Why are people down on Mahoney?

[Billups06]

Benike was a solid kicker but he made nothing but short kicks. When he had to kick over 40 yards he went 3 for 6 and attempted zero 50 yard kicks.

Ok, you're the one saying Mahoney is good inside 45-40 yards, Benike was good too. Here are his stats for the 2002 season in relation to the Big 12. He ranked #1 in field goals made (23 attempted) and #2 in FG %.

I'm not down on Mahoney at all, he's a good kicker. I'm just answering your original question by saying Benike was also a good kicker inside 45 yards

2002 Big 12 Conference Year Summary | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

[IODubyaA]

CPR is putting him out there to kick 45+ yard field goals, right? That must mean he expects Mahoney to make them...

I meant when did it become expected here at Iowa State before Mahoney

 

[Clones85']

Oh, so the Mizzouri game doesn't count? I didn't realize that.
FWIW- I don't think too many people were questioning his ability before the Mizzou game. It wasn't until he missed two under 40 that people began questioning his ability. Keep in mind his season stats this year are the worst of his career. Prior to this year, he was 80% within 40 yards. This year 66% and he attempted far fewer FGs this year than the last two.

Did I say that? Where?

In my OP I said that he was terrible last game. All I am saying is one game doesn't make the player. If that is the case than Austen Arnaud sucks, Leonard Johnson sucks, Alexander Robinson, Ben Lamaak, etc. Everybody has bad games. Mahoney's was against Mizzou and all will remember it b/c it is the last game of the year.

But over the course of the season the kid was a solid kicker. 7 for 8 inside of 45 backs it up

 

[tazclone]

So what you are saying is that besides the Missouri game, Grant Mahoney is a GOOD kicker. I agree.

I wouldn't disagree with that. He was solid. Thing is...

1. No one complained/questioned him before the Mizzou game
2. You cannot discount the Mizzou game. It is in fact a game on our schedule and counts towards over all statistics and production. If anything those misses hurt much more in that game than any other game. Because they were shorter and had a great effect on the game.

 

[CRcyclone6]

Because his only job is to kick field goals. he isn't doing that job. That is why people are down on him. Nothing kills momentum more than having a nice drive screwed up because somebody can't do their one and only job.

I agree with this, but having to settle for 11 kicks over 45 yards, doesn't show me the offense had a "nice" drive

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

THIS! First of all, the two he missed against Mizzou are kicks he SHOULD be making, and if he does, its a completely different game going down to the end. You get better as the season goes on, not worse...

This. The dude is not clutch and scares the crap out of me when he steps on the field.

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

He cost us at least the Nebraska game this year, we lost that game because of him, there I said it.

 

[rebecacy]

1 out of 9. Sure

But 7 out of 9 of those were from 45 yards or further. Come on guys they weren't easy kicks

1 out of 9 defines bad.

 

[tazclone]

Did I say that? Where?

In my OP I said that he was terrible last game. All I am saying is one game doesn't make the player. If that is the case than Austen Arnaud sucks, Leonard Johnson sucks, Alexander Robinson, Ben Lamaak, etc. Everybody has bad games. Mahoney's was against Mizzou and all will remember it b/c it is the last game of the year.

But over the course of the season the kid was a solid kicker. 7 for 8 inside of 45 backs it up

No over the "course of the season" Mahoney was 4-6 from inside 40 yards. That is not good.

You see when you say 7 of 8 you do not include the Mizzou game. If the Mizzou game was the first game of the season, his stats would still be the same.

Like I said, no one complained or questioned his ability prior to Mizzou. also, no one has asked for him to be replaced or benched. Most say he started out great, missed few long ones and then had a horrible game against Mizzou. Most feel he can turn it around last season.

 

[Rogue52]

We have a real problem here. Grant Mahoney has hacked into a mod's account.

Listen man, I was on the Mahoney bandwagon most of the season as well, but there really isn't reason to be. Let me accept your premise that he was decent UNTIL the Missouri game. OK...

With bowl eligibility on the line, he misses 2 kicks that should have gone through. Sure, the game is still 14-6 right? Not necessarily. At 7-6, Mizzou likely doesn't fake the punt. It's a completely different game.

FWIW -- An NFL kicker would likely have been fired after the Mizzou performance. Rhoads' reaction to Mahoney for the whole southeast side of Jack Trice Stadium to see seems to suggest that he feels similiar.

 

[Cyhart]

As an addendum to this: People are also down on Mahoney because on-line fan bases are irrecoverably short-sighted and irrational. That's just the way it is.

The "irrecoverably irrational" online fans also buy tickets and care. We arent the problem that Bruns wrote about and pleaded with today.

 

[heitclone]

As an addendum to this: People are also down on Mahoney because on-line fan bases are irrecoverably short-sighted and irrational. That's just the way it is.

I'm not too down on Mahoney as a whole. But you can't ignore his struggles in his career. He has a great leg and has made some really good kicks, it just seems like the ones he's missed have been big and have just killed momentum. You can go back to the Iowa game his frosh year where he missed 3 fg's in a game we relatively controlled yet couldn't get over the hump because our scoring opportunities kept coming up short. The same thing happened last Saturday, you cant' tell me the defense wouldn't have played even more inspired had the offense been able to put up any points. Whether or not they are long FG's is pointless if you ask me, a 60yd miss is just as deflating to a defense who's been busting their butts keeping their team in the game as a 30yd miss.

 

[Rogue52]

Lest we forget, Mahoney's performance against Kansas in 2009 gave them their only conference victory.

I'm sorry folks, he's just not that good.

A great leg does not make a great kicker.

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

Lets just say this he was out performed by a TRUE freshman.

 

[CyDude16]

As a Junior, he is awfully inconsistant, thats why.

 

[isuno1fan]

still have a ton of faith in Grant myself.

 

[VTXCyRyD]

I meant when did it become expected here at Iowa State before Mahoney

I started to expect it after 5 field goals beat Iowa. Neadless to say I was let down right away that same season.

 

[Clones85']

This is my point....IT'S A TEAM GAME!!

When people were ripping only Arnaud, I didn't get it. The WR's weren't getting open, OLINE wasn't blocking well, etc

When people were blaming the OLINE for all the sacks against Colorado, I didn't get it. Our gameplan sucked, Arnaud held the ball to long, etc.

When people blamed our defensive backs for getting torched against Iowa and Utah, I didn't get it. We got no pressure on the QB, we rarely blitzed, etc.

Now people are blaming Mahoney, and I don't get it. The offense wasn't good this year and stalled forcing him to kick 11 FG's over 45 yards. Could he have been better? Absolutely, but so could every other player on the team.

Going into next season our kicking game will be our 3rd strongest position on the team behind LB's and secondary. I won't worry at all about our kicking game.

 

[CloneAggie]

No there aren't. Go look up the stats if you want. Not a lot of college kickers make 45+ yard kicks on a consistent basis. Only 33% of kickers in college football made a kick of 50 yards or further this year.

Level....1-19....20-29....30-39....40-49....50+
ISU.......N/A....50.0%....75.0%....50.0%....20.0%
FBS.....94.1%....88.9%....77.0%....57.9%....46.0%
BCS.....94.4%....90.0%....78.3%....65.2%....46.7%

Also, only 61 FBS schools even attempted a 50+ yard field goal, so your 33% figure is a little misleading.

 

[CykoAGR]

When was the last time you saw a "good" kicker miss an extra point? Mahoney has missed 5, yes thats right 5 in the last two years. Blaming him for missing 45+ yard feild goals may not be fair but for **** sake make the xtra point!!