Thursday, November 10, 2005

Football - Very Interesting Stuff on Punting

Now THIS is what I call interesting stuff - really!

After his senior year at Union County High, Arndt could've walked on at Tech. Instead,he took a scholarship offer at Tusculum, where he spent two seasons and split the punting chores as a sophomore. He also learned his unique punting style there.


Arndt takes 1 steps before kicking the ball. Typically, punters will take one or three.


"When you pick up a soccer ball, usually you just pick up two steps to punt it. I played some goalkeeper in high school and it just seemed natural," Arndt said. "I felt like the third step was a waste, and I could get the ball as far as I needed with just two."


The shorter approach is one reason Arndt has yet to have a punt blocked in 129 career attempts at Tech. If the punter can have the ball away within 2.2 seconds, it is nearly impossible to block, statistics have shown. Snapper Gavin Tarquinio and Arndt have their snap-to-kick time down to fewer than two seconds.


Also, you NEED to read this entire transcript from Coach's latest press conference. TONS of great stuff in there about the UVA 3-4 defense, and other great stuff. Also interviews with Arndt, Honeycutt and Reis. Really great Q&A.............


Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the latest slobbering over Calvin Johnson. Although I have to admit, this might be some of the best comments yet from a writer:


To say Calvin Johnson catches passes is to say Norah Jones sings. He plucks
passes from the clouds, collects passes the way others collect rare art,
apprehends passes that escape the grasp of mortal receivers.


He's the best wideout in the ACC..... No. 2 needs to hail a bullet train to
catch up. Johnson also is Virginia's problem come Saturday, not a soothing
notion for a secondary that normally makes gill nets look airtight. Johnson is
good for 18 yards per reception - 40 of them so far this year. He's rung up five
touchdowns to date and a dozen for his 20-game college career, and he's also
drawn 14 holding or pass-interference calls from defenses that can't otherwise
cope with him.