🏈 What's the problem with Alabama kicker Adam Griffith? Nick Saban weighs in

[PhillyGirl]

What's the problem with Alabama kicker Adam Griffith? Nick Saban weighs in

In practice and warmups, Alabama coach Nick Saban said Adam Griffith probably looks as good as any kicker in the country.

Griffith, Saban repeated Monday, is "very, very capable" and has "made a lot of good kicks in practice."

The problem in games, Saban said, continues to be mental.

After missing seven of his final 12 field goal attempts as a redshirt sophomore last year, Griffith missed his first four this season.

He made five in a row after that, including a 24-yard kick during the first quarter of the Tide's 27-14 win over Arkansas Saturday. He then missed two straight field goals against the Razorbacks — one from 25 yards and another from 48 — before bouncing back with a 35-yard make in the fourth quarter.

RELATED: Field goal kicking remains a problem for Alabama

"You have to be able to take it to the game," Saban said, "by focusing on the very things that allow you to have the success in practice that you have."

Griffith has made just 56 percent of his field goal attempts during his Alabama career (19 of 34), including just 6 of 12 this year.

"Mentally, you have to have a positive attitude about what you're doing," Saban said. "You have to believe in it. You have to trust it. You have to think about 'What does it take to make this kick?' And not think about 'What's going to happen if I miss?' I think a lot of that is eliminating the negatives and focusing on the process of what you have to do to be consistent in what you're doing."

 

[BigCrimson]

Some players are simply practice players. In practice they look like one of your best players but something happens when they get into real games. They simply cannot translate the performance from practice to game. If this is the case and we have another kicker on the roster why not give him a shot? Because the opposite is true to. You have players who don't look all that great in practice but for whatever reason become an entirely different player in a game. The football team my son plays on has a kid just like this. In practice he drops balls (plays WR) can't out run anybody. But put him in a game and amazingly he doesn't drop anything and no one has caught him from behind yet. He's scored 5 td's in three games. It's definitely a mental thing.

 

[RollllTide!]

Obviously CNS is sending a message out loud to Griffith. You know he has had the process talk with him, so I wouldn't be surprised if a change is coming around the bend. Usually when someone comments publicly watch out. GUNNAR RABORN doesn't show much improvement. There needs to be a walk-on tryout to find a good kicker.

Griffith is great on the kickoffs. I would start letting Gunnar do the extra points and shorter field goals. Most kickers I know are head cases anyway. That would show if he is a competitor.

 

[BamaFan334]

Obviously CNS is sending a message out loud to Griffith. You know he has had the process talk with him, so I wouldn't be surprised if a change is coming around the bend. Usually when someone comments publicly watch out. GUNNAR RABORN doesn't show much improvement. There needs to be a walk-on tryout to find a good kicker.

Griffith is great on the kickoffs. I would start letting Gunnar do the extra points and shorter field goals. Most kickers I know are head cases anyway. That would show if he is a competitor.

He just got busted with drugs didn't he? I wouldn't think he would be available any time soon.

 

[Elderfalsedemigod]

He just got busted with drugs didn't he? I wouldn't think he would be available any time soon.

Yeah I think Gunnar is persona non grata currently

 

[RollllTide!]

He just got busted with drugs didn't he? I wouldn't think he would be available any time soon.

I did not know that. Maybe a new transfer from another school could be in the works. I didn't see any other options on the depth chart. I believe he will have an answer soon.

 

[bamaledge]

Ya know, I don't give a shit what AG problem is. He needs to see a psychiatrist or something and straighten this crap out.

 

[TerryP]

He made five in a row after that

It's my thought it's worth paying attention to who was snapping the ball when he made these five and who was snapping the ball when he was missing the ones.

 

[UAgrad93]

Kicking is so mental! I kicked in HS simply because no one else could get one off the ground. As a sophomore, we played Pleasant Grove at their place on a Halloween night. It was scoreless and we lined up to kick a 43 yard FG. My HC told me, "no pressure, but if you miss it. They will run a sweep the next play and score from 80 yards out to beat us 6-0. I missed from 43 by about 2 feet but with plenty of leg to hit from 50! Next play, the back took a toss sweep and went 80 for the win! We lost 6-0!! Funny how shit like that happens!! I cried all the way home on the bus.

 

[bamafan4ever]

It's my thought it's worth paying attention to who was snapping the ball when he made these five and who was snapping the ball when he was missing the ones.

Cole Mazza on the misses? I did pay attention to one of his misses against Arky and the snap looked clean, the hold good with laces out. That was the "chip" shot too. I'm not sure what's going on in that noggin with Adam. I sure as hell watched him kick some great kicks when he was in high school in Calhoun. On the other hand, there was about 98,000 fewer people in the stands too.

BTW, Terry, do you need to borrow some sportsbook cash??

 

[c5vetman]

as someone who has dealt with mental issues daily... I say find a new kicker, they won't change!

 

[Elderfalsedemigod]

I kicked some in high school. I hated it. I've used the golf analogy before with AG and it applies to kicking in general.

You can stripe it 275 with the driver all day on the driving range but 1 slice or duck hook on the course can f**k you for the rest of the day

Kicker is much the same way. You may kick 20-30 in practice with only a couple of misses. Game time you may only kick 2-3 and if you slice the first one and it gets in your head, you are f**ked

The evidence from game time so far says that AG is never going to be a consistent kicker. Hell his body language is awful, even on the ones he makes he looks more like a guy who just extricated his scrotum from a bear trap (temporarily) than he does a guy who is successful JMO

 

[alabama mike]

See the ball hit the ball, oh wait, that's baseball.

@uagrad93 there is no crying in football, oh wait, that's baseball too.