New kicker cleared for Saturday
Texas Tech special teams coach Clay McGuire said Tuesday that kicker Matt Williams will be given consideration to kick extra points and field goals this week, a day after he was cleared to participate this season. Tech’s choices at kicker for Saturday’s game at Kansas are freshman Donnie Carona or Williams, McGuire said.
Williams came onto the Red Raiders’ radar during their Sept. 20 game against Massachusetts when he made a 30-yard field goal during a between-quarters promotion.
He was invited to join the team the following week, though Tech coach Mike Leach thought he would have to sit out the season. Williams transferred to Tech from Tarleton State, where he made a brief attempt to walk on but never kicked in a game.
According to Tech officials, Williams was granted a one-time exception to the NCAA transfer rule because he was neither recruited by nor ever on scholarship at Tarleton, facts that required confirmation by the Tarleton athletic department. That enabled him to be eligible immediately at Tech.
Tech received the confirmation in writing and cleared Williams on Monday.
“He’s had three or four weeks now to get back in shape,” McGuire said. “He’s doing a good job. He’s a confident kid. He’s real smooth. He’s looked good so far.”
McGuire said the choice between Carona and Williams will be made based on how they look in practice this week.
McGuire said sophomore punter Jonathan LaCour, who also kicked in high school, isn’t a consideration, because his punting average has dropped from 42.6 yards last year to 37.6 this season.
“Right now, we need him to get his punting going like he did last year,” McGuire said. “We want him concentrating on that and only that.”
Tech has had seven placement kicks blocked this season. Carona is 3-for-7 on field goals and was replaced last week by senior Cory Fowler, but Fowler had two extra points blocked – and one returned for two points – in the team’s 43-25 victory Saturday at Texas A&M.
Compiled by Don Williams
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wow that is great if they are finally looking for other options. i had always wondered if they ever considered the kid after that kick at the umass game
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Use him. Can’t hurt at this point. I must say I favor going for 2 pt. conversion above all possibilities.
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wow.. what publicity our football likes to bring in. I am about 99% positive carona is kicking on saturday. Its sad how everyone likes to lower his confidence. I honestly would not be suprised if Carona did not want to kick extra points and feild goals for tech after I have seen how tech fans have treated him. Its quite appalling
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OK lets think this through. Carona is having trouble with kicks, Fowler is having trouble with kicks. La Cour is having trouble with kicks (punts) Hmmmm, All the legs are broke?? has anyone looked at the line, the snapper the holder?? we just keep on and on with the legs and not with the rest of the team that is involved with the kick.
As far as Matt W.—wow what a dream come true–he must be on a few clouds and I cant imagine what Tarleton and others are saying–this is great for him.
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I’ve heard that the special teams coach has reviewed the game footage, and it’s predominantly been a low trajectory. That would be the fault of the kicker. Although, once i think graham held the ball, and had the laces facing the kicker, which caused a missed PAT, but he was taken out. Tech has had a lot of success with walk-on kickers. Alex Trilica made every single one of his 233 extra point attempts, and he won the last 2 bowl games for Tech. We haven’t had kicking problems for a LONG time. Since this is mostly the same special teams members blocking, that were blocking last year, i dont see why they would all of a sudden not be able to block for the PATs.
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GO FOR TWO!!! Shoot, guys, I would bet we would, at least, be at 50% on 2-pt conversion attempts. I realize that this is not solving the “big picture,” because if it’s 4th and 11 from Texas’ 20 with 10 seconds to go and we’re down by 1 …….
Nevermind! We got to get this thing fixed —- NOW!
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Wow, that’s pretty crappy.
These guys are on scholarships and getting less than 50%? Take them out of their misery.
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50% of 2 pt. conversions is the same as one for one kicking the P.A.T. assuming you score multiple times.
Pick your poison.
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I think it’s great that someone like Matt comes in and showcases an awesome kick, all by himself, no d-line in front of him, and hitting an extra point off of a tee and then offered to play for Tech. Now if this kid can do the same thing with all of the right scenereos in front of him, I truely think he deserves the spot of starting kicker. Go for it Matt! and GO TECH!!!!
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I think that whomever ends up kicking on Saturday needs to forget about what has happened earlier this season. Forget the misses and focus on what is happening NOW. I think last week Fowler was going against himself mentally. In order for Tech to really be a contender this year we need to have a reliable kicking game! Wreck ‘Em!
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Sounds easy to just go for two, I don’t think that the percentages are very much in your favor, as the old saying goes”IF IT WAS EASY EVERYONE WOULD BE DOING IT” and as of today I don’t know of any program doing it, absolutely none. Does anyone know the percentages of completing the two point conversion? Don’t believe it is close to 50%,so by just doing the math, your better off kicking. Unless of course the game is on the line or you can seal it at the end. Wreck the rock chalk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I good indicator for determining potential % of two point conversion success would be to look at the Offense scoring % while in the red zone. I am sure there is a correlation with how the offense moves the ball in the red zone, and I would bet it is much greater than 50%. Nonetheless, we need a kicking game we can depend on when we can’t stick it in the end zone. We are going to need every point we can muster against UT and OU. Wreck ‘Em!!
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And on top of that we are not like any other team, and mike leach is not like any other coach. Also who cares about the numbers it would be some much more fun to go for two everytime.
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I’m not necessarily opposed to going for two on a regular basis, but as a previous writer has already noted, sometimes you have to kick a field goal and I can’t imagine that Leach or anyone else who has paid attention this year is comfortable with the current kicking game. Besides, what a great story for the fans; what a great opportunity for this kid; what great publicity for Tech…..just great all around.
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Tech should have looked at Coronado High School kicker Lukas Rutter. He did awesome his three years there and could have done so with Tech.
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Not to get wrapped around the axle here. Mike “the mind” Leach knows what he is doing. He definitely hears our comments and the media and try both 2 pt conversion option and PATs with the new kicker and Corona. Truthfully, this motivates all teams offense and defense to out score the other team to not be in the same predicament as we did against Nebraska. Lets hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Go Tech Go…..
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I don’t care if Tom dempsey was the kicker, if the ball snapper
keeps missing his blocks as he did repeatedly against a&m, we’ll
never make a field goal.
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The secret to beating the wronghorns is going to be in the hands
of our d-line. If Brandon Williams can rearrange colt mcCoys’
helmet on a pass rush, early in the game, that would help tremendously. Remember the OU game last year?
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