Gopher football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he’s concerned about the team’s punting and placekicking. Recent Gopher seasons have at times been characterized by both short distances or accuracy of punts, kickoffs, extra points and field goals. As sophomores last season punter Justin Kucek averaged 40.3 yards per punt, ranking eighth in the Big Ten Conference, while place kicker Jason Giannini missed three extra points and eight in 2005. Giannini was 7-12 on field goals and ranked 10th in the conference in field goal percentage. Joel Monroe, another sophomore last season, handled all kickoffs in 2006 (27 of 69 went for touchbacks) and some field goal/extra point work, going 2-3 on field goals and making all four extra points. He’s on the team again as a complement to Giannini.
The Gophers will be far from the most talented team in the Big Ten Conference this fall and Brewster is determined to use special teams, including punting and kicking, to gain an edge against opponents. Whether it’s covering punts and kickoffs, or consistently making field goals, Brewster hopes superior special teams can help the Gophers to wins they might otherwise not earn.
“We’ve put tremendous emphasis on the kicking game (in pre-season workouts),” Brewster said. “We’ve allocated more meeting time, more field time. Now I am going to be honest with you. I have a concern with our kickers and punters. They have not been consistent since this camp has opened.
“I am very pleased with what we’re doing with coverage. Our attention to detail, our attitude in the kicking game has been outstanding. But we need…Kucek to step up. He needs to be a more consistent punter. We need…Joel Monroe to do a great job. We need Giannini to be more consistent. He’s got to make every P.A.T. That part of it has been a work in progress but we’ve made up a lot of ground.”
Improvement will need to happen soon because the Gophers open their season in about two weeks, on September 1 against Bowling Green at home.
In recruiting news, the Gophers have a verbal commitment for next season from an outstanding high school punter. Rivals.com reports Bradley Nortman of Brookfield, Wisconsin has recently committed.