podcast link: https://omny.fm/shows/mcelroy-and-cubeli...ach-nick-s

Nick Saban explains the 'lost art' of finding a holder
The Alabama coach has thoughts on football's most forgotten position

Quote:"But when you're in a critical game and you're kicking a field goal to win the championship and the punter trots out there to hold the ball, it's not comforting to me."

I once heard Tom Landry explain it this way:
1) the punter is used to receiving long snaps (this was back in the days when T-quarterbacks lined up under center)
2) the punters and kickers typically don't practice with the rest of the team, so they can make use of the additional time to practice FGs/XPs

Of course, a few years ago we had a WR who did a pretty good job as holder.

(07-23-2021 06:33 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I once heard Tom Landry explain it this way:
1) the punter is used to receiving long snaps (this was back in the days when T-quarterbacks lined up under center)
2) the punters and kickers typically don't practice with the rest of the team, so they can make use of the additional time to practice FGs/XPs

Of course, a few years ago we had a WR who did a pretty good job as holder.

Shoot, Tom Landry...I HATED that guy...but MAN was he ever a GREAT coach, and I respected the crap out of him. Would that we'd had someone like his pinky finger the past 13 years in football. WG was the baseball version of him.