FCS Top 20 Returning Placekickers for 2009

[native]

The NCAA top 20 kicker FG% list is a good place to start, but is inadequate by itself to capture the value of kickers to their teams. My criteria for kicker value include total kicking points scored, FG%, red zone FG%, longest FG, average net kickoff yards, and clutch kicks.

Based on these criteria, here is my list of the top 20 returning FCS kickers for 2009:

Rank, Kicker, Team
1 Eddie Carmona, Central Ark
2 Jon Williams, Weber St
3 Brian Pate, William & Mary
4 Kyle Dougherty, SIU
5 Jeff Turner, SE Louisiana
6 Billy Hallgren, UNI
7 Ryan Gates, Gardner-Webb
8 Jason Vitaris, App State
9 Davis Rodriguez, Lafayette
10 Ross Schexnayder, Nicholls St
11 Jason Cunningham, Montana St
12 Eric Perri, Jackson St
13 Taylor Wilkins, Sam Houston St
14 Shawn Bibeau, ND State
15 Trevor Scott, Fla A&M
16 Patrick Long, Harvard
17 Andrew Howard, Richmond
18 Peter Reifenrath, SD State
19 Jeremy Licea, Alabama A&M
20T Andrew Samson, Penn
20T Adrian Mora, Ga Southern

[AZGrizFan]

I am shocked and appalled that Montana's kicker isn't on this list.

[mtgrizfan4life]

I am shocked and appalled that Montana's kicker isn't on this list.

Brody McKnight definitely has the leg. Unreal how bad the blocking was for kicking last year. The good that came out of our kicking struggles was the playcalling got much better. Our scoring came more from TD's. It is about time the GRIZ scored TDs consistently. In the past, they were happy with great defense and take a FG rather than risking a turnover.

As for kicking this year, it can only get better, hard for it to be any worse than in 08. However, I still think McKnight will turnout to be a very solid kicker when all is said and done. The unit as a whole has to get on the same page though.

[native]

I am shocked and appalled that Montana's kicker isn't on this list.

Brody McKnight definitely has the leg. Unreal how bad the blocking was for kicking last year. The good that came out of our kicking struggles was the playcalling got much better. Our scoring came more from TD's. It is about time the GRIZ scored TDs consistently. In the past, they were happy with great defense and take a FG rather than risking a turnover.

As for kicking this year, it can only get better, hard for it to be any worse than in 08. However, I still think McKnight will turnout to be a very solid kicker when all is said and done. The unit as a whole has to get on the same page though.

I think Brody is a good kicker and will be one to watch in 2009.

There were two ways for kickers to be considered for initial inclusion on my list. The first was to be among the top 20 NCAA rated kickers in FG% who are returning for 2009. The second is to be in the top 20 returning kick scorers. Then I ranked the kickers who made the cut in each of five categories: kick scoring total, FG%, red zone FG%, longest FG, and average net kickoff yards.

Brody made the cut based his kick scoring total of 79 points. He also scored well in longest field goal and average net yards on kickoff, ranking ninth in each category. But McKnight was dead last last in both FG% and red zone FG%, and his resulting composite score kept him out of the top 20.

I know you said the Montana kicking suffered because of abysmal blocking, but the statskeepers only recorded a single blocked field goal for McKnight, so the onus falls on his own shoulders. Being frightened by onrushing potential kick-blockers doesn't count.

I feel badly because I have more Grizz friends on the board than the existing number of Weber fans (you Grizz seem to proliferate like... well, like Mormons!), but that's the way the chips fell in my ranking system. Brody will have to improve his FG%. McKnight is good, and he has potential, but he ain't yet a Carpenter!

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Hey Native! Good to see you getting some time to post here my friend. Nice work on the list also man.

[native]

Hey Native! Good to see you getting some time to post here my friend. Nice work on the list also man.

Why thank you, Brother Bear!

[SUUTbird]

From seeing the videos of games of Mcknight kicking he really doesnt seem to be that bad. Besides some blocked kicks and extra points, he just seemed to get a little nervous sometimes, aka thinking to much about the kick. He will come into his own this year. We thankfully have a replacement for All Great West Kicker Steve Pulver in Ryan Grifith. This guy is a WR and kicked two field goals of 28 and 41 yards into the wind easily making both of them in the spring game. He is a pretty damn good WR as well.

[native]

From seeing the videos of games of Mcknight kicking he really doesnt seem to be that bad. Besides some blocked kicks and extra points, he just seemed to get a little nervous sometimes, aka thinking to much about the kick. He will come into his own this year. We thankfully have a replacement for All Great West Kicker Steve Pulver in Ryan Grifith. This guy is a WR and kicked two field goals of 28 and 41 yards into the wind easily making both of them in the spring game. He is a pretty damn good WR as well.

Of course, McKnight is a good kicker! This is the top 20 list, not the bottom 20.

It's just that there are a couple dozen quality kickers out there with better FG% and red zone FG% than Brody.

[bobbythekidd]

There were two ways for kickers to be considered for initial inclusion on my list. The first was to be among the top 20 NCAA rated kickers in FG% who are returning for 2009.

Where did Adrian Mora rank?

[bobbythekidd]

The second is to be in the top 20 returning kick scorers. Then I ranked the kickers who made the cut in each of five categories: kick scoring total, FG%, red zone FG%, longest FG, and average net kickoff yards.

Mora stats. I'm not saying he deserves inclusion, just want to know how he stacked up?
61 points
10/12 on FG 83.3%
31/31 on PAT 100%
0/0 in the red zone. Is that a strike against him? He went 7/7 from the 20-40.
42 yard was the long

Bolen did kick offs, is that another strike against Mora?

[CatMom]

Good to see this list. Need to have names to become familiar with to watch this season.

Also glad this got cleared up. This AM I thought I had too much to drink last night. That or I kept hitting the same thread repeatedly.

Don't ya hate when that happens?

[pigskin1]

I am shocked and appalled that Montana's kicker isn't on this list.

Not that shocking!! McKnight was a freshman. Of the 20 on the list 12 will be Srs. next year, 2 will be Jrs and 6 Sop. Of the 6 who were Freshmen last year on the list one (Trevor Scott)had a long of 37 yds. McKnight has a powerful leg. A long last year of 46 and the winning kick of 43 yds against Central Wash with about a sec left was pretty clutch. Just have to work on blocking for him. 5 PATs blocked and 1 FG..that plays on a kickers head. Cunningham bobcat had a very good year...gotta give him that although he missed one at Wash Griz stadium...25,000 plus fans watching does make a difference!

[bluehenbillk]

2007 1st team All-American John Striefsky is still at Delaware...... He couldn't crack your top 20??

[dbackjon]

2007 1st team All-American John Striefsky is still at Delaware...... He couldn't crack your top 20??

How did he do LAST year?

[dbackjon]

Welcome pigskin1

[native]

THANKS for the responses! I will respond to each, and use your ideas to make the list better and more accurate.

[Catattack]

I don't think that it should be a negative for a kicker if he doesn't kick off. Maybe there should be a seperate list for best kick off guy.

[pigskin1]

The NCAA top 20 kicker FG% list is a good place to start, but is inadequate by itself to capture the value of kickers to their teams. My criteria for kicker value include total kicking points scored, FG%, red zone FG%, longest FG, average net kickoff yards, and clutch kicks.

Based on these criteria, here is my list of the top 20 returning FCS kickers for 2009:

Rank, Kicker, Team
1 Eddie Carmona, Central Ark
2 Jon Williams, Weber St
3 Brian Pate, William & Mary
4 Kyle Dougherty, SIU
5 Jeff Turner, SE Louisiana
6 Billy Hallgren, UNI
7 Ryan Gates, Gardner-Webb
8 Jason Vitaris, App State
9 Davis Rodriguez, Lafayette
10 Ross Schexnayder, Nicholls St
11 Jason Cunningham, Montana St
12 Eric Perri, Jackson St
13 Taylor Wilkins, Sam Houston St
14 Shawn Bibeau, ND State
15 Trevor Scott, Fla A&M
16 Patrick Long, Harvard
17 Andrew Howard, Richmond
18 Peter Reifenrath, SD State
19 Jeremy Licea, Alabama A&M
20T Andrew Samson, Penn
20T Adrian Mora, Ga Southern

First off native thanks for putting together the list. it is a lot of work and we could all debate who is or is not on the list forever. That being said:
I am interested in the Freshmen included. Did you look at K/O aver in your criteria. If yes, how did you factor in Cunningham , Mora and Scott who did not handle K/O duties. MSU had a K/O aver of 68.4, Ga Southern 62.5 and Fla A M with 55.5 aver!! To me the ability to handlle K/O displays leg strength as well as accuracy especially since they moved the K/O to the 30 and are doing more directional kicking.
As well...Trevor Scott was 12/20 on F/G (1-6 from 40-49) long of 37 and didn't handle K/O duties?? and he is on the list?

[native]

The second is to be in the top 20 returning kick scorers. Then I ranked the kickers who made the cut in each of five categories: kick scoring total, FG%, red zone FG%, longest FG, and average net kickoff yards.

Mora stats. I'm not saying he deserves inclusion, just want to know how he stacked up?
61 points
10/12 on FG 83.3%
31/31 on PAT 100%
0/0 in the red zone. Is that a strike against him? He went 7/7 from the 20-40.
42 yard was the long

Bolen did kick offs, is that another strike against Mora?

Hey BTK, thank you for the post!

I ranked Mora 20th, but he clearly has the potential to move up, based on his accuracy. Here is how he ranked in each of the five categories I measured to determine the list:

Total kick scoring points: Last among kickers who made the cut, with only 61 points.

FG%: 4th, with an NFL-quality 83.3%

Red Zone FG% 1st, with a perfect 7/7 for 100%. (Note: The line of scrimmage is in the red zone for any kick from 37 yards or closer. To derive the red zone kicks I looked at the field goal sequence in every game for every kicker who made the cut.)

Longest FG: 18th, with a 42-yarder.

Kickoffs: Last. He doesn't do kickoffs.

Mora missed a 40-yard field goal to lose the game to Elon, 20-22. He hit a 25yd FG w/6 secs to tie and get Wofford into OT despite the team's subsequent loss. He also provided the margin of victory in a 38-31 OT win over Western Carolina but missed a 40 yarder in RT which would have kept the game out of overtime; Mora was a flawless 5/5 and 6/6 kicks in close losses to Wofford and App.

Bear in mind that I probably made mistakes which will require correction. Also, this is the first time I have used this composite ranking system and it is certainly subject to refinement and improvement.

[bobbythekidd]

Mora stats. I'm not saying he deserves inclusion, just want to know how he stacked up?
61 points
10/12 on FG 83.3%
31/31 on PAT 100%
0/0 in the red zone. Is that a strike against him? He went 7/7 from the 20-40.
42 yard was the long

Bolen did kick offs, is that another strike against Mora?

Hey BTK, thank you for the post!

I ranked Mora 20th, but he cearly has the potential to move up, based on his accuracy. Here is how he ranked in each of the five categories I measured to determine the list:

Total kick scoring points: Last among kickers who made the cut, with only 61 points.

FG%: 4th, with an NFL-quality 83.3%

Red Zone FG% 1st, with a perfect 7/7 for 100%. (Note: The line of scrimmage is in the red zone for any kick from 37 yards or closer. To derive the red zone kicks I looked at the field goal sequence in every game for every kicker who made the cut.)

Longest FG: 18th, with a 42-yarder.

Kickoffs: Last. He doesn't do kickoffs.

Mora missed a 40-yard field goal to lose the game to Elon, 20-22. He hit a 25yd FG w/6 secs to tie and get Wofford into OT despite the team's subsequent loss. He also provided the margin of victory in a 38-31 OT win over Western Carolina but missed a 40 yarder in RT which would have kept the game out of overtime; Mora was a flawless 5/5 and 6/6 kicks in close losses to Wofford and App.

Bear in mind that I probably made mistakes which will require correction. Also, this is the first time I have used this composite ranking system and it is certainly subject to refinement and improvement.

I glazed right over the fact that you included him. Oops. Great analysis, thanks.

[native]

2007 1st team All-American John Striefsky is still at Delaware...... He couldn't crack your top 20??

Howdy, Bluhenbillk. Thanks for the post!

I did not look at 2007 stats, and I did not yet consider post season honors, but those are good points to consider.

After you brought him to my attention, I did take a look at Jon Striefsky's performance metrics. He would not have made the cut based on his 2008 statistics. He tied for 96th in the country for total kick scoring points, and his FG% was bested by at least 93 FCS kickers with 8 or more field goal attempts.

There were two ways to make the cut for consideration to be included on my list: First, to be an underclassman on the NCAA Top 20 FG% list. Second, to be among the top 25 returning kick scorers (points total) listed on the espn FCS stats for 2008.

Striefsky's 54.5% FG success rate is well below that of other players who made the cut, and his season total of 43 kicking points is 16 points below the lowest point total to have made the cut. He had no game winners for the Blue Hens, but he did miss a 40-yard attempt which was the margin of a 21-23 loss to Furman.

[native]

I don't think that it should be a negative for a kicker if he doesn't kick off. Maybe there should be a seperate list for best kick off guy.

Good point, but there is no single metric which accurately captures a kicker's value to his team. FG% alone would leave several great kickers off the list and do not account for the variation in distances from which coaches require placekickers to attempt field goals. Point totals alone would leave many great kickers off the list. Kickoffs are only one of the five metrics I used to derive the composite score.

Kickoffs are definitely part of a great kicker's repertoire. There is not enough room on an FCS roster for a kickoff specialist who cannot also kick PATs and field goals, and the NFL will not take a kickoff specialist who cannot also kick field goals in a pinch.

USC's kicker David Beuhler is a good case in point. Beuhler was booming 70 yard kickoffs with 4+second hang times for years but struggled with his FG accuracy before he finally improved sufficiently to become a starter ahead of Jordan Congdon and ultimately get drafted in the 5th round by the Cowboys.

[Ivytalk]

I'm surprised you ranked Harvard's Long over Penn's Samson. Long has a strong leg, but he missed too many PATs and some short FGs. Did you penalize anyone for missed PATs?

[native]

I'm surprised you ranked Harvard's Long over Penn's Samson. Long has a strong leg, but he missed too many PATs and some short FGs. Did you penalize anyone for missed PATs?

Your points are well taken, Ivytalk, and thanks for the post!

This was the first time out of the box for my rating method, and it requires refinement, but I remain dissatisfied with any single metric for rating kickers, or with any method that does not take leg strength into account.

What I really like about Harvard's Patrick Long is his contribution under pressure to the bottom line. With his kicks, Patrick delivered the margin of victory in FOUR contests and did not contribute to a single loss. I also appreciate Long's 41.3 average net yards on kickoff, fourth best among ALL the top kickers in the country.

Samson is a very good kicker, but he does not do kickoffs, provided the margin of victory in only two contests, and missed a 23 yard chip shot which cost Penn the game in a 3 point loss to Harvard.

[CatMom]

I don't have a single argument with this. Basically because I don't know any of these guys. Our Kicker, who accounted for 99 points (21% of scoring) last season, graduated

Between he and Cam Luke we graduated 42% of our scoring.