Decatur High School Kicker

[SCBusPilot 72]

http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2008/01/histor..._tommy_tub.html

Just saw this on a Charles Goldberg blog. I saw this kid kick a couple of months ago at the Decatur/Austin game, and he is phenomenal. All of his kickoffs in that game landed at the base of the goalposts (within a 10 foot radius no less), and he kicked a 45 yard field goal that I swear would have been good from 60+! He had 42 touchbacks this past year on kickoffs, and he punted too. I was hoping we would get him and I'm really looking forward to seeing him kick for us! WAR EAGLE!!!

[ssgaufan 0]

Sounds like a good pick up.

[Ranger12 46]

Yeah, I read this in The Decatur Daily a few days ago:

Link

Decatur kicker decides on AU

Schuster follows family to Auburn

By Ross Dellenger

Sports Writer

In the end, Decatur High kicker Michael Schuster couldn’t ignore his Auburn roots.

No matter how many other schools he visited, how many more campuses he saw, how many college games he witnessed, nothing could top his love for the Tigers.

“His heart is always in Auburn,” said Mitch Schuster, Michael’s father.

Following his official recruiting visit to Auburn this past weekend, Schuster finally did what he had planned to do all along: commit to the Tigers.

“I’ve always grown up watching them play,” Schuster said Thursday when reached by phone.

Schuster will be what is called a “preferred walk-on.” He will have a chance to earn a scholarship as a punter, place-kicker and, more realistically, a kickoff specialist.

Schuster had 42 touchbacks during his senior season with the Red Raiders, helping them to the Class 5A quarterfinals.

He made 12 of 16 field-goal attempts and averaged 39 yards a punt. He was The Daily’s Class 4A-6A player of the year.

“They are getting a good talent,” Decatur High coach Jere Adcock said. “He’s got a passion for kicking the football.”

Schuster will report to Auburn in June to begin summer workouts with the team.

More than 10 schools showed interest in Schuster. North Alabama offered him a scholarship, and before Ole Miss fired Ed Orgeron, the Rebels were on the verge of offering Schuster, according to his dad.

Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, UAB and several other schools also were interested.

But there was never any doubt where he was going.

“He basically wanted to go to Auburn the whole time,” Mitch Schuster said.

Both of Michael Schuster’s parents graduated from Auburn, and Michael’s older brother, Jonathan, is a junior at Auburn.

“We are definitely an Auburn family,” said Kim Schuster, Michael’s mother.

Auburn special teams coordinator Eddie Gran told Schuster he could earn a scholarship by the first or second game of the season, Schuster said.

“They told me nobody has a for-sure job, so if I go down there and out-punt somebody or out field-goal somebody, I’ll start that game,” Schuster said. “It just depends on the week.”

Although he will be competing for all three spots, Schuster said he’s “mainly going down there for kickoffs,” and that’s likely where he will have his best shot to play.

Auburn punters Ryan Shoemaker and Patrick Tatum each averaged more than 42 yards a punt this season.

Freshman kicker Wes Byrum hit 17 of 23 field-goal attempts in 2007, including two game-winning boots.

Byrum also served as Auburn’s kickoff specialist this season.

The freshman had seven touchbacks, while nursing injuries throughout the year.

But coach Tommy Tuberville has expressed concern for having the same player kick off and kick field goals. Byrum twisted his ankle on the opening kickoff of the season when his foot slid on the wet grass against Kansas State.

Throughout the year, Tuberville tried others at the kickoff spot, including Austin High grad Morgan Hull and Zach Kutch, but both were disappointing.

Kutch had 16 kickoffs and no touchbacks. Hull had five kickoffs with no touchbacks.

Schuster’s biggest competition for the kickoff job next season will likely be those three — Byrum, Hull and Kutch. Schuster averaged more than two touchbacks a game for Decatur High, but in college, players kick off from the 30-yard line instead of the 40.

Adcock said the 10-yard difference won’t affect him too much. About half of Schuster’s touchbacks flew out of the back of the end zone, he said.

Still, competition awaits in the fall.

“They are trying to find some guys to solidify their kickoffs,” Adcock said. “He’s going to have to fight for his job.”

[mowegl 4]

Looks like we're adding another to an already very good special teams. Even if he doesnt win the starting job on kickoffs, he could be a valuable backup if something happens like last year with an injury to Byrum. Or he could give Byrum the chance to concentrate on field goals and keep Byrum away from injury.

We also have a ton of talent coming in with very good punt and kickoff return skills (Pierre-Louis, George Baker - commit as of now, Harry Adams, and others, Slaughter was can also do punts). With that and the young talent at our other special teams positions, we have a chance to do some great things on special teams the next few years. Gran will have plenty to work with that's for sure.

[Ranger12 46]

I am hoping he wins the kickoff job so that Byrum can focus on field goals. Living in the area, I have heard a lot of good things about this kid and had seen him when Decatur High's games were replayed on a local access channel. He has the strongest leg I have ever seen for a high school kicker. I was glad to hear he was going to accept being a preferred walkon at Auburn. I think he has a very good chance of winning the kickoff duties.

We will have two Decatur high grads on the team now.

[PChamp119 96]

Two things:

1) I thought Tubs was known for giving scholarships to special teams (kickers / punters). Is it because he hasn't proven himself yet (though he has given them before walking on - see Byrum)? Or is it because he expects to run out of scholarships to offer?

2) If he is as good as indicated, then I hope he gets the spot. I don't buy into the "I hope he gets it so Byrum can focus on place kicking." Seriously... I mean I am not a kicker, but all you do is kick the ball. In regards to kick offs, how much practice time do you need? It's not like a field goal where you need a good snap and a good hold and watch for the defense to block it and need the proper speed and blocking and everything that goes into the play. The ball sits on a freaking tee and then you kick it as hard as you can in the direction you want it to go. It's not tough.

[AU alum 2]

Sorry if this question is stupid, but what is a "Preferred walk-on"? I thought a walk-on was a walk-on. Period.

[mowegl 4]

Two things:

1) I thought Tubs was known for giving scholarships to special teams (kickers / punters). Is it because he hasn't proven himself yet (though he has given them before walking on - see Byrum)? Or is it because he expects to run out of scholarships to offer?

[/quot

I dont think he is known for that. I think it usually has to do with demand. You do what you have to do to bring in the guys you want. If there's high demand for a guy with offers from other schools then you might have to offer them to stay competitive.

[bigsixfive 328]

Opelika had a kicker last year that would kick them through the uprights on kickoffs.

[sogaaufan 27]

Two things:

1) I thought Tubs was known for giving scholarships to special teams (kickers / punters). Is it because he hasn't proven himself yet (though he has given them before walking on - see Byrum)? Or is it because he expects to run out of scholarships to offer?

2) If he is as good as indicated, then I hope he gets the spot. I don't buy into the "I hope he gets it so Byrum can focus on place kicking." Seriously... I mean I am not a kicker, but all you do is kick the ball. In regards to kick offs, how much practice time do you need? It's not like a field goal where you need a good snap and a good hold and watch for the defense to block it and need the proper speed and blocking and everything that goes into the play. The ball sits on a freaking tee and then you kick it as hard as you can in the direction you want it to go. It's not tough.

Tubs doesn't like for his place kicker to handle kickoff duties because of the contact involved. He doesn't want to risk injury to his placekicker if at all possible. That's why he wants Byrum to focus on place kicking.

[PChamp119 96]

Tubs doesn't like for his place kicker to handle kickoff duties because of the contact involved. He doesn't want to risk injury to his placekicker if at all possible. That's why he wants Byrum to focus on place kicking.

Makes sense

[ssgaufan 0]

2) If he is as good as indicated, then I hope he gets the spot. I don't buy into the "I hope he gets it so Byrum can focus on place kicking." Seriously... I mean I am not a kicker, but all you do is kick the ball. In regards to kick offs, how much practice time do you need? It's not like a field goal where you need a good snap and a good hold and watch for the defense to block it and need the proper speed and blocking and everything that goes into the play. The ball sits on a freaking tee and then you kick it as hard as you can in the direction you want it to go. It's not tough.

There's more to it than you think. First, as pointed out in an above post, there's the contact issue. More importantly kick placement in case we don't want to put the ball in the better returners hands. A field goal kicker needs to work on techniques along with leg strength. I know that I tried kicking when I was a Soph in HS, and it is a lot harder than it looks. My kickoff attempts were more like onside kicks, and my extra point attempts kept hitting the center square in his arse. He was a big guy, and I wasn't, so I stopped trying to kick.

[aumd03 2]

Sorry if this question is stupid, but what is a "Preferred walk-on"? I thought a walk-on was a walk-on. Period.

Invited walk on is what I've heard them called along with grey-shirts. For example, my old roommate at Auburn earned an academic scholarship. He then was invited to walk on, going through the motions with all the other walk ons, but with the expectations he would not be cut at the end. Renfroe ended up stabbing him in the back and after a "redshirt" year, he cut him at the end of his soph year after a couple of years work. Didn't matter he had the highest average in fall practice and fell one short of Bo's record for HR after missing half the season with a knee injury or holding the state record for RBI's in an inning and RBI's in a game. Sorry for my rant, I just thought Renfroe was a schmuck.

[Argo 8]

So, that's why all these high schools are kicking it through the end zone every time.

It's not tough...until you have to do it better than 99.9% of the population.

How much you wanna make a bet I can kick a football over them mountains?... Yeah... Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would've been state champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.

[PChamp119 96]

So, that's why all these high schools are kicking it through the end zone every time.

It's not tough...until you have to do it better than 99.9% of the population.

How much you wanna make a bet I can kick a football over them mountains?... Yeah... Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would've been state champions took state. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.

Great line

Guys, you point out the contact - that still has nothing to do with the "skill" of kicking a field goal or kicking off. And kick placement - I mentioned that - it is called "accuracy." So again, all kicking off is "kick it far in the direction you want it to go." That statement I mentioned earlier has not changed. And it won't.

Be better than 99.9% - yea. It all comes down to distance though, unless you have some sort of freakish air time. It's not a factor of it being "tough." It's whether or not you have the leg strength to kick it or not with the proper technique.

So I'll restate the question - how does kicking off affect your field goal kicking? You can practice on and the other. Kick offs are an individual sport for the actual kick. You can practice that WHENEVER you want. Field goal kicking is a team sport. You can practice the kicking by yourself in practice, but the actual field goal kicking should be practiced during practice. And do the players seriously spend all 2-2.5 hours on the field kicking JUST field goals or JUST kick offs? If so, God that has to be boring. I wouldn't think there would be much of a difference between handling both duties during practice.

[quietfan 233]

Auburn special teams coordinator Eddie Gran told Schuster he could earn a scholarship by the first or second game of the season, Schuster said.

So how exactly would this work? Would it count against this year's (2008) scholarships, or next year's (2009)? Somehow I always thought greyshirts (as aumd03 referenced) had to wait until the end of their first season to get a scholarship--I've just never heard of a scholarship starting in mid-season.

[mowegl 4]

So, that's why all these high schools are kicking it through the end zone every time.

It's not tough...until you have to do it better than 99.9% of the population.

How much you wanna make a bet I can kick a football over them mountains?... Yeah... Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would've been state champions took state. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.

Great line

Guys, you point out the contact - that still has nothing to do with the "skill" of kicking a field goal or kicking off. And kick placement - I mentioned that - it is called "accuracy." So again, all kicking off is "kick it far in the direction you want it to go." That statement I mentioned earlier has not changed. And it won't.

Be better than 99.9% - yea. It all comes down to distance though, unless you have some sort of freakish air time. It's not a factor of it being "tough." It's whether or not you have the leg strength to kick it or not with the proper technique.

So I'll restate the question - how does kicking off affect your field goal kicking? You can practice on and the other. Kick offs are an individual sport for the actual kick. You can practice that WHENEVER you want. Field goal kicking is a team sport. You can practice the kicking by yourself in practice, but the actual field goal kicking should be practiced during practice. And do the players seriously spend all 2-2.5 hours on the field kicking JUST field goals or JUST kick offs? If so, God that has to be boring. I wouldn't think there would be much of a difference between handling both duties during practice.

I dont think kicking off affects your field goal kicking, but it does take away practice time doing one or the other. And no they arent the same other than you are kicking the ball in each. On a kickoff you want a certain angle for maximum distance and hangtime, and for field goals you just want to achieve a height to prevent getting blocked with maximum distance. The ball is at a different angle with each. On a kickoff you are kicking off a tee, and FG off the ground. On a kickoff you have a much higher amount of steps before contact, and on FG you have a low number of steps with timing.

Practicing one isnt the same as practicing the other. I would think its kind of like a regular catch and kick punter versus a roll out rugby style punter.

And yes they only practice what they do for the entire time. Although they take a lot more time off than the other guys, and they move slowly. They also help each other out (kickers catch punts while punters work).