Bear Down Wildcats

Someone explain something to me...every year there is a game where the kicker decides the game. So why don't we put more effort into finding a good one? Skowdon is a walk-on. I want to hear on signing day that we recruited and signed a kicker. Instead we just seem to put our hands to the sky and see what falls out. And this is what we get for that approach.

cpt wrote:Someone explain something to me...every year there is a game where the kicker decides the game. So why don't we put more effort into finding a good one? Skowdon is a walk-on. I want to hear on signing day that we recruited and signed a kicker. Instead we just seem to put our hands to the sky and see what falls out. And this is what we get for that approach.

Last year we recruited Josh Pollack. He's a freshman and was beat out.

https://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/footba ... ack-153538

TuiTouchdown wrote:

cpt wrote:Someone explain something to me...every year there is a game where the kicker decides the game. So why don't we put more effort into finding a good one? Skowdon is a walk-on. I want to hear on signing day that we recruited and signed a kicker. Instead we just seem to put our hands to the sky and see what falls out. And this is what we get for that approach.

Last year we recruited Josh Pollack. He's a freshman and was beat out.

https://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/footba ... ack-153538

Then he just got another shot to win the job. If this were the NFL, Skowdon would have a pink slip this morning.

cpt wrote:Someone explain something to me...every year there is a game where the kicker decides the game. So why don't we put more effort into finding a good one? Skowdon is a walk-on. I want to hear on signing day that we recruited and signed a kicker. Instead we just seem to put our hands to the sky and see what falls out. And this is what we get for that approach.

Because we have to have 6 QBs on scholly...

cpt wrote:

TuiTouchdown wrote:

cpt wrote:Someone explain something to me...every year there is a game where the kicker decides the game. So why don't we put more effort into finding a good one? Skowdon is a walk-on. I want to hear on signing day that we recruited and signed a kicker. Instead we just seem to put our hands to the sky and see what falls out. And this is what we get for that approach.

Last year we recruited Josh Pollack. He's a freshman and was beat out.

https://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/footba ... ack-153538

Then he just got another shot to win the job. If this were the NFL, Skowdon would have a pink slip this morning.

Hmmmmmm, who did the amazing onsides kick that put us into position to win this game after the O FAILED in the red zone all night?

I'd give him a break if hadn't also missed two others before

It's not just not giving any thoughts into recruiting top notch kickers, it's the whole program doesn't even care at all about special teams. The ST coordinator is Charlie Ragle, who was operations director or whatever a couple years ago. High School coach Ragle was primary brought in to bring in kids from Chaparrel.

Joe Rob was SEC ST coach of the year and wanted to return to Arizona. RichRod said thanks, but no thanks.

Reminds me so much of the Stoops' years when Hammerschmidt was ST coordinator, like Ragle with no ST background. Just the low guy on the coaching totem pole so they gave him the kickers and punters.

The Zendejas fiasco was even worse than the Skowron one. The ASU missed PATs will go down as his legacy forever, but who can forget Zendejas' 0 yard punt? Forgot the kid's name, but remember that freshman punter that was really good? Hammerschmidt made him worse every succeeding year. Tried to get him to speed up his time from catch to punt, even thogh he never had one blocked.

Mackovic had Nick Folk (still kicking in the NFL) and Danny Baugher, who was a Ray Guy finalist and headed for the NFL until he messed up his knee.

Merkin wrote:It's not just not giving any thoughts into recruiting top notch kickers, it's the whole program doesn't even care at all about special teams. The ST coordinator is Charlie Ragle, who was operations director or whatever a couple years ago. High School coach Ragle was primary brought in to bring in kids from Chaparrel.

Joe Rob was SEC ST coach of the year and wanted to return to Arizona. RichRod said thanks, but no thanks.

Reminds me so much of the Stoops' years when Hammerschmidt was ST coordinator, like Ragle with no ST background. Just the low guy on the coaching totem pole so they gave him the kickers and punters.

The Zendejas fiasco was even worse than the Skowron one. The ASU missed PATs will go down as his legacy forever, but who can forget Zendejas' 0 yard punt? Forgot the kid's name, but remember that freshman punter that was really good? Hammerschmidt made him worse every succeeding year. Tried to get him to speed up his time from catch to punt, even thogh he never had one blocked.

Mackovic had Nick Folk (still kicking in the NFL) and Danny Baugher, who was a Ray Guy finalist and headed for the NFL until he messed up his knee.

Ah yes, that kicker was Keenen Crier I think. Was beastly as a freshman and then couldn't punt for his life as a Senior. Until this game Skowron was doing well. His first game, we thought our kicking problems were solved. I think and hope he bounces back. I loved his energy the first few games.

Even though the kicking game was beyond madding last night that's not the main reason we lost this game. To me it goes back to not being able to score touchdowns in the red zone and defense being shredded.

cat77 wrote:Even though the kicking game was beyond madding last night that's not the main reason we lost this game. To me it goes back to not being able to score touchdowns in the red zone and defense being shredded.

Well, it's all three. We lost by two points. Improve either one of those three reasons and we win the game.

Longhorned wrote:

cat77 wrote:Even though the kicking game was beyond madding last night that's not the main reason we lost this game. To me it goes back to not being able to score touchdowns in the red zone and defense being shredded.

Well, it's all three. We lost by two points. Improve either one of those three reasons and we win the game.

Fair enough and I agree. My only point was this was not all on our kicker.

We were in the red zone 8 times and scored on 4 of them. You really think this is all the kicker?

We should've beat USC by 21 pts. That's how often we camped on their side of the field. Skowron missed it. He shanked it to the right. It happens. Just soul crushing to happen at that point.

The one before on the time out was balls out down the middle. And if you notice the hold was different on the second one. Go back and look. The ball placement angle is different and sucked into the holders leg a little bit.

There is no excuse for missing a 36 yarder, but the hold should've been the same. And your holder should never place the ball and then look up, which is what he did. Keep your head down, man.

That slight placement difference and the pressure coming off the side that Skowron could actually see ended up in a shank.

Heart breaking.

cat77 wrote:

Longhorned wrote:

cat77 wrote:Even though the kicking game was beyond madding last night that's not the main reason we lost this game. To me it goes back to not being able to score touchdowns in the red zone and defense being shredded.

Well, it's all three. We lost by two points. Improve either one of those three reasons and we win the game.

Fair enough and I agree. My only point was this was not all on our kicker.

Last night Greg Byrne tweeted how much he supported Skowron. Why did he mention just Skowron? Anu overthrew downfield receivers all night. Saw several drops too by our WRs.

Definitely a team loss.

Got to love the classic meltdowns after any Arizona loss. Yeah, we should have won, but then again, how likely is it that we come back against that type of team and be in that situation in the end anyway? These kids fight like hell, something that wouldn't happened in years past.

Daryl Zero wrote:I think you guys are/were crazy if you thought this was our year. Arizona does not have the defensive personnel to be a top team. The offense and luck can only take you so far and then the law of averages catches up. Even so with Arizona being over matched on both sides of the line, Arizona had a chance to win this game. They have a ton of heart and fight and that's why they have been doing so well. When is the last time we saw that before RR? The Stoops team that went to the Las Vegas Bowl and that was it.

I was at the game and the crowd was into it and didn't leave. Everything seemed to line up for a miracle but it didn't happen. I am not sure that Arizona beats UCLA or ASU. Arizona could also lose to WSU and Utah. But this offense is good and it will get better when Solomon gets better and can play consistently for most of a game. I'm pretty sure that RR will get his defensive depth within a year or two. That's when Arizona will be a terror. Right now it is still bandages and staples. But there was a lot to be excited about too.

Good points. Need more players, especially on defense. We stockpile receivers and quartebacks and play 240 pound linemen.

The point of the thread stands, though. Just can't follow through after an upset. Is 5-1 horrible? Of course not. It just misses the point. Skowron and others couldn't expel the historical demons of Arizona football.

Merkin wrote:

cat77 wrote:

Longhorned wrote:

cat77 wrote:Even though the kicking game was beyond madding last night that's not the main reason we lost this game. To me it goes back to not being able to score touchdowns in the red zone and defense being shredded.

Well, it's all three. We lost by two points. Improve either one of those three reasons and we win the game.

Fair enough and I agree. My only point was this was not all on our kicker.

Last night Greg Byrne tweeted how much he supported Skowron. Why did he mention just Skowron? Anu overthrew downfield receivers all night. Saw several drops too by our WRs.

Definitely a team loss.

Byrne tweeted support for Skowron because Casey was on the receiving end of a lot of disgusting abuse on Twitter. He missed a kick but he doesn't deserve to be told things like "I hope you get cancer and die." I'm glad to see the program and the players are sticking up for him. Matty D also tweeted about the idiots crucifying Casey. This is how it should be - no matter what, everyone's still got your back.

azpenguin wrote:
Byrne tweeted support for Skowron because Casey was on the receiving end of a lot of disgusting abuse on Twitter. He missed a kick but he doesn't deserve to be told things like "I hope you get cancer and die." I'm glad to see the program and the players are sticking up for him. Matty D also tweeted about the idiots crucifying Casey. This is how it should be - no matter what, everyone's still got your back.

Saw that cancer post, awful. We were all pissed he missed it, but after all it's just a game.

No one slept worse that Skowron did last night. Like I mentioned in other posts about STs, this is all on RR for putting no effort in recruiting top notch kickers and punters. Skowron and Riggleman are walk ons, and you expect them to play like them.

Of course Alex Zendejas was a scholarship player, but was no doubt recruited on name and genetics alone. Never got the yips out, or his surly attitude.

The Butcher wrote:We were in the red zone 8 times and scored on 4 of them. You really think this is all the kicker?

We should've beat USC by 21 pts. That's how often we camped on their side of the field. Skowron missed it. He shanked it to the right. It happens. Just soul crushing to happen at that point.

The one before on the time out was balls out down the middle. And if you notice the hold was different on the second one. Go back and look. The ball placement angle is different and sucked into the holders leg a little bit.

There is no excuse for missing a 36 yarder, but the hold should've been the same. And your holder should never place the ball and then look up, which is what he did. Keep your head down, man.

That slight placement difference and the pressure coming off the side that Skowron could actually see ended up in a shank.

Heart breaking.

I think a large part of our red zone issues was our inability to run the ball. Left the team with few options. Grisby isn't' a power runner and he had trouble running all night as well as he got really beaten up. Might have done better if Wilson was healthy.

The Butcher wrote:We were in the red zone 8 times and scored on 4 of them. You really think this is all the kicker?

We should've beat USC by 21 pts. That's how often we camped on their side of the field. Skowron missed it. He shanked it to the right. It happens. Just soul crushing to happen at that point.

The one before on the time out was balls out down the middle. And if you notice the hold was different on the second one. Go back and look. The ball placement angle is different and sucked into the holders leg a little bit.

There is no excuse for missing a 36 yarder, but the hold should've been the same. And your holder should never place the ball and then look up, which is what he did. Keep your head down, man.

That slight placement difference and the pressure coming off the side that Skowron could actually see ended up in a shank.

Heart breaking.

+1

This, and other posters like DZ, cat77, azpenguin, Harvey, SportsMind and jimson, have entirely reasonable takes on last night and the team this season. THe loss sucks, UA should have won, and there's no other way around that. But I think the bye week came at the right time, and UA is still in the thick of things going forward.

Daryl Zero wrote:
I think a large part of our red zone issues was our inability to run the ball. Left the team with few options. Grisby isn't' a power runner and he had trouble running all night as well as he got really beaten up. Might have done better if Wilson was healthy.

I think Wilson does make a difference, but I don't know how much of one. Running into the middle against usc wasn't ever going to be that productive. Shoulda got to the edge/outside a lot more.

btfd16 wrote:You guys need to chill tf out. We would all be ecstatic if you were told we were gonna be 5-1 in August

I have been following U of A football for 27 years, and this is the typical disappointing loss that always happens after a big victory. These losses also happen every time there are any expectations of more than just going to some backwater bowl game and beating ASU. I won't ever be "ecstatic" until a conference championship is achieved, and truth be told, I don't see that ever happening in my lifetime.

The U of A is not a football school and never will be. The team has to be competitive enough to sell tickets to generate revenue for the athletic department. The occasional upset of a true contender is good for that at least.

az91 wrote:

btfd16 wrote:You guys need to chill tf out. We would all be ecstatic if you were told we were gonna be 5-1 in August

I have been following U of A football for 27 years, and this is the typical disappointing loss that always happens after a big victory. These losses also happen every time there are any expectations of more than just going to some backwater bowl game and beating ASU. I won't ever be "ecstatic" until a conference championship is achieved, and truth be told, I don't see that ever happening in my lifetime.

The U of A is not a football school and never will be. The team has to be competitive enough to sell tickets to generate revenue for the athletic department. The occasional upset of a true contender is good for that at least.

Really?? I've been following them about the same amount of time and I gotta say if the U wasn't serious about football they wouldn't have spent 70 something million on the stadium and would have kept Mike Stoops.

We are a victim of our early success.

At the beginning of year 3, people would be happy with a prediction of where we are now but then we beat a top team and suddenly anything less than undefeated is a failure and reason to abandon the football program?

9 wins and a bowl game this year is quite doable and would be a great incremental success and thinking anything else in year 3 of RR is stupid.

az91 wrote:

btfd16 wrote:You guys need to chill tf out. We would all be ecstatic if you were told we were gonna be 5-1 in August

I have been following U of A football for 27 years, and this is the typical disappointing loss that always happens after a big victory. These losses also happen every time there are any expectations of more than just going to some backwater bowl game and beating ASU. I won't ever be "ecstatic" until a conference championship is achieved, and truth be told, I don't see that ever happening in my lifetime.

The U of A is not a football school and never will be. The team has to be competitive enough to sell tickets to generate revenue for the athletic department. The occasional upset of a true contender is good for that at least.

Jeez Ass91...you are definitely not going for "Fan of the year." Maybe this isn't your thing.

The kids showed a lot of heart and the team is on the upward trend. I still think we get 9 reg season wins which shows improvement. We are who you thought we were. We are not USC...even though we have a better record.

I seem to remember way back in October of '74.

Arizona football team 5-0 and ranked in the top 10.

Hot new young coach - eventually made the Hall of Fame even. We had turned the corner. Everyone was dead sure of it.

Then we went over to Lubbock, Texas.

The more times change the more they stay the same.

PieceOfMeat wrote:

Daryl Zero wrote:
I think a large part of our red zone issues was our inability to run the ball. Left the team with few options. Grisby isn't' a power runner and he had trouble running all night as well as he got really beaten up. Might have done better if Wilson was healthy.

I think Wilson does make a difference, but I don't know how much of one. Running into the middle against usc wasn't ever going to be that productive. Shoulda got to the edge/outside a lot more.

I mainly say that because Baker had much more success and he was more of a power runner.

Casey will bounce back. He missed. He's human, but I think he'll come back and be a great kicker.

We lost because we could not run the football.
They won because they could run the football.

Period.

Merkin wrote:It's not just not giving any thoughts into recruiting top notch kickers, it's the whole program doesn't even care at all about special teams. The ST coordinator is Charlie Ragle, who was operations director or whatever a couple years ago. High School coach Ragle was primary brought in to bring in kids from Chaparrel.

Joe Rob was SEC ST coach of the year and wanted to return to Arizona. RichRod said thanks, but no thanks.

Reminds me so much of the Stoops' years when Hammerschmidt was ST coordinator, like Ragle with no ST background. Just the low guy on the coaching totem pole so they gave him the kickers and punters.

The Zendejas fiasco was even worse than the Skowron one. The ASU missed PATs will go down as his legacy forever, but who can forget Zendejas' 0 yard punt? Forgot the kid's name, but remember that freshman punter that was really good? Hammerschmidt made him worse every succeeding year. Tried to get him to speed up his time from catch to punt, even thogh he never had one blocked.

Mackovic had Nick Folk (still kicking in the NFL) and Danny Baugher, who was a Ray Guy finalist and headed for the NFL until he messed up his knee.

This is one of the things that got RR fired at Michigan. His Special Teams were the worse ever they lost a lot of games because of it.

Lol, I just saw the gif in the OP. I laughed out loud. For a long time. Thanks, POM. That was great.

Daryl Zero wrote:

PieceOfMeat wrote:

Daryl Zero wrote:
I think a large part of our red zone issues was our inability to run the ball. Left the team with few options. Grisby isn't' a power runner and he had trouble running all night as well as he got really beaten up. Might have done better if Wilson was healthy.

I think Wilson does make a difference, but I don't know how much of one. Running into the middle against usc wasn't ever going to be that productive. Shoulda got to the edge/outside a lot more.

I mainly say that because Baker had much more success and he was more of a power runner.

Baker isn't a power runner. TJG is more of a power runner than him and so is Nick. Baker is our fastest RB and I'm still now sure why we didn't try and get him on the edge more (That's where Boston College got most of their rushing yards). I don't know if Nick would have made much a difference honestly. He didn't do to hot against Cal and USC used the same defensive game plan as them, but with a lot more talent.

carcassdragger wrote:Casey will bounce back. He missed. He's human, but I think he'll come back and be a great kicker.

I hope he does, since the UA doesn't seem to have anyone else. Going to be all mental after the USC game. Every coach from now on will try to ice him each critical kick.

Zendejas never got over the yips, but with a different staff (although no real ST guys still) maybe they can turn Skowron around.

At least Skowron isn't giving his own teammates concussions.

UA needs a real ST coach, not just someone who does it as a sideline when they are bottom of the run coach like Ragel.

Remember this guy?

http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m ... joe00.html


Joe Robinson begins his third year in Columbia. He was hired as the Gamecocks' special teams coordinator and tight ends coach on January 13, 2012 but focused solely on the special teams in 2013 and will do so again in 2014.

Robinson had a hand in the early success of true freshman placekicker Elliott Fry, who converted 15-of-18 field goal attempts in his first season for the Garnet & Black and set a school record for PAT's in a season with 54 during the 2013 campaign. Fry earned Freshman All-SEC accolades, as did Pharoh Cooper as a return specialist.

During Robinson's first season at Carolina, Ace Sanders established a school record for punt return yardage in a season while earning second-team All-America honors and SEC Special Teams Player of the Year accolades. The Gamecock tight ends, led by Justice Cunningham and Rory Anderson, along with SEC All-Freshman Jerell Adams, became a key threat in the passing game. Cunningham was selected with the final pick of the 2013 draft by the Indianapolis Colts.

Robinson, the 2010 FootballScoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year, joined the Gamecock staff after one season at the University of North Carolina, where he coached the defensive line.

Prior to his arrival in Chapel Hill, Robinson spent three seasons as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at LSU. In his award-winning 2010 season, the Tigers' special teams finished in the top 13 nationally in net punting, kickoff return average and punt return average while earning a trip to the Cotton Bowl. In 2009, LSU's special teams combined to rank No. 1 overall in the SEC as the Tigers led the league in both kickoff coverage (44.5 net average) and punt returns (18.9). LSU was the only team in the league to rank among the top three in the conference in four special teams categories. Kick returner Trinton Holliday led the SEC and ranked No. 2 in the nation in punt returns and was selected in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.

Robinson has coached a variety of positions during his coaching career, including defensive line, special teams, linebackers and running backs. He also has experience as a recruiting coordinator at Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech.

He began his collegiate coaching career at Louisiana Tech where he served as a defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator from 1989-91. Robinson then coached seven seasons at Southern Miss where he tutored the defensive line (1992-93), linebackers (1994-95) and special teams (1996-98) while also earning a master's degree. He returned to Louisiana Tech for one year (2001), and also logged stints at Houston (2002) and Central Florida (2003).

Robinson coached defensive ends and special teams for four seasons at Arizona from 2004-07. He coached a number of outstanding special teams performers with the Wildcats, including NFL draft picks Antoine Cason, (1st round by San Diego), Nick Folk (6th round by Dallas) and Syndric Steptoe (7th round by Cleveland). In 2004, Robinson coached on the same Arizona staff as current South Carolina wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier, Jr.

A 1985 graduate of LSU, Robinson's first coaching job came as an assistant at Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee in 1986. He was promoted to head coach in 1987. Robinson spent the 1988 season as the defensive coordinator at Bastrop High School.

Born in Abilene, Texas, Robinson and his wife, Abby, have three daughters, Alexandra, Madeline and Valerie.

Weird that people say Arizona has bad football fans.

Without Skowron's kicking the Cats lose to UTSA, Cal and possibly Oregon. He's 72% on the year and hasn't missed a PAT. The last kick he missed was the interest the team paid on their failures to convert in the red zone.

catinfl wrote:

Daryl Zero wrote:

PieceOfMeat wrote:

Daryl Zero wrote:
I think a large part of our red zone issues was our inability to run the ball. Left the team with few options. Grisby isn't' a power runner and he had trouble running all night as well as he got really beaten up. Might have done better if Wilson was healthy.

I think Wilson does make a difference, but I don't know how much of one. Running into the middle against usc wasn't ever going to be that productive. Shoulda got to the edge/outside a lot more.

I mainly say that because Baker had much more success and he was more of a power runner.

Baker isn't a power runner. TJG is more of a power runner than him and so is Nick. Baker is our fastest RB and I'm still now sure why we didn't try and get him on the edge more (That's where Boston College got most of their rushing yards). I don't know if Nick would have made much a difference honestly. He didn't do to hot against Cal and USC used the same defensive game plan as them, but with a lot more talent.

As far as what I saw Baker is more of a power runner. Grisby was being slammed right at the line. Baker pushed through initial tackle attempts.

RazorsEdgeAZ wrote:

This X 1,000,000

Puerco wrote:Lol, I just saw the gif in the OP. I laughed out loud. For a long time. Thanks, POM. That was great.

no prob. if we can't laugh, we'd have to cry right?

I totally support this post (without the expletives). Sadly, you discover the true fans like your true friends - under adversity. True Arizona fans Bear Down win or lose.

If you can't handle a loss and want to personally attack one of our players than it is time for you to move on and grow up. We live in a world filled with terrorists, child molesters, and true evil, try and direct your hate to where it is deserved and stay away from my Wildcats.

Wait, people are really blaming Casey? C'mon now...

It's not the kicker's fault that we bog down in the red zone. Turn those FG attempts into TDs and we are 6-0.

Great find Ang and I support it and his use of colorful adjectives. Those twitter fans can go F themselves. Get lost, go root for ASSU.

Can't wait for Wazzu and the privilege of rooting for our cats! This team is fun and excitibg

It can be said enough how bad of a kick in the nuts it was that Nick Wilson got injured. Anu is getting a lot of press but Nick Wilson has been the true superstar of this team.

I am surprised at how many "non-fans" we have on this board. Why waste your time if you don't support your team and don't believe they can be great?

Chicat wrote:Wait, people are really blaming Casey? C'mon now...

It's not the kicker's fault that we bog down in the red zone. Turn those FG attempts into TDs and we are 6-0.

Skowron began receiving angry messages via Twitter ... one person wrote that she hopes Casey and his whole family "dies of cancer."

But TMZ Sports has spoken with multiple people from the U of A football program who tell us they have Skowron's back no matter what.

"We stand by him 110% percent," linebacker Scooby Wright III tells us ... "he is our kicker and most of all a great person and a great teammate."

We also spoke with Associate Athletic Director Molly Omara who tells us the people behind the threats are "just cowards who are targeting a 20-year-old student athlete."

She adds, "He knows he’s got the team and his football family’s support."

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2014/10/13/universit ... z3G34VZqyd

Great find, ANG. I am horrified at the idiocy that's being sent Skowron's way - and proud as hell to see everyone, from Byrne on down, get his back.

Why did TMZ have to show the Skowron flopping image of all the ones they could have used?

Merkin wrote:Why did TMZ have to show the Skowron flopping image of all the ones they could have used?

Because it's pretty funny.

azpenguin wrote:Great find, ANG. I am horrified at the idiocy that's being sent Skowron's way - and proud as hell to see everyone, from Byrne on down, get his back.

It wasn't a hard find for me, I just read Machina's post two posts above mine who got it from Razorsedge above him. The real thanks is to Dave DeLuca for his video. Great job calling out the internet trash.

Merkin wrote:Why did TMZ have to show the Skowron flopping image of all the ones they could have used?

Would have preferred the one that shows the contact.

Video of the flop:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal ... ron-pac-12

Chicat wrote:

Merkin wrote:Why did TMZ have to show the Skowron flopping image of all the ones they could have used?

Because it's pretty funny.

It is, that flop was hilariously bad.

Just thought they were trying to get some sympathy for the kid yet smirking using that image.