Steelers add kicking depth, possible kick off specialist.

by theatrain on Feb 9, 2010 8:21 PM EST

Here's the P-G article

The Steelers added former Pitt punter Adam Graessle, who also served as Pitt's kick off specialist. Pitt's official website has his kicking stats for his freshman through junior years and he has decent touchback percentages (40, 28 and 22 percent). Could be a possible answer to our kick coverage woes. I know I'm tired of kickoffs landing at the 10 and those God-awful pop-up kicks. Just a matter of whether the staff wants to take up a roster spot with a guy who only kicks off.

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Colts, Saints punters both kick off

Maybe Graessle could be our punter and kick off. Then we could re-sign Jeff Reed to kick FGs and not lose a roster spot. If Graessle is not a good enough punter, how hard can it be to find a guy that can punt and kick off? Maybe we can steal one from the Colts or Saints…

by Steelin on Feb 9, 2010 8:50 PM EST reply actions

Cause yeah

we can totally just cut The Sepulverizer…

"OOH! A piece of candy. OOH! A piece of candy."
-James Woods

by Steel Spike on Feb 9, 2010 9:18 PM EST up reply actions

+1

for the “Sepulverizer” alone

Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.-- John Madden

by steelcitysweetheart on Feb 9, 2010 10:07 PM EST up reply actions

I wanna hear what his punting averages are

If he’s better than the Sepulverizer, then we should definitely go for it

"OOH! A piece of candy. OOH! A piece of candy."
-James Woods

by Steel Spike on Feb 9, 2010 9:59 PM EST reply actions

Jr. year – 42.2 YPP, 18 inside 20 (30%), Long of 67 yards

So. year – 43.3 YPP, 17 inside the 20 (28%), Longest punt was 79 yards! (That’s damn good.) 1st team All Big East honors and a Ray Guy award candidate.

Fr. Year – looks like he was just a kick off specialist. As i said 40% TB rate, including a 6/7 game against Texas A&M and a 5 for 7 game against Ball State. This was all as a true freshman.

This is from Pitt’s official page, which was written before his Sr. year. I’m too lazy to look for his Sr. year stats, but, judging from his first three years, he sounds decent to me.

Note: Back then, kick offs were done from the 35 in college football as opposed to the 30. This may skew the numbers a bit, but I’d guess Jeff Reed would still struggle to put it in the end zone from the 35.

by theatrain on Feb 9, 2010 11:01 PM EST up reply actions

kinda doubt the steelers will cut dan

or will give a roster spot only to someone who will kickoff.

plus dan beats him in net punts AND his long was from his freshman year

by t1mmy10 on Feb 10, 2010 3:08 AM EST reply actions

In a world of versatility

there is no way we sign a kick off specialist… a complete utter waste of a roster spot

Steelers football is 60 mins.

by tannofsteel84 on Feb 10, 2010 10:13 AM EST reply actions

not that I'd want to emulate the Cowboys in any way but they had a guy who was strictly a kickoff specialist last year

by cgolden on Feb 10, 2010 10:54 AM EST up reply actions

panthers too, I think

by klompus on Feb 10, 2010 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

so whats the rationale

for the steelers doing it?

Steelers football is 60 mins.

by tannofsteel84 on Feb 10, 2010 2:30 PM EST up reply actions

we could probably add a kicker that could endzone it regularly

and that its not outside of the norm to do so with aging but accurate kickers

by klompus on Feb 10, 2010 2:34 PM EST up reply actions

I think his punting stats merit at least a try out at the position.

Sepulveda didn’t exactly light the world on fire last season. A little competition might do him a lot of good.

by theatrain on Feb 10, 2010 3:15 PM EST up reply actions

My fiance's sister used to date this punter dude

Pretty useless info, huh?

by Dr Del on Feb 10, 2010 11:44 PM EST reply actions

Jeff Reed

Someone needs to light a fire under Jeff Reed’s ass. Our solution (which is not easy) is to find a replacement for Jeff Reed (and it won’t be easy) who can kick the ball into the end zone and be accurate from 48 yards out. I have had enough of Reed’s “off field antics” and his “on field” cowardice. He is 6’1 and 225 pounds. There is no reason why he can’t tackle guys who are smaller than him. Especially when the are running along the sideline and all it takes is a hard “bump” to knock them out of bounds. I have played football and know that that is NOT a hard task. If he has ANY off-season negative activity we should DUMP HIS ASS immediately. I am sure that there are some “hungry” young kickers out there just waiting for that opportunity. The same applies for the punter (although I thought that Supelveda was decent).

by Allen F on Feb 11, 2010 9:51 PM EST reply actions