Ben Graham Fireworks Display

227 and I talked about our "Thunder from down under" in our TC reports, but the display he put on in camp on Tuesday night deserves it's own thread. First, he has seemed to abandoned that tumbling hard to catch punt that was good for 40 to 43 yards, and instead came out hitting torpedoes, the Aussie name for what most punters in the NFL use, the spiral. Graham said last year he didn't like to use it because it was easier to shank. Well, Benny has been doing some work this off season.

They set up at our end of the field, and Ben is hitting from the 15 under a simulated rush. The first thing we notice about Ben's new weapon, the torpedoe, is the hang time. Last year he was running 4.0 to 4.5 seconds.... good hang times in the NFL. We start counting..... each punt is up for a minimum of 5 seconds, most closer to 5.5, some even getting very near 6 seconds! hmy: That can't be right... count again... and again... same result.

So, even though they look long, I'm thinking they must be short for those hang times... now I count the yardage. No, that can't be right... count again. They are consistantly coming down at the 20 to 25 yard line! I redo my math. I must be screwing this up.... same result. 60 to 65 yards in the AIR! Those are 52 to 57 yard punts he's launching! He hit one that was just absolutely sick... 67 yards, and it had to have gone 80 feet high! I'm telling you, these punts would clear 6 story buildings!

I have never, EVER seen punts like these before. Maybe the rare wind aided oddity in the NFL, but this was in a mild cross breeze, and one after another after another. I actually had trouble believing what I was seeing. I kept recounting the yard markers. Kept timing his hang times. It was a jaw dropping display.

If he continues this way, he's going to shatter the NFL punting records.... not just break them, DESTROY them. Again, if he continues, he is a sure thing to make the pro bowl. I wouldn't blame you if didn't believe me, but 227 saw it too. This wasn't just a few punts.... he hit about 15 of them. Yes, he had an occasional 45 yard punt too.... but in the NFL, that is considered to be an excellent punt. 55 yards is just sick. The man is a machine, with a rocket launcher for a foot.

 

Nugent was hitting between two yards deep into the end zone, and the ten yard line. Most kicks where inside the 5. He has his hang time back, and that is the big issue with Nugent's KO's. Through the first 8 weeks of last year, his distance/hang time resulted in an average starting field position at the 23.5 yard line.... good for top five in the NFL. Then, he lost 20 yards of distance and a full second of hang time in the second half of last season. i mentioned I thought he might have had "tired leg", the way some pitchers get "tired arm". He is kicking a LOT less this year. So, maybe there is something to that notion.

If he can get it to the five, with a 4.2 or better hang time, the coverage team will be all over the returner, like they were for the first 8 weeks of last year. I don't see any improvment in his leg strength though. He's about where he was last year in camp.

I haven't gotten a good look at his FG kicking, but I heard he's hit from the fifty with at least five yards to spare. Using an old Belichick trick, Mangini made Nugent attempt a long one... if he made it, practice would be over. He made it. Slock way to make him more a part of the team. I fdon't know if he was using the K ball though.

 

That isn't right... yes, he recieves the snap about 14 yards deep, but by the time he gets it off he's less than a full ten yards from the LOS. I think Graham takes 3 steps, unless I'm mistaken. A short first step, then two long ones.

 

Nope.... haven't seen Ben try any T kicks. I was sort of hoping to see him try that, but it doesn't look like it's likely to happen, at least this year.

 

Sorry 2004, yer dead wrong here. The point that defenders are taught to run to is 7 1/2 to 8 yards deep in order to block a punt.... a yard in front of the punter. That is a stone cold hard fact. I'll see if I can find some footage, but this is standard football coaching.... aim for 7 1/2 yards deep, and block the punt a yard in front of the punter to avoid a roughing the kicker call. You are usually dead on, but you have this one wrong. It happens. Here is one reference....

7. When you are being blocked, stay low on your initial charge and explode through the blocking point. THE
BLOCKING POINT IS 7 1/2 TO 8 YARDS DEEP AND YOU WILL TRY TO MEET THE BALL ONE
YARD IN FRONT OF THE PUNTER, NOT AT THE PUNTER!!!!!!!

http://www.geocities.com/thekickinggame/PuntPressureandReturn.htm

 

Here are some notes from a college football ST's coach.... I will add the link so the diagram can be viewed.... note the "block point in the diagram....

The Patience Drill


Diagram 6. Patience Drill
While the drop drill takes place, the slots will work on a patience drill. This drill is done in order to teach the technique of the slot in protecting the edge and the line to the block point. Using the ball to establish a line of scrimmage, the slot will get the width of his normal alignment. The rusher will align outside of the slot. A player may stand where the tackle would end up in his drop or a bag may be set. A bag may be set at nine yards where the punter’s foot will end up when the ball is kicked. The rusher will now try to get to the block point when the whistle is blown. As the slot, it is important to understand not to chase the rusher outside and to keep the rusher from getting to the block point (diagram 6).

http://www.americanfootballmonthly.com/Subaccess/Magazine/2003/03oct/punt.html

For emphasis, this is the key point: A bag may be set at nine yards where the punter’s foot will end up when the ball is kicked.