Teicher: Colquitt could kick Chiefs' punting woes - Page 2

tk13 · 06-22-2005, 01:19 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/11951855.htm

Colquitt could kick Chiefs’ punting woes

By ADAM TEICHER
Kansas City Star

The high, arching punts of rookie Dusty Colquitt were an offseason delight for the Chiefs. His kicks gave them reason to believe their punting problems of recent years are finished.

But the show doesn’t end when Colquitt’s kicks begin their journey back to earth. They inevitably do a dance that leaves returners staggering just to make a clean catch, much less bust loose for long yardage.

Colquitt’s kicks consistently baffled even veteran and sure-handed returners such as Dante Hall and Eddie Kennison. In offseason practices, both players fought Colquitt’s punts with all they had.

They had little success. Their attempts to field the kicks were a collection of drops, fingertip grabs, last-second lunges and belated efforts to merely get out of the way of the falling ball.

“Dante dropped one every day, and Dante never drops one,” coach Dick Vermeil said. “This is the first time he’s ever had problems. He told me he’s been using his game-day concentration and he was still having problems.”

That’s just the sort of mayhem the Chiefs had in mind when they drafted Colquitt near the end of the third round. One of the biggest reasons was returners’ inability to get a consistent grip on his punts.

“We saw it when we watched him in college,” said special teams coach Frank Gansz Jr. “A lot of returners were mishandling his punts. I stood under a few of them when I went to work him out. I’ve seen a lot of punts, but this guy’s punts move around a lot.”

It’s a new and exciting phenomenon for the Chiefs, who have gone through a dizzying collection of mediocre punters since Vermeil arrived in 2001.

It’s nothing new for Colquitt, who as Gansz indicated was tough to catch in college at Tennessee.

“I know that if guys are catching my punts and they’re not having much problem with them, there’s something in my technique that I need to tweak,” Colquitt said. “I kind of have a different way of doing things than most punters. I hold the ball at a little bit of an angle. I tilt the nose up a little bit, and when the ball gets to its peak, it doesn’t really turn over. That makes it a difficult ball to catch.”

Colquitt is left-footed. Left-footed punts rotate differently and take some getting used to.

“But that doesn’t explain all of it, because we’ve played against lefties before,” Gansz said. “It’s not like that kind of guy is new to us. Both Eddie and Dante have great ball skills. They know how to handle lefties.”

Colquitt also generally gets good hang time on his punts.

“Any time you see a ball up that high and there’s any kind of wind at all, it’s going to do some pretty funny things,” Gansz said. “The returner spends a lot of time first of all just trying to figure out whether he’s going to catch the thing.

“It’s definitely going to be an advantage for him and for us. A turnover in the kicking game is always huge.”

Running back Sam Gado had the misfortune of being sent back as the returner during the Chiefs’ spring rookie camp. The poor fellow had no idea what he was in for.

“I don’t know what it is about his punts,” Gado said. “It just hangs up in the air so high that it’s hard to adjust. You almost lose your bearings a little bit. You just can’t get a good grasp or a good feel for where it’s going to land. I was back there for about 10 or 12 of his punts. The first eight or nine, I dropped every single one of them.”

That shook Gado’s confidence as a returner. It lasted until the Chiefs began a series of full-squad practice sessions.

Now he knows his problems had more to do with Colquitt instead.

“At first, I thought it was just me,” Gado said. “But then I saw Dante Hall and Eddie Kennison having problems with it. That made me feel a lot better.”

Red Dawg · 06-22-2005, 07:45 AM

MVP material

stevieray · 06-22-2005, 07:46 AM

lefties rock.

PastorMikH · 06-22-2005, 07:58 AM

I don't care how good he punts, I hope we never use him.

However, it is good to know that if we do need to punt occasionally, he will get the job done.

Brock · 06-22-2005, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luzap

BTW ~ who were all the posters lambasting DV & Company on draft day for waisting a 3rd on this guy?

Luz
anyone willing to step forward???...

Can't recall seeing any.

HC_Chief · 06-22-2005, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PastorMikH

I don't care how good he punts, I hope we never use him.

Now THAT'S the type of attitude we need more of

jynni · 06-22-2005, 09:26 AM

IRRC, it was mostly the media that was down on the picking of a punter in the 3rd. Everyone here (and anyone familiar with last years punter carosel) though it was a good pick.

**Rain Man** · 06-22-2005, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

Can't recall seeing any.

Yep. I had no issue with it, and neither did most other folks. It was a bit of a surprise, but not an unwelcome one.

Dr. Johnny Fever · 06-22-2005, 09:43 AM

I love this draft pick now.

**Anyong Bluth** · 06-22-2005, 09:49 AM

IIRC, it was the media that thought it was a bad pick minus a few guys that made mention of our punting struggles and field position is part of improving the defense. Also, it was mentioned that Shanahan was going to use one of their two upcoming picks on him and thats why they pulled the trigger.

Now the donks ended up with sourdoughbun, hold the roids.

This draft to me I think goes down as one of the top two, maybe #1, drafts under CP.

I read in The Sporting News magazine (written by AT) that Tynes has also looked great and should soon end up as one of the premiere kickers in the league. (?)

Andoverer · 06-22-2005, 10:15 AM

Wow. I've never gushed over a punter before

wolfpack0735 · 06-22-2005, 10:37 AM

just watching him warm up saturday looked better than nicky ever did. the way he went up and down the field just dropping the ball in front of his foot. nicky never did that. colquitt`s punts seem to hang forever saturday.

milkman · 06-22-2005, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andoverer

Wow. I've never gushed over a punter before

Too young to remember JW?

C-Mac · 06-22-2005, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk13

“I know that if guys are catching my punts and they’re not having much problem with them, there’s something in my technique that I need to tweak,” Colquitt said. “I kind of have a different way of doing things than most punters. I hold the ball at a little bit of an angle. I tilt the nose up a little bit, and when the ball gets to its peak, it doesn’t really turn over. That makes it a difficult ball to catch.”

Blaspheme!
Code 28446, Section 32 of Chiefs manual..."or publicly give out secret kicking tips"

jynni · 06-22-2005, 11:28 AM

Maybe it's easier said than done?

**Anyong Bluth** · 06-22-2005, 11:32 AM

I wouldn't worry too much about him "giving out secrets" Darin Bennett used the rugby style drop kick and used to boot the shit out of the ball... no one started jumping on that band wagon.

You have to have the leg to kick it, 1st (our rook has a monster one and is a 2nd gen NFL K/P)

Niche technique like this aren't the easiest of things for others to just pick up and probably has a little something to do with his range of motion and stance. Most punters when they try to tweak their kick - motion, delivery, catch, step or the numerous other factors involved will assuredly shank it quite a bit.

How many people here have ever punted (where you actually extend and jump off with your back foot) or kicked a field goal - its tough as hell to retrain yourself

06-22-2005, 01:19 AM
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $2002500	Teicher: Colquitt could kick Chiefs' punting woes http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/11951855.htm Colquitt could kick Chiefs’ punting woes By ADAM TEICHER Kansas City Star The high, arching punts of rookie Dusty Colquitt were an offseason delight for the Chiefs. His kicks gave them reason to believe their punting problems of recent years are finished. But the show doesn’t end when Colquitt’s kicks begin their journey back to earth. They inevitably do a dance that leaves returners staggering just to make a clean catch, much less bust loose for long yardage. Colquitt’s kicks consistently baffled even veteran and sure-handed returners such as Dante Hall and Eddie Kennison. In offseason practices, both players fought Colquitt’s punts with all they had. They had little success. Their attempts to field the kicks were a collection of drops, fingertip grabs, last-second lunges and belated efforts to merely get out of the way of the falling ball. “Dante dropped one every day, and Dante never drops one,” coach Dick Vermeil said. “This is the first time he’s ever had problems. He told me he’s been using his game-day concentration and he was still having problems.” That’s just the sort of mayhem the Chiefs had in mind when they drafted Colquitt near the end of the third round. One of the biggest reasons was returners’ inability to get a consistent grip on his punts. “We saw it when we watched him in college,” said special teams coach Frank Gansz Jr. “A lot of returners were mishandling his punts. I stood under a few of them when I went to work him out. I’ve seen a lot of punts, but this guy’s punts move around a lot.” It’s a new and exciting phenomenon for the Chiefs, who have gone through a dizzying collection of mediocre punters since Vermeil arrived in 2001. It’s nothing new for Colquitt, who as Gansz indicated was tough to catch in college at Tennessee. “I know that if guys are catching my punts and they’re not having much problem with them, there’s something in my technique that I need to tweak,” Colquitt said. “I kind of have a different way of doing things than most punters. I hold the ball at a little bit of an angle. I tilt the nose up a little bit, and when the ball gets to its peak, it doesn’t really turn over. That makes it a difficult ball to catch.” Colquitt is left-footed. Left-footed punts rotate differently and take some getting used to. “But that doesn’t explain all of it, because we’ve played against lefties before,” Gansz said. “It’s not like that kind of guy is new to us. Both Eddie and Dante have great ball skills. They know how to handle lefties.” Colquitt also generally gets good hang time on his punts. “Any time you see a ball up that high and there’s any kind of wind at all, it’s going to do some pretty funny things,” Gansz said. “The returner spends a lot of time first of all just trying to figure out whether he’s going to catch the thing. “It’s definitely going to be an advantage for him and for us. A turnover in the kicking game is always huge.” Running back Sam Gado had the misfortune of being sent back as the returner during the Chiefs’ spring rookie camp. The poor fellow had no idea what he was in for. “I don’t know what it is about his punts,” Gado said. “It just hangs up in the air so high that it’s hard to adjust. You almost lose your bearings a little bit. You just can’t get a good grasp or a good feel for where it’s going to land. I was back there for about 10 or 12 of his punts. The first eight or nine, I dropped every single one of them.” That shook Gado’s confidence as a returner. It lasted until the Chiefs began a series of full-squad practice sessions. Now he knows his problems had more to do with Colquitt instead. “At first, I thought it was just me,” Gado said. “But then I saw Dante Hall and Eddie Kennison having problems with it. That made me feel a lot better.”
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06-22-2005, 07:45 AM	#16
Red Dawg Going home eventually Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $4772858	MVP material __________________ If you're not first you're last!
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06-22-2005, 07:46 AM	#17
stevieray best in the biz Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Under Pressure Casino cash: $2605273	lefties rock.
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06-22-2005, 07:58 AM	#18
PastorMikH Will KC ever be better? Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Land of Red Dirt & Necks Casino cash: $9955087	I don't care how good he punts, I hope we never use him. However, it is good to know that if we do need to punt occasionally, he will get the job done. __________________
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06-22-2005, 09:26 AM	#21
jynni Starter Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $2346331	IRRC, it was mostly the media that was down on the picking of a punter in the 3rd. Everyone here (and anyone familiar with last years punter carosel) though it was a good pick.
Posts: 884

06-22-2005, 09:43 AM	#23
Dr. Johnny Fever stax of wax Join Date: Feb 2004 Casino cash: $10004900	I love this draft pick now. __________________ courtesy of BoneKrusher "Baseball? It's just a game. As simple as a ball and bat, yet as complex as the American spirit it symbolizes. It's a sport, a business and sometimes a religion." Ernie Harwell
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06-22-2005, 09:49 AM	#24
Anyong Bluth Deus ambulans inter homines Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Casino cash: $9689340	IIRC, it was the media that thought it was a bad pick minus a few guys that made mention of our punting struggles and field position is part of improving the defense. Also, it was mentioned that Shanahan was going to use one of their two upcoming picks on him and thats why they pulled the trigger. Now the donks ended up with sourdoughbun, hold the roids. This draft to me I think goes down as one of the top two, maybe #1, drafts under CP. I read in The Sporting News magazine (written by AT) that Tynes has also looked great and should soon end up as one of the premiere kickers in the league. (?) __________________ Suck it, *beautiful*
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06-22-2005, 10:15 AM	#25
Andoverer Good dog Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Andover KS Casino cash: $9752653	Wow. I've never gushed over a punter before __________________ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:18-19
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06-22-2005, 10:37 AM	#26
wolfpack0735 buttnaked is the only way tobe Join Date: May 2001 Location: B/T lost & nowhere in ks. Casino cash: $10008827	just watching him warm up saturday looked better than nicky ever did. the way he went up and down the field just dropping the ball in front of his foot. nicky never did that. colquitt`s punts seem to hang forever saturday. __________________ Three most important things in life... Chiefs football, Beer and women, all in that order!! Adopt - A - Chief Willie Lanier Old enough to remember WHAT a Super Bowl is!!
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06-22-2005, 11:28 AM	#29
jynni Starter Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $2346331	Maybe it's easier said than done?
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06-22-2005, 11:32 AM	#30
Anyong Bluth Deus ambulans inter homines Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Casino cash: $9689340	I wouldn't worry too much about him "giving out secrets" Darin Bennett used the rugby style drop kick and used to boot the shit out of the ball... no one started jumping on that band wagon. You have to have the leg to kick it, 1st (our rook has a monster one and is a 2nd gen NFL K/P) Niche technique like this aren't the easiest of things for others to just pick up and probably has a little something to do with his range of motion and stance. Most punters when they try to tweak their kick - motion, delivery, catch, step or the numerous other factors involved will assuredly shank it quite a bit. How many people here have ever punted (where you actually extend and jump off with your back foot) or kicked a field goal - its tough as hell to retrain yourself __________________ Suck it, *beautiful*
Posts: 14,916