Sunday, August 19, 2007

Jaguars’ kicking game still has question marks


By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Less than two weeks from Southern’s season opener, SU coach Pete Richardson is still looking to find a comfort level when he has to choose between trying for a field goal or going for a first down.

True freshman Josh Duran, a Class 4A All-State selection after making 7 of 10 field-goal tries and 26 of 27 PATs at Eunice High last season, has yet to find a groove.

Meanwhile, sophomore Willie Joseph, a Southern Lab alum who has been stronger and more consistent on field goals in practice, did not dress Saturday because of a hamstring problem.

Southern is replacing its all-time scoring leader, Breck Ackley, who started every game and finished with 271 points.

Ackley was 8 of 13 on field goals and 32 of 35 on PATs last season.

“The concern is the inconsistency,” Richardson said.

At issue could be getting the timing down as the new kickers get used to working with holders Nick Benjamin, a wide receiver who has held the job lately, and Gary Hollimon, a redshirt freshman quarterback.

Richardson said one kicker likes the ball held a certain way and the other kicker takes his ball a different way.

“Part of it is developing confidence,” Richardson said. “We’re having some conflicts with the holder. We have to get that straightened out. The only way we’re going to do it is more work and under live conditions.”

SU has gone so far as to film the kickers — and the entire sequence of holders getting the ball from snapper Demarcus Turner — to analyze the situation.

With Duran as the only kicker Saturday, SU worked on PATs and short field-goal tries before a scrimmage in A.W. Mumford Stadium.
True freshman defensive end Dexter James blocked two PATs on consecutive tries.

“They just have to get used to the timing,” Richardson said.

Duran should kick off and punt this season. Ackley, who led Division I-AA in punting and was an All-American last season, did all three jobs.

On the line

Asked how the offensive line held up in Saturday’s scrimmage, Richardson said, “There is going to be a concern there, because we can’t have any injuries in there, we’re so thin. They’re starting to come, but in the end (Saturday) they got a little fatigued. We got a few holding penalties for not moving their feet. Overall, they did well to a point.”

Notes

Fan Day will be Saturday after a morning scrimmage. With the practice footballs getting wet from a dewy field Saturday, equipment manager Derek Price brought out a fresh box of footballs. But those were slick. Junior DT Frank Harry (heat) returned to practice. Junior QB C.J. Byrd (automobile accident) and sophomore OT Allen Buckner (heat) remain out. True freshman DT Calvin Cunningham (shoulder) did not participate in Saturday’s scrimmage, defensive coordinator Terrence Graves said. SU does not practice today, returning to work Monday after classes.

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