Will kicking game be Tigers’ Achilles heel?

By Chris Preston  |   Thursday, July 31, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Clemson Tigers
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Kickers are often an overlooked ingredient in the recipe for football success. Sometimes they’re a lot like referees: You only notice them when they’re bad.

But having a reliable placekicker is akin to having a dependable closer in baseball. Just like the Yankees can take solace in possessing Mariano Rivera at the back of their bullpen, the Patriots were able to close out three Super Bowls in four years thanks to their cult-hero kicker Adam Vinatieri.

With that in mind, one question mark that could loom nearly as large in Clemson’s 2008 season as the inexperienced O-line is Tigers kicker Mark Buchholz. Though his 22 field goals made in ’07 were just three shy of a school record, those numbers were more a reflection of Clemson’s potent offense providing Buchholz with no shortage of opportunities.

In truth Buchholz was only slightly better than a 60 percent field goal kicker last season, misfiring on 14 of his 36 attempts. He arguably cost the Tigers the Georgia Tech game, missing 4-of-5 chances in a 13-3 loss. Though he did drill a 35-yarder to beat rival South Carolina in the regular-season finale, Buchholz still missed on eight attempts over the Tigers’ final eight games.

On tries from under 40 yards, Buchholz was solid enough in making 16 out of 19. But from 40 yards and over, Buchholz made a rather pedestrian 6 of 17, including just one from more than 50 yards out. After the Tech loss, head coach Tommy Bowden demanded that Buchholz – who as a midfielder on the Tigers’ soccer team was missing a lot of football practice time – stay for all of practice.

This year could be different, however, for several reasons. For starters, Buchholz has exhausted his soccer eligibility, which will enable him to focus solely on football this season. Secondly, as high-powered as the Clemson offense was last season, with the likes of quarterback Cullen Harper, running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller, and wide receiver Aaron Kelly all returning, the Tigers’ ability to take advantage of red-zone visits and put the ball in the end zone should improve. They likely won’t need Buchholz to attempt 36 field goals.

Still, every college team is faced with a situation in which it needs a late field goal at one point or another. When that time inevitably comes, can the Tigers count on Buchholz?
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