An interesting article re Ben Graham

[oldcrow]

JETS NOTEBOOK
Australian punter could have leg up

BY KEN BERGER
STAFF WRITER

August 1, 2005


If Aussie punter Ben Graham can harness the potential of his left leg, the Jets might have a serious weapon that few teams, if any, can match.

In addition to booming traditional spirals in practice, Graham has been using a technique learned in Australian Rules Football known as the drop punt.


The 6-5, 230-pound punter kicks the ball in such a way that it spins end-over-end - backward. The unique rotation makes the ball tough to catch. If it's not caught, the unpredictable bounce could work in the Jets' favor. Graham said the ball bounces forward about three times out of 10, but more often than not, it either will bounce straight up in the air or back toward him. It's the perfect kick to use when the ball needs to be downed inside the 20- or 10-yard line. If need be, Graham said he can kick a drop-punt as long as 50 yards.

"I can place it in the direction it needs to go and it's going to be high and long every time," Graham said yesterday. ". . . I'm having a bet: Once it comes into play and we need to get the ball inside the 20 or inside the 10, it's going to work every time."

Justin McCareins, who has been trying to catch some of Graham's punts in practice, does not envy any opposing punt returner. "It will be in guys' heads," McCareins said. "You're going to be thinking about catching the ball as opposed to the return and making people miss."

Another Australian punter, Darren Bennett of the Vikings, has used a similar technique for years. It's so effective that American punters have begun to try it - including Graham's competitor in camp, Micah Knorr, who unleashed a perfect one yesterday. Special-teams coach Mike Westhoff, always looking for an edge, is intrigued by Graham's potential. And why not? After going through six punters in four years, Westhoff is desperate for someone accurate and consistent enough to excel in the wind tunnel that is Giants Stadium.

"A big, strong guy like that might be the answer," Westhoff said. "I'm not afraid to take a chance on him."

 

[Lajon]

Good luck to him

Would be sensational too see him forge a career over there

 

[benno87]

Very exciting for him i'm sure. The American's are very passionate about their football and it would be a fantastic environment to be involved in.

 

[Hogiebbear]

I love how it sort of some strange sort of kick called a 'drop punt'.

I have no idea about American Football rules (well some of them I know) but wouldn't you love to see Benny slot a perfect 50m daisy cutter onto a wide receivers chest running at full pace.



--Bear

 

[benno87]

It's strange as to us Australians' the drop punt is the easier of the punts to mark. Compared to the spinning spiral i'd imagine anyway.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

I love how it sort of some strange sort of kick called a 'drop punt'.

I have no idea about American Football rules (well some of them I know) but wouldn't you love to see Benny slot a perfect 50m daisy cutter onto a wide receivers chest running at full pace.



--Bear

Sorry, your idea makes absolutely no sense in the context of American Football...

 

[benno87]

Sorry, your idea makes absolutely no sense in the context of American Football...

Haha yep.

I think the idea was that opposing recievers would struggle to catch the ball, not your corresponding recieving running to catch a kick.

Sorry Bear but they leave that to the QB.

 

[stellation]

Are you allowed to kick forward to a reciever the same as you can throw forward?

 

[bigmicka]

you only kick forward on 4th down its known as the punt. thats why he is a punter. once you kick the ball it has to touch an opposition player before your team can take possesion. unlike rugby league where you kick on the 5th tackle and your teamate can take a speccy going over the try line.

mic

 

[itsintheblood]

JETS NOTEBOOK
Australian punter could have leg up

BY KEN BERGER
STAFF WRITER

August 1, 2005


If Aussie punter Ben Graham can harness the potential of his left leg, the Jets might have a serious weapon that few teams, if any, can match.

In addition to booming traditional spirals in practice, Graham has been using a technique learned in Australian Rules Football known as the drop punt.


The 6-5, 230-pound punter kicks the ball in such a way that it spins end-over-end - backward. The unique rotation makes the ball tough to catch. If it's not caught, the unpredictable bounce could work in the Jets' favor. Graham said the ball bounces forward about three times out of 10, but more often than not, it either will bounce straight up in the air or back toward him. It's the perfect kick to use when the ball needs to be downed inside the 20- or 10-yard line. If need be, Graham said he can kick a drop-punt as long as 50 yards.

"I can place it in the direction it needs to go and it's going to be high and long every time," Graham said yesterday. ". . . I'm having a bet: Once it comes into play and we need to get the ball inside the 20 or inside the 10, it's going to work every time."

Justin McCareins, who has been trying to catch some of Graham's punts in practice, does not envy any opposing punt returner. "It will be in guys' heads," McCareins said. "You're going to be thinking about catching the ball as opposed to the return and making people miss."

Another Australian punter, Darren Bennett of the Vikings, has used a similar technique for years. It's so effective that American punters have begun to try it - including Graham's competitor in camp, Micah Knorr, who unleashed a perfect one yesterday. Special-teams coach Mike Westhoff, always looking for an edge, is intrigued by Graham's potential. And why not? After going through six punters in four years, Westhoff is desperate for someone accurate and consistent enough to excel in the wind tunnel that is Giants Stadium.

"A big, strong guy like that might be the answer," Westhoff said. "I'm not afraid to take a chance on him."

Come Back Ben!!! Geelong needs you badly!!!!

 

[JUBJUB]

Come Back Ben!!! Geelong needs you badly!!!!

Mark Stevens,is that you ?

 

[Zeke]

Amusing that the Yanks are worried about how hard it is to catch a drop punt.

Someone needs to show them a video...

 

[itsintheblood]

Mark Stevens,is that you ?

Just a concerned football supporter.

 

[Wojee]

Amusing that the Yanks are worried about how hard it is to catch a drop punt.

Someone needs to show them a video...

Someone needs to teach them to take the ball out in front, not on your chest, makes it harder for the guy behind to punch

 

[Lenny*]

Amusing that the Yanks are worried about how hard it is to catch a drop punt.

Someone needs to show them a video...

Thats what I was thinking.

We kick the drop punt in our game because it is easier to catch, then kicking a torpie.

 

[londontiger]

Leave him alone! All of you!

 

[Lenny Briscoe]

Someone needs to teach them to take the ball out in front, not on your chest, makes it harder for the guy behind to punch

there is no guy coming from behind to punch, basically a guy standing under the abll with 11 opponent s runnign straight at him

 

[JeffDunne]

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but an American football is decidedly "pointier" than an aussie rules ball. Tumbling end over end makes the ball hard to catch.

Once the ball is punted, a punt returner (funnily enough) from the other side has to catch the ball and either down the ball (fair catch) or run forward with the ball. If he fumbles the catch then the ball is live for the punting team to try and recover it. Punt returners are used to catching a torp (always a chest mark), so to have the ball tumbling end over end would mean they’d need to change their technique.

If Ben can perfect the art, the advantage the drop punt also gives you is accuracy – and it’s everything for a successful punter. The trade off though is your reduced hang-time (which gives your team-mates a chance to get down to the punt returner), but with a leg like Bens, punting distances of 30-40 yards he could get the ball pretty high also.

 

[dan warna]

can you torpedo an american football?
and why only 50 yards (about 42/43 metres), Benny is capable of 65 plus metres in Aussie rules, whats so different/******ed about the NFL ball?

imagine what they'd say if benny unleashed some of his BIG kicks with an aussie rules ball.

that would give them the willies.

 

[Lenny Briscoe]

can you torpedo an american football?
and why only 50 yards (about 42/43 metres), Benny is capable of 65 plus metres in Aussie rules, whats so different/******ed about the NFL ball?

imagine what they'd say if benny unleashed some of his BIG kicks with an aussie rules ball.

that would give them the willies.

he couldn't kick it as far as he would an aussie rules ball, because he has to kick off one step in about 1.5 seconds. or else it will get smothered.

 

[Wojee]

there is no guy coming from behind to punch, basically a guy standing under the abll with 11 opponent s runnign straight at him

When you find your sense of humour do remember to let us know won't you

 

[JeffDunne]

A punter usually does kick a torp. The ball is smaller and has actually been designed to make it harder to kick.

Kickers, who kick off a tee or a held ball (field goals) kick the ball end over end. In the case of a kick-off, the ball can travel over 65 yds. A couple of years ago they changed the ball they use for kick-offs and field goals to make it harder to kick (they actually use a different ball).

With Grahams leg, you'd imagine he'd kick a torp as far as any punter. However with punting, distance is not always the criteria. If you're punting from the 50yd line (centre of the field), you don't want to put the ball into the other teams end-zone, as they then take possession on their 20yd line. You want to put the ball within 5yds of the end zone, give it plenty of hangtime, and get your team mates down their to force a fair catch. You are trying to force the other team to start within 5yds of their end zone.

 

[Wojee]

can you torpedo an american football?
and why only 50 yards (about 42/43 metres), Benny is capable of 65 plus metres in Aussie rules, whats so different/******ed about the NFL ball?

imagine what they'd say if benny unleashed some of his BIG kicks with an aussie rules ball.

that would give them the willies.

The idea is to get the ball to hang in the air for as long as possible giving your teammates time to rush the receiver, so the kicks are typically very high while still being a decent distance. You also don't want the ball to go into the end zone, so kicking the thing 65m will often be too far.

 

[Lenny Briscoe]

When you find your sense of humour do remember to let us know won't you

aren't humourous things supposed to be funny?

 

[ZeroGlass]

This made me remember that i supported the Buffalo Bills as a kid. They made it to 3 consecutive SuperBowls and lost.

What is it with me and my football teams...