each has been in MNC game this century) and rarely leave things to chance with a position that often decides championships.

    Most other elite head coaches already have a solid kicker with years left and had no need in 2017. Our head man is still learning on the job. :puke:

    Even Les Miles signed Scout's #4 ranked kicker in 2016 before refusing to pony up the cash to keep Domingue.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2016
  28. VYFan

    VYFan 2,500+ Posts

    Brad, I wonder why you are so vehement in disrespecting Charlie Strong. Really.

    Are you really this angry and vengeful about the coaching situation or are your posts a sort of entertainment in and of themselves, like booing at a melodrama or a WWE match?
     
  29. LonghornCatholic

    LonghornCatholic Deo Gratias

  30. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    I think my passion about certain subjects comes off as upset in the way I write. Truth is I don't write upset at all and am not an angry or negative person in life.

    However, I can see how it may be read that way when you don't know the person using the strong words. I'm not attacking Strong, it's specific football decisions.

    I like Strong and am honestly pulling for him to turn the corner this season and prove to be the winning coach we all hoped he would be.

    If that wasn't the case I'd wish for 5-7, Herman to win 11+, and intense pressure pour in to make the switch. Truth is I'm pulling hard for Strong to win 8+ and propel us towards a breakout season in 2017.

    There are many reasons to admire and respect him both on and off the field. At the same time, there are the occasional decisions with major implications that are handled with amateur and reckless abandon.

    For instance, there were three that got me on a deep level...

    1) Selling Wickline as play-caller only to slide an incompetent Watson under the table when fan flames subsided. We all saw how atrocious that rookie mistake was.

    2) Swoopes over Heard to start 2015 and then bailing on it quickly when ND showed revealed the same QB we already knew. And now splitting first team snaps between Swoopes and Buechele, and leaving the door open to start TS again.

    3) The near disaster at kicker that easily could have cost us a few games without blind luck. During a June explanation of lacking options he said "we just need to find a guy who's good from 35 and in".

    So a major college football team only needs a kicker who's reliable after crossing the 20? That's a winning formula? It's fine if he's erratic when held between 20 to 33 yard line?

    There were at least 3 games since CS arrived with a converted 40+ yard FG that if missed would've swapped the win to OT or a loss.

    The two kickers on hand in mid July had underwhelmed coaches in practice to that point. And he still didn't make Naggar a preferred walk-on to try to improve odds in August.

    Domingue fell in his lap plain and simple, Strong didn't create that fix. Without a stroke of luck, we'd be shaky at K at best. From 40+ would've been a crapshoot.

    Now with a new offense that can move the ball into scoring position easier by design, the FG kicker will be even more important with more chances.

    I guess one has to have played many games where field goal kickers decided their team's fate to understand how reckless this was and the bullet we dodged.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2016

Share This Page