[Husker] UT-NU Observations from the Press Box

[Jeff Volk]

Steve,

I could have sworn from my seat that it was just inside the 45, which
would be a 62-yard attempt but I could be wrong. Either way it is a kick
that is way outside of our guy's range, even with the wind - which while
at his back was also swirling pretty heavily. Anyone catch how the
balloons swirled around field level after the first touchdown?  

My job takes me to a lot of college and NFL games and a fair amount of
HS games too and to imply that there are all kinds of HS kickers who can
routinely make 50+ yard field goals or that there are random kids
walking the campus in Lincoln right now that could make them also might
be a little misleading and probably a lot absurd. 

Consider that in the NFL, home to arguably the sport's best kickers,
through Week 7 only 13 of the 30 leading FG kickers in the NFL have a
long field goal make in excess of 50 yards and that NONE has a FG make
like the 58 yd FG people are suggesting that we should have tried. In
fact only 1 kicker in the NFL period (who is not in the top 30 in FG
makes) has a make of 58 yards +, and that is Matt Bryant of Tampa Bay
(who kicked a 62-yarder to win the game on Sunday). Further, through
Week 7 in the NFL, 11 teams or nearly 1/3 of the league, haven't even
attempted a FG in excess of 50 yards and amongst teams that have
attempted at least one the results are 19 makes against 44 misses - a
conversion percentage of only 43%. Of those teams, 6 or nearly 20% of
the league have made 0% or none of their 50+ yd attempts. 

So do the special teams need help - absolutely. But, could any kicker on
the roster, your average HS kicker, some mystery student walking the
campus or even your average NFL kicker likely have made a FG of 50+
yards - nevertheless one from 58 yards with a swirling wind - PROBABLY
NOT!!!! 

The hail mary was without question our best option to score and to
suggest otherwise is just an excuse to criticize the coaching staff - at
least in my humble opinion. If you throw the hail mary you have the
chance for an additional penalty (which would have definitely moved the
ball into FG range) or a tip and a catch for the win. Lining up for a FG
lets us all watch the ball flutter through the air and land at the 5 -
not even close to a make and with no real chance for anything else to
happen that could extend or win the game. 

Jeff