2015 3* P Ian Shannon commits to AU!

[Oregon Tiger 0]

I just don't fully understand just totally giving up on Hutch after only one season under a special teams coach that everyone says needs replacing.

We are NOT Alabama, and I think to force Hutch out after one season is pulling an Alabama move. Again, its not like he had a Malzahn, TRob, or Muschamp coaching him. Virtually everyone wants a new special teams coach. The idea behind that is CSF isn't the best on field coach, so WHY give up on Hutch and pull a Bama and force the young man out? That makes NO SENSE to me. I mean, are we REALLY OK with doing this? We complain about Bama doing it all the time, and we are doing the EXACT same thing... This makes less and less sense the more I think about it. I'm almost sure Hutch was forced to do the "greyshirt" road, and then he finally made it to the team. To turn our back on this young man now,is shameful. And that's putting it lightly.

[metafour 4,969]

I just don't fully understand just totally giving up on Hutch after only one season under a special teams coach that everyone says needs replacing.

We are NOT Alabama, and I think to force Hutch out after one season is pulling an Alabama move. Again, its not like he had a Malzahn, TRob, or Muschamp coaching him. Virtually everyone wants a new special teams coach. The idea behind that is CSF isn't the best on field coach, so WHY give up on Hutch and pull a Bama and force the young man out? That makes NO SENSE to me. I mean, are we REALLY OK with doing this? We complain about Bama doing it all the time, and we are doing the EXACT same thing we talk bad about Bama doing... This makes less and less sense the more I think about it. I'm almost sure Hutch was forced to do the "greyshirt" road, so and then he got to the team. To turn our back on this young man is shameful. And that's putting it lightly.

Scott Fountain has absolutely nothing to do with "coaching" the kickers or punters.

[Oregon Tiger 0]

I just don't fully understand just totally giving up on Hutch after only one season under a special teams coach that everyone says needs replacing.

We are NOT Alabama, and I think to force Hutch out after one season is pulling an Alabama move. Again, its not like he had a Malzahn, TRob, or Muschamp coaching him. Virtually everyone wants a new special teams coach. The idea behind that is CSF isn't the best on field coach, so WHY give up on Hutch and pull a Bama and force the young man out? That makes NO SENSE to me. I mean, are we REALLY OK with doing this? We complain about Bama doing it all the time, and we are doing the EXACT same thing we talk bad about Bama doing... This makes less and less sense the more I think about it. I'm almost sure Hutch was forced to do the "greyshirt" road, so and then he got to the team. To turn our back on this young man is shameful. And that's putting it lightly.

Scott Fountain has absolutely nothing to do with "coaching" the kickers or punters.

I just don't fully understand just totally giving up on Hutch after only one season under a special teams coach that everyone says needs replacing.

We are NOT Alabama, and I think to force Hutch out after one season is pulling an Alabama move. Again, its not like he had a Malzahn, TRob, or Muschamp coaching him. Virtually everyone wants a new special teams coach. The idea behind that is CSF isn't the best on field coach, so WHY give up on Hutch and pull a Bama and force the young man out? That makes NO SENSE to me. I mean, are we REALLY OK with doing this? We complain about Bama doing it all the time, and we are doing the EXACT same thing we talk bad about Bama doing... This makes less and less sense the more I think about it. I'm almost sure Hutch was forced to do the "greyshirt" road, so and then he got to the team. To turn our back on this young man is shameful. And that's putting it lightly.

Scott Fountain has absolutely nothing to do with "coaching" the kickers or punters.

If our special teams coach doesn't coach the kickers and punters (our special teams) then what the heck DOES he do? And WHO coaches our special team players? I'm sorry, our punters and kickers?

Regardless, I'm pretty sure he greyshirted. He went through a year waiting on his scholarship, and now he is being processed. Its sad, and unbecoming if you ask me. ESPECIALLY after only one season.

[gman87 398]

Where has it been said anywhere that Hutchinson was losing his scholarship because this is the first I've heard of it.

[Oregon Tiger 0]

The other site that E and metafor post on. They have talked about him being a possibility of being "processed" for days, now with Ian Shannon actually counting in this class, and taking away from a possible defensive recruit signing, is virtually the last nail in Hutchs coffin. Otherwise, Shannon had already agreed to greyshirt, why make him count on this class vs next we we are in such desperate need for defensive players? Its sad.

[gman87 398]

Maybe I'm confused but I thought that transfers and such didn't open up another scholarship in this recruiting cycle, only toward the 85 max.

[Oregon Tiger 0]

I'm happy for Shannon, I love seeing people who actually WANT to be here, and he does. But the fact is Hutch does too. There is NO WAY on earth we carry the kickers and punters we already have on scholarship, and bring in another.

[Oregon Tiger 0]

Maybe I'm confused but I thought that transfers and such didn't open up another scholarship in this recruiting cycle, only toward the 85 max.

They don't. Shannon had already agreed to greyshirt, until today. As of today he is enrolling in this class and will deduct from the available scholarships we have for this cycle.

That's why its virtually guaranteed one of our other punters/kickers will move on. I highly doubt its Carlson.

[metafour 4,969]

If our special teams coach doesn't coach the kickers and punters (our special teams) then what the heck DOES he do? And WHO coaches our special team players? I'm sorry, our punters and kickers?

The Special Teams coach is responsible for player alignment, kick/punt coverages, kick/punt return formations, etc. There is a s***-ton more to "special teams" than just Kicking and Punting the ball.

Kicking and Punting is like its own game within the game. They have their own coaches/consultants, because it isn't something that your typical "football coach" has a grasp of. From what I remember being told they typically have student-assistants who work with the Kickers/Punters. Think about it logically: Scott Fountain played as an offensive lineman....you think he has some sort of "expertise" in teaching a kid how to Kick/Punt? That is why Kickers/Punters go to specialty camps where they have experts in the art of Kicking/Punting.

[Tivo48 31]

A buddy of mine who just graduated was a kicker at a D1 school.

He'd meet as a group with all the guys on special teams whenever they had meetings during the week and would meet one-on-one with the special teams coach to discuss his weight lifting and conditioning, but other than setting limits on how much they wanted him to kick he never interacted with the special teams coaches during practice. Usually if any of the special teams guys were struggling they'd bounce ideas off the other kickers before going to a coach.

The only "kicking coach" he had was a former kicker from UT he'd work with for a few months in the spring and summer, but that was something he did completely on his own and had been doing for a few years before he ever got to college.

[auburn2oregon 0]

If our special teams coach doesn't coach the kickers and punters (our special teams) then what the heck DOES he do? And WHO coaches our special team players? I'm sorry, our punters and kickers?

The Special Teams coach is responsible for player alignment, kick/punt coverages, kick/punt return formations, etc. There is a s***-ton more to "special teams" than just Kicking and Punting the ball.

Kicking and Punting is like its own game within the game. They have their own coaches/consultants, because it isn't something that your typical "football coach" has a grasp of. From what I remember being told they typically have student-assistants who work with the Kickers/Punters. Think about it logically: Scott Fountain played as an offensive lineman....you think he has some sort of "expertise" in teaching a kid how to Kick/Punt? That is why Kickers/Punters go to specialty camps where they have experts in the art of Kicking/Punting.

Meta, I usually agree with you on most things, but that being said, by the logic you just used would mean that since CRG was an OL, he shouldn't be anywhere near our DL...

Its very common to see coaches play one position and coach another.

And I have to agree with Oregon Tiger. CSF is in fact the special teams coach. He is responsible for the special teams. Kicking and punting is part of special team duty. Thus the special teams coach MUST have some sort of responsibility with those guys.

Oregon Tiger, I too think what will inevitably happen to Hutchinson is a horrible Bama move. I also saw the posts on the other site. Also, where in Oregon are you? I'm in Eugene.

Back on topic, congrats to Ian Shannon for being part of this class and getting his scholarship. However I also share Oregon Tigers stance that Shannon greyshirt so we could sign another defensive player, but we certainly DO need a punter, and cannot under any circumstances have one guy doing ALL the kicking. If he can actually punt, Shannon will be a welcome addition on the field.

[cooltigger21 0]

If Hutch is being pushed out or "encouraged" to transfer, there must be a deeper issue that the coaches just feel they can't resolve. I know he lost his dad and maybe that has affected him to a greater degree than most of us thought. Gus isn't normally one to just push a player out after one year. There's more to this than just what's on the surface. I sure hope Shannon comes in and can take the load off Carlson and be a productive punter for us.

[mustache eagle 2,406]

What in the h.e.double L are y'all talking about. Promised a scholarship or not ... Every single position on the field is subject to being replace by better performers. I don't know anything about hutch, but if he was the best punter then he would have been punting. The only exception would be transgressions that the coaches felt kept him from playing, but there are no such rumors so I'll assume performance kept him off the field.

A player has to keep up his side of the agreement for the grey shirt or any scholly. If your not working and not performing then your not playing and not having a scholarship. Regardless of position.

Auburn has lost multiple players this offseason already. Some because they performed great, some poorly and some because of personal reasons. It happens.

I don't know what makes a punter/kicker good. But we have had some great ones at auburn recently. Btw, the same goes for coaches. If fountain is responsible for the punters hang time and net punt yardage and he isn't performing then he will be shown the door too ... As it should be.

But if history shows ... Giving a scholarship in the fall to a freshmen punter is not typical. I can only guess as to why.

There seems to be some personal interest in this thread for hutch's well being. I wish the kid well, but he signed up for big time college ball and there are very high expectations that go with it. Bottom line is performance, assuming your doing everything else required of a student athlete.

[Mikey 16,605]

Hutch did not greyshirt. There was talk of it, but in the end he signed with his class just as Shannon will do. I'm thinking if Shannon is no longer being asked to greyshirt, then there is no plan for Hutch to be here next season. Why that's so is another question.

[cooltigger21 0]

What in the h.e.double L are y'all talking about. Promised a scholarship or not ... Every single position on the field is subject to being replace by better performers. I don't know anything about hutch, but if he was the best punter then he would have been punting. The only exception would be transgressions that the coaches felt kept him from playing, but there are no such rumors so I'll assume performance kept him off the field.

A player has to keep up his side of the agreement for the grey shirt or any scholly. If your not working and not performing then your not playing and not having a scholarship. Regardless of position.

Auburn has lost multiple players this offseason already. Some because they performed great, some poorly and some because of personal reasons. It happens.

I don't know what makes a punter/kicker good. But we have had some great ones at auburn recently. Btw, the same goes for coaches. If fountain is responsible for the punters hang time and net punt yardage and he isn't performing then he will be shown the door too ... As it should be.

But if history shows ... Giving a scholarship in the fall to a freshmen punter is not typical. I can only guess as to why.

There seems to be some personal interest in this thread for hutch's well being. I wish the kid well, but he signed up for big time college ball and there are very high expectations that go with it. Bottom line is performance, assuming your doing everything else required of a student athlete.

Oh I don't think that this is anything other than performance related. I just find it odd that Hutch is out after only one year. Usually a coach will not cut a player loose after only one season. Normally they'd give them a chance to get it back on track through spring practice and into fall camp. That's why I think there must be something that leads the coaches to believe he won't be able to get things back on track.

[mcgufcm 4,100]

Agree Mikey. If we're bringing Shannon in with this class, I'd expect that doesn't bode well for Hutchison, but that's pure conjecture on my part.

He didn't greyshirt, and he's been on campus for two years. He redshirted in 2013; same as Carlson. I'd say two years of watching a guy kick gives you a pretty decent feel for his ability.

[auburn2oregon 0]

So if he (Hutch) decided to stay, and not transfer to another school to play, would his schooling still be paid for? Also, he only had one season playing, his 1st year he was behind the best punter we have had since Terry Daniel. Almost anyone following Steven Clark was going to look like a failure.

I hope Shannon can come in and be the difference maker we didn't have at punter last season, but its hard for true freshmen to do that anywhere on the field.

[augolf1716 21,170]

So if he (Hutch) decided to stay, and not transfer to another school to play, would his schooling still be paid for? Also, he only had one season playing, his 1st year he was behind the best punter we have had since Terry Daniel. Almost anyone following Steven Clark was going to look like a failure.

I hope Shannon can come in and be the difference maker we didn't have at punter last season, but its hard for true freshmen to do that anywhere on the field.

Agree with you but bama had a true freshmen punter who was pretty damn good from Denver, Co. JK Scott

NEW ORLEANS — One of Alabama’s most lethal weapons this season has been…its freshman punter.

In case you haven’t heard of him, meet JK Scott. He’s 6-foot-4, from Denver, Colo., and has averaged 47 yards per punt on 48 attempts this season. He’s pinned 26 of those inside the 20.

[auburn2oregon 0]

So if he (Hutch) decided to stay, and not transfer to another school to play, would his schooling still be paid for? Also, he only had one season playing, his 1st year he was behind the best punter we have had since Terry Daniel. Almost anyone following Steven Clark was going to look like a failure.

I hope Shannon can come in and be the difference maker we didn't have at punter last season, but its hard for true freshmen to do that anywhere on the field.

Agree with you but bama had a true freshmen punter who was pretty damn good from Denver, Co. JK Scott

NEW ORLEANS — One of Alabama’s most lethal weapons this season has been…its freshman punter.

In case you haven’t heard of him, meet JK Scott. He’s 6-foot-4, from Denver, Colo., and has averaged 47 yards per punt on 48 attempts this season. He’s pinned 26 of those inside the 20.

I'm using my phone, so I cant change colors or bold anything, but if you look at my statement, I said its HARD for a true freshman to make a significant contribution, NOT that it couldn't be done.

[augolf1716 21,170]

So if he (Hutch) decided to stay, and not transfer to another school to play, would his schooling still be paid for? Also, he only had one season playing, his 1st year he was behind the best punter we have had since Terry Daniel. Almost anyone following Steven Clark was going to look like a failure.

I hope Shannon can come in and be the difference maker we didn't have at punter last season, but its hard for true freshmen to do that anywhere on the field.

Agree with you but bama had a true freshmen punter who was pretty damn good from Denver, Co. JK Scott

NEW ORLEANS — One of Alabama's most lethal weapons this season has been…its freshman punter.

In case you haven't heard of him, meet JK Scott. He's 6-foot-4, from Denver, Colo., and has averaged 47 yards per punt on 48 attempts this season. He's pinned 26 of those inside the 20.

I'm using my phone, so I cant change colors or bold anything, but if you look at my statement, I said its HARD for a true freshman to make a significant contribution, NOT that it couldn't be done.

I'm not disagreeing with you.

[auburn2oregon 0]

Ok. I apologize for the misunderstanding. WDE! I hope Shannon can be the next Daniel/Clark. Daniel had the hang time and Clark had a knack for pinning inside the opponents 20. If we can find the perfect mix of those two guys, or even close to those guys, we will be just fine.

[cole256 17,084]

I know it's just high school but in high school he just averaged 40. Isn't that what our other guy averaged?

[JFDTiger80 790]

So if he (Hutch) decided to stay, and not transfer to another school to play, would his schooling still be paid for? Also, he only had one season playing, his 1st year he was behind the best punter we have had since Terry Daniel. Almost anyone following Steven Clark was going to look like a failure.

I hope Shannon can come in and be the difference maker we didn't have at punter last season, but its hard for true freshmen to do that anywhere on the field.

Agree with you but bama had a true freshmen punter who was pretty damn good from Denver, Co. JK Scott

NEW ORLEANS — One of Alabama’s most lethal weapons this season has been…its freshman punter.

In case you haven’t heard of him, meet JK Scott. He’s 6-foot-4, from Denver, Colo., and has averaged 47 yards per punt on 48 attempts this season. He’s pinned 26 of those inside the 20.

The Bama freshman punter was wicked good. The new punter we signed averaged less than 41yds a punt this year. I know several were to pin opponents deep. By contrast Bama's freshman averaged over 47 a punt. That is crazy.

[Tiger 8,827]

Does a punter's distance improve that drastically in college based on factors outside of just getting older and strength training?

[McLoofus 35,182]

Does a punter's distance improve that drastically in college based on factors outside of just getting older and strength training?

From the story quoted above:

Scott said one of his keys to success is pilates. His dad introduced him to this type of exercise two years ago and Scott’s been hooked ever since. He works mostly on his own at Alabama, though some of the strength coaches help him out. And anytime he goes back home to Colorado, he sees a special coach.

“It really helps with flexibility and strength and core, and helps in terms of strength and getting the ball down the field,” Scott said.

Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran mostly stays out of Scott’s way when it comes to weight training.

“I try to do as little as possible because he’s got a certain way he does everything and I don’t want to get in the way of that,” he said. “He’s probably more in tune to his body than any freshman I’ve ever seen.”

Pilates, coupled with “constantly doing my drops,” and pool work is how Scott prepares to be one of the best punters in the nation. He was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award this season, which is given to the most outstanding college punter.