Zach Guyer ahead of Mahoney right now

[Clones85']

Then we should face reality and not kick them and try to pin the other team back at their goal.

Perhaps. Or perhaps our offense should move the ball more and get us in better position to score. You have to try 50 yard FG's when you know that your offense is incapable of scoring many points.

We were 99th in yards and 93rd in points last year as an offense. We couldn't afford to pass up on the opportunity for 3 points b/c who knew how often we'd get to in that position again. Grant Mahoney is one of the last things I am worried about this season for our football team.

 

[Clones85']

Regardless of what happened last year, we need to have the guy with the most accurate leg from 40 and in as the starter. IMO in college having a guy who can consistently hit 40+ is a luxury, but a guy that can consistently hit the closer ones is a necessity.

Yep. And going into the Mizzou game, Mahoney was perfect inside of 40 yards and had only missed one inside of 45 yards. He had a good season for a college kicker until the Missouri game in which he sucked. But in that game Lenz sucked too. And so did Darks, and so did our entire offense

 

[The_Architect]

Which kicker basically cost us the 2008 game in Iowa City when the field was in such poor condition? Was that Mahoney?

 

[The_Architect]

Perhaps. Or perhaps our offense should move the ball more and get us in better position to score. You have to try 50 yard FG's when you know that your offense is incapable of scoring many points.

We were 99th in yards and 93rd in points last year as an offense. We couldn't afford to pass up on the opportunity for 3 points b/c who knew how often we'd get to in that position again. Grant Mahoney is one of the last things I am worried about this season for our football team.

Completely agree.

 

[Stormin]

Perhaps. Or perhaps our offense should move the ball more and get us in better position to score. You have to try 50 yard FG's when you know that your offense is incapable of scoring many points.

We were 99th in yards and 93rd in points last year as an offense. We couldn't afford to pass up on the opportunity for 3 points b/c who knew how often we'd get to in that position again. Grant Mahoney is one of the last things I am worried about this season for our football team.

To me it is troubling. He finished poorly last year. And in 2009 went into a funk for a while. The missed XP versus K-State is still a vivid memory.

 

[Stormin]

Which kicker basically cost us the 2008 game in Iowa City when the field was in such poor condition? Was that Mahoney?

Yes. He went a whopping 1 for 4 that game in FG's.

 

[Clones85']

To me it is troubling. He finished poorly last year. And in 2009 went into a funk for a while. The missed XP versus K-State is still a vivid memory.

Can't be that vivid as it was blocked....not missed

 

[Clones85']

Yes. He went a whopping 1 for 4 that game in FG's.

Are we going back to freshmen year to make a case for last years season?

I was at that game. The grass was longer than the rough at a US Open and it rained like cats and dogs for hours leading up to that game. Just a sloppy game in general (we scored 5 points!)

 

[Agclone91]

. Mahoney is completely mentally out of it, it appears. Missing 8 of the last 9. Uggghhh.

This. Kicking is almost as much mental as it is physical. I would have confidence problems too if i failed 88% of the time at something I was expected to be extremely good at.

 

[Stormin]

Are we going back to freshmen year to make a case for last years season?

I was at that game. The grass was longer than the rough at a US Open and it rained like cats and dogs for hours leading up to that game. Just a sloppy game in general (we scored 5 points!)

He asked. I answered. I think we are seeing a pattern of Mahoney missing when there is pressure on.

I was at the game. The team seemed like they were kicked in the balls when Mahoney missed a 21 yard FG. Mahoney also missed a 38 yard FG and a 46 yard FG while making a 43 yard FG.

IMO, it seems to appear that Mahoney's stats have been on the decline since his freshman year.

And your references to saying it is our offensive ineptitude that is causing Mahoney problems, I don't necessarily agree with. Mahoney didn't attempt that many FG's last year because we actually did pretty decent in the Red Zone. IIRC, he only attempted 6 FG's less than 40 yards. Mahoney's FG percentage has dropped each year from his freshman year of 68%. Last year Mahoney was at around 47% FG. He missed 4 XP in his sophomore year after going perfect his freshman year and missed 1 XP last year.

IMO, his confidence is low. And there are underlying reasons why. But that is not a good thing for a kicker.

 

[Al_4_State]

I've said this again and again. Our offense was the #1 problem for Mahoney's #'s being bad. Look at his last 7 kicks heading into the Mizzouri game

49
57 (made)
55
51
45
50
53

His average kick was 51.4 yards! No wonder he missed 6 out of 7 and than had no confidence and sucked (yes he was awful) during the Missouri game. But it's hard to put it on him. If Tiger Woods is hitting poor iron shots all tournament long and giving himself 40 foot putts instead of 15 foot putts..... guess what? His putting numbers aren't going to be as good as they usually are. It's not that hard. And when our offense sucks as much as they did last year and leave Mahoney kicking 51.4 yard kicks over and over and over again, his #'s aren't going to be good. And in turn his confidence will be shot.

Some good points there. I think part of what gets so frustrating is that he makes the longest attempt out of all of those. When he boots the odd 57 yarder, you start to think that should be the norm, whether that's fair or not. So when a guy that can hit a 57 yarder misses from 45, it can be frustrating. Much like how our offense could dump 50 points in one game and 0 points 2 weeks later.

 

[Clones85']

Some good points there. I think part of what gets so frustrating is that he makes the longest attempt out of all of those. When he boots the odd 57 yarder, you start to think that should be the norm, whether that's fair or not. So when a guy that can hit a 57 yarder misses from 45, it can be frustrating. Much like how our offense could dump 50 points in one game and 0 points 2 weeks later.

Completely understand that. I'm not saying Mahoney is a great kicker and doesn't have his flaws, I just think he took a lot of unfair criticism last year (minus the Missouri game). I still think he will be a good kicker for us this year and don't believe Rhoads for one second when he says that Guyer is ahead of Mahoney.

 

[Al_4_State]

Completely understand that. I'm not saying Mahoney is a great kicker and doesn't have his flaws, I just think he took a lot of unfair criticism last year (minus the Missouri game). I still think he will be a good kicker for us this year and don't believe Rhoads for one second when he says that Guyer is ahead of Mahoney.

Mahoney clearly has the physical ability. If can straighten up the accuracy issues it will help a lot going into next year. Maybe he'll get a crack at some chip shots early on to get his head on straight.

 

[MNCyGuy]

Why can't we do a kicker platoon? Have Mahoney handle kick-offs and FG's over 50 yards. Have Guyer handle XPs and shorter FG's. It seems from what I've heard that these guys have strengths and weaknesses that complement each other, why aren't we taking advantage of that?

 

[isuno1fan]

Completely understand that. I'm not saying Mahoney is a great kicker and doesn't have his flaws, I just think he took a lot of unfair criticism last year (minus the Missouri game). I still think he will be a good kicker for us this year and don't believe Rhoads for one second when he says that Guyer is ahead of Mahoney.

This right here :yes:

 

[tejasclone]

I'm really just so exhausted of having kicker be a sore spot for an ISU football team. You could go back 10 years or more and pull out at least a dozen games whose outcomes would be changed if we'd had a decent kicker. I hate watching other college games and you see college kickers nail clutch kicks all the time. I wish, wish, wish we could have a reliable weapon like that at ISU.

 

[Stormin]

How many of you have complete confidence in Mahoney when he comes out to kick that extra point or FG???

I don't. I am nervous as hell on every XP and FG attempt. That is not a good feeling. How do we know that Guyer can't do just as good or better? I say, give Guyer a shot. Mahoney's stats have gone downhill since his freshman year. And I believe Rhoads when he says that if the season started today that he would start Guyer.

Believe me. The LAST thing that Rhoads would do is to purposely mess with Mahoney's confidence by saying that Guyer has beat him out. Chances are is that Guyer has indeed beaten Mahoney out and Rhoads is trying to boost Guyer's confidence.

 

[Clones85']

How many of you have complete confidence in Mahoney when he comes out to kick that extra point or FG???

I don't. I am nervous as hell on every XP and FG attempt. That is not a good feeling. How do we know that Guyer can't do just as good or better? I say, give Guyer a shot. Mahoney's stats have gone downhill since his freshman year. And I believe Rhoads when he says that if the season started today that he would start Guyer.

Believe me. The LAST thing that Rhoads would do is to purposely mess with Mahoney's confidence by saying that Guyer has beat him out. Chances are is that Guyer has indeed beaten Mahoney out and Rhoads is trying to boost Guyer's confidence.

What confidence? He lost it from last year. Trust me, this is the 3rd year out of 4 that Guyer has been "ahead" of Mahoney at this point in camp. Yet Guyer hasn't kicked once. Mahoney is still the #1 kicker.

As far as being nervous every time Mahoney comes out for PAT's, 32 for 33 last year with the lone miss coming on a block in a blowout loss to Utah (we were down 44-20). In fact I think he has only ever missed 1 PAT in 96 attempts at ISU. He has had a couple blocked though his soph year.

 

[cyhiphopp]

How many of you have complete confidence in Mahoney when he comes out to kick that extra point or FG???

I don't. I am nervous as hell on every XP and FG attempt. That is not a good feeling. How do we know that Guyer can't do just as good or better? I say, give Guyer a shot. Mahoney's stats have gone downhill since his freshman year. And I believe Rhoads when he says that if the season started today that he would start Guyer.

Believe me. The LAST thing that Rhoads would do is to purposely mess with Mahoney's confidence by saying that Guyer has beat him out. Chances are is that Guyer has indeed beaten Mahoney out and Rhoads is trying to boost Guyer's confidence.

I get the fealing that CPR is trying to light a fire under Grants butt. GM has a better leg than Guyer or he wouldn't have been ahead of him to begin with. Mahoneys issues are mental so feeling the heat from competition might be just what he needs.

I think it's also highly possible that Guyer has gotten that much better this year.

I don't think CPR would hesitate to send Guyer in there if he needs to.

If Mahoney can get it together and fix his issues, he is still probably the better kicker. If not, then luckily we have another scholarship kicker in Guyer who can take over.

 

[heitclone]

Grants had an up and down career, he's been put in some tough spots. From ******* down his leg as a frosh on almost worst case scenario field conditions in Iowa City, to seemingly only being called on from 50+. Losing the job wouldn't be a big shock, we just need more consistency from the kicker.