Post by Sly Fox on Oct 26, 2005 9:35:09 GMT -5
Obviously, kicking is one of the primary reasons we have been able to pull out these last few Big South games. Here is Chris' story from the fishwrap:
www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767758072&path=!sports
Flames experience placekicking problems
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 26, 2005
To get to the root of his field-goal kicking problems, Liberty University's Ben Beasley watched film of his two misses last Saturday against Coastal Carolina.
What he found were minor, easily fixable technical problems.
"It's a lot like a golf swing," said Beasley, who was wide left on a 34-yarder in the fourth quarter and short on a 42-yarder in overtime. "There are a lot of mechanics to it. If you don't do something just right, or the conditions are bad, it makes it a lot tougher on the kick.
"When I looked back on the film, I saw my leg didn't follow through, so that's why I was short (on the 42-yarder). My plant foot was on the wrong spot, and that's why I hit (the 34-yarder) left."
Beasley is 1 of 5 on field goals, and teammate Zac Kolegue is 1 of 4.
"At this point, you just want to practice hard and get back into the routine of making kicks so you can build your confidence back up," Beasley said.
Liberty coach Ken Karcher said he would not hesitate to use his kickers when game situations dictate it.
"I can't punt every time," Karcher said. "And I can't go for it on 4th-and-12. You just can't do it.
"The bottom line is somewhere a kicker has to step up and make field goals, because it's costing us football games."
Non-believer?
When asked on the Big South coaches conference call Tuesday if he felt his team should be ranked in the top 15 of two major Division I-AA polls, Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett's answer was surprisingly honest.
"No," he said, "because we haven't played up to our potential."
The Chanticleers, ranked No. 13 by The Sports Network and ESPN/USA Today, have won their last three games by a combined nine points. They've had to go to overtime to beat Gardner-Webb and Liberty, teams with a combined record of 4-11.
Not surprisingly, I-AA pundits are questioning Coastal's playoff acumen.
Coastal must hope finishing 10-1 is enough to earn a spot in the 16-team playoff field. But if Coastal continues to just skate by against competition that is weaker than what is found in power conferences Atlantic 10 and Gateway, it may cost the Chanticleers a bid.
"It's almost like these boys have been playing not to lose instead of playing to win," Bennett said. "You've just got to turn it loose. Hopefully they'll do that this weekend against a very good VMI football team."
Coastal closes with games against VMI (3-5), Savannah State (0-7), Division II Mansfield (1-7) and Charleston Southern (4-4).
Extra points
When cornerback Pat Calvary earned Big South freshman of the week honors Monday, it marked the fourth time this season a Flame had secured the honor. Zach Terrell (twice) and Rod Fluellen have also been named freshman of the week. ? LU has played the 18th toughest schedule in I-AA this season, according to NCAA.org. The Flames' first seven Division I opponents are a combined 26-18. Gardner-Webb, Saturday's opponent, has played the second toughest schedule (23-9). Liberty's schedule strength will drop: its final three opponents are a combined 4-12. ? Liberty remains last in I-AA in scoring offense (10.38 points per game). Gardner-Webb ranks third out of 116 teams (40.71). ? The Flames rank 115th in third-down conversion defense. Opponents have converted 52.6 percent of third downs into first downs. ? One good stat: Liberty ranks sixth nationally in net punting.
- Chris Lang
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 26, 2005
To get to the root of his field-goal kicking problems, Liberty University's Ben Beasley watched film of his two misses last Saturday against Coastal Carolina.
What he found were minor, easily fixable technical problems.
"It's a lot like a golf swing," said Beasley, who was wide left on a 34-yarder in the fourth quarter and short on a 42-yarder in overtime. "There are a lot of mechanics to it. If you don't do something just right, or the conditions are bad, it makes it a lot tougher on the kick.
"When I looked back on the film, I saw my leg didn't follow through, so that's why I was short (on the 42-yarder). My plant foot was on the wrong spot, and that's why I hit (the 34-yarder) left."
Beasley is 1 of 5 on field goals, and teammate Zac Kolegue is 1 of 4.
"At this point, you just want to practice hard and get back into the routine of making kicks so you can build your confidence back up," Beasley said.
Liberty coach Ken Karcher said he would not hesitate to use his kickers when game situations dictate it.
"I can't punt every time," Karcher said. "And I can't go for it on 4th-and-12. You just can't do it.
"The bottom line is somewhere a kicker has to step up and make field goals, because it's costing us football games."
Non-believer?
When asked on the Big South coaches conference call Tuesday if he felt his team should be ranked in the top 15 of two major Division I-AA polls, Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett's answer was surprisingly honest.
"No," he said, "because we haven't played up to our potential."
The Chanticleers, ranked No. 13 by The Sports Network and ESPN/USA Today, have won their last three games by a combined nine points. They've had to go to overtime to beat Gardner-Webb and Liberty, teams with a combined record of 4-11.
Not surprisingly, I-AA pundits are questioning Coastal's playoff acumen.
Coastal must hope finishing 10-1 is enough to earn a spot in the 16-team playoff field. But if Coastal continues to just skate by against competition that is weaker than what is found in power conferences Atlantic 10 and Gateway, it may cost the Chanticleers a bid.
"It's almost like these boys have been playing not to lose instead of playing to win," Bennett said. "You've just got to turn it loose. Hopefully they'll do that this weekend against a very good VMI football team."
Coastal closes with games against VMI (3-5), Savannah State (0-7), Division II Mansfield (1-7) and Charleston Southern (4-4).
Extra points
When cornerback Pat Calvary earned Big South freshman of the week honors Monday, it marked the fourth time this season a Flame had secured the honor. Zach Terrell (twice) and Rod Fluellen have also been named freshman of the week. ? LU has played the 18th toughest schedule in I-AA this season, according to NCAA.org. The Flames' first seven Division I opponents are a combined 26-18. Gardner-Webb, Saturday's opponent, has played the second toughest schedule (23-9). Liberty's schedule strength will drop: its final three opponents are a combined 4-12. ? Liberty remains last in I-AA in scoring offense (10.38 points per game). Gardner-Webb ranks third out of 116 teams (40.71). ? The Flames rank 115th in third-down conversion defense. Opponents have converted 52.6 percent of third downs into first downs. ? One good stat: Liberty ranks sixth nationally in net punting.
- Chris Lang
www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767758072&path=!sports
