Lay Off Roberto Aguayo!
August 23rd, 2016
Compared to renowned NFL kickers
Knowing rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo, only two games preseason games into his NFL career, has already sought the counsel of a shrink has Joe gnawing on the open end of a bottle of Bushmills.
Aguayo is but one of three NFL kickers to miss both an extra point and a field goal in preseason. He has missed two field goal attempts to be exact.
Call it the yips, pressure, bad fundamentals, whatever. At this rate, Aguayo is no better than directionally-challenged Kyle Brindza. That’s not good.
So Bucs coach Dirk Koetter yesterday decided to fight fire with fire, or pressure with pressure. Koetter decided the Bucs would break early from a rare afternoon practice in the brutal Florida sun. There was one condition:
Aguayo, per Jenna Laine of BSPN, had to make a 50-yard field goal. He misses and practice continues. Per Laine, Aguayo nailed the kick and practice was over.
Joe decided to do some research. In his rookie season, Sebastian Janikowski, like Aguayo from Florida State, struggled. Janikowski, the lone kicker picked in the first round, made but 69 percent of his field goal attempts.
Only once since has Janikowski made less than 71 percent of his kicks. In his 16 NFL seasons, only five times did Janikowski connect of fewer than 78 percent of his kicks in a season.
Mike Nugent, like Aguayo, was also a second round pick. He has been a pretty solid kicker throughout his career, until he came to the Bucs in 2009 where he was horrid, making only a third of his kicks.
So Joe isn’t sure whether it is rookie butterflies or just a temporary hiccup that is bothering Aguayo.
Joe does know one thing: If Aguayo is truly being affected by pressure and needs a shrink this soon, that would be cause for alarm. If Aguayo is feeling pressure now in these garbage preseason games (no, he’s not going to be cut), imagine when he’s on the field attempting a game-winner in a critical contest in December or January up north in the cold and the snow and the wind and the ice?
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:11 am
The younger generation does not see psychology the same as th older generations, so I don’t think him seeking help is anything to b alarmed about.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:14 am
Really liking Koetter as a coach. Seems innovative, has the players backs at the same time calls them out if they aren’t doing their job. Two more games to go and seemingly no major injuries to players that started camp. Fingers crossed!
Aguayo is only human, I am sure he is feeling nervous. He is playing for his lively hood and his family. Only time will tell if this is an anomaly or not. Seems like a great kid and I hope he pulls thru this rough start. I am sure this will make him a better player in the long run. Things in life that come easy never seem to mean as much in the long run…
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:18 am
Too late. Now I have to cross my fingers every time he kicks this year. Hopefully there are no game winning attempts.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:19 am
One should be alarmed, be very alarmed!!
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:22 am
I think you could make a very strong case for all teams hiring a sports psycologist. Yes, that’s a thing. Bree’s has said he sees one, and think of what it could have done for Freeman!
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:24 am
Maybe he’s spending too much time on those eye brows and sideburns. Looks like he’s about to start identifying as a……kicker?
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:30 am
Know he has a lot of pressure, more than I could probably handle, but he will find a way to deal with it.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:44 am
https://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/71270977.jpg
leave him alone!
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:56 am
@joe. Yes Mike Nuggent is pretty solid, but not for the team that drafted him. The team that drafted him had to cut him because it took him a few years to be nfl ready… that’s why you dont spend picks on a kicker.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:57 am
I’m worried. So typically Bucs to kick me in the Jimmy year after year.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:59 am
Yes we ran Nugent out of town going 2-6 on FGs and he’s still kicking in the NFL.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:01 am
10 wins lol.
5-6 and that’s being generous.
Slow starts iffy online play. And a kicker that can’t kick.
Gonna be another long season. This team is not ready yet.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:06 am
Pressure?! Give me a break! Either he can kick, or not. He’s got ONE job….KICK!
Tighten up Aguayo. We need you.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:10 am
Look at his shoes. Seriously, a brand new pair of Nike. Most kickers are fanatics about their kicking shoes. They get a custom made boot that cost more than my car. I watch him fiddle with his kicking foot before each kick. I think her took his signing bonus bought a new pair of shoes and is trying to break them in. Someone should have told the kids you don’t mess with a steak. He should still be wearing his FSU shoes that her never missed a kick inside 40 yds in problem solved
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:13 am
The people bashing don’t really have a clue. My best Friend is an NFL kicker, and he’s one of the best in the league. He was cut from 2 teams and dumped from practice squads early in his career- that’s not un-common with kickers. Give the guy a break, let him settle in.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:26 am
Koetter is being creative here. That is the difference between good coaches and below average coaches.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:49 am
Maybe the move extra points back in where they used to be Roberto can be effective.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:53 am
I’m on the other side of this. I wonder if Aguayo might be the type of guy who thrives under pressure. So these garbage Pre-season games don’t count. Not that much pressure. But put a game into his hands…er…feet…and see what happens.
Either way, let the guy get the to the regular season before getting your panties in a wad.
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:07 am
I will add this one thought. As I recall Jameis pretty much vouched for the kid coming into the draft. Last I checked Jameis was about getting winners on this team. I doubt he would want a mentally weak kicker on his team. So I figure Jameis knows Roberto better than I do and I trust Jameis. So until he called him out, I think the kid will be alright.
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:07 am
He will be fine. He will settle down. May miss a few early but once he settles down will be great. Just please Joe no more derogitory nick names on rookies
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:08 am
I think Aguayo’s struggles in pre-season could be the best thing for him. I believe he will be a solid kicker, but no one makes every kick. That expectation has ended…which will be good for him.
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:14 am
A shrink is unnecessary. Getting back to the basics and fundamentals is. The whole “sports psychology” thing is a function of all that massive money in the game and a chance for jocksniffers to capitalize. I doubt Jan Stenerud or Bart Starr had a sports psychologist to help them out of a slump.
Koetter’s “make it or run” tactic is very common and a solid way to either gain or break confidence. Make it and your Da Man. Miss and you’re bullPelosi.
IMO, the actual game—not practice—has yet to slow down for the kid, it’s still a fog when he steps on the field. You feel a need to rush things, which could account for the poor alignment on a couple of kicks against the Jags. He clearly was not zoned, evidenced by his quick “look up” after each kick. That is a seriously bad habit, maybe the worst a kicker or punter can have, not keeping the head down through the kick, not just to impact. When you’re zoned, you don’t need to see where the ball went, you already *felt* it.
Keeping the head down is also easy to fix.
I looked closely at his pre-game ritual, and he doesn’t seem focused on what I call the “perspective”: his place on the field and his alignment. He sort of goes to the spot and just wait. That pre-kick ritual can be very important. The best I ever saw was Jason Hanson of the Lions (IMO, one of the best ever.) By the time the team broke huddle, that guy was totally “zoned”—he had already made the kick in his mind, the rest was a formality.
The best example of being “zoned” is from the movie The Greatest Game Ever Played, where the golfers literally strip everything from their vision and mind but the fairway and flag.
One other thing I noticed: he doesn’t seem to drive *through* the ball. He seems to be guiding it. His post-kick motion is more vertical than horizontal by a few degrees, which is the basis of my statement. I looked at some video from college and he had a more driving stroke back then. Go look for yourself.
Everybody handles pressure differently. It may be easier for a free agent from a small school with nothing to lose—emotionally or otherwise—than a record-setting kid from a massive program drafted way high…who has a freakin’ TON to lose…
He’s got a couple of weeks to straighten up and settle down. My fingers are crossed. He needs basics and confidence right now. His FSU coach needs to send him a reel of every kick he ever tried at FSU and relive those moments to remember what they felt like.
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:17 am
Adam Vinatieri was almost cut his rookie preseason by the Pats for repeated misses… He turned out to be pretty good
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:27 am
Leave this guy alone! This includes a head coach that
can’t keep his mouth shut and show confidence!
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:39 am
The College balls are also different then Pro balls… (No pun intended)
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:41 am
Jason Says:
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:41 am
How old is Roberto really? Is he really a rookie?
1st he looked like George Lopez son but now I actually think he is and kicks like George Lopez
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:42 am
Blew it. I meant:
For every Vinateri, there are a dozen guys who miss and keep missing.
Don’t downplay the evidence before you.
Joe dishes on Kenny Bell non-stop for being a Practice All Pro who disappears on game day. Do you think that kickers are exempt?
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:08 am
Destro44 Says
“He should still be wearing his FSU shoes that her never missed a kick inside 40 yds in problem solved.”
He has to use official NFL gear, buddy.
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:14 am
Everyone expected him to be perfect.
Not me. I said he’ll start rough, but get it under control by the bye week…just like the rest of the team.
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:55 am
Like others, I’m really enjoying getting Cobra’s perspective on kicking. Thanks!
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:58 am
All this bellyaching about him seeing a shrink seems to overlook the fact that it, at least when it came to the results of Coach K’s challenge, seems to have worked. Now he just needs to carry that mentality over to game day: make it for your team.
August 23rd, 2016 at 11:08 am
I agree Sea-Bass is a over rated kicker. His Career adv FGP is 80%. That was Aguayo FGP last season and it was his worst year in college. Conner’s FGP is 85 for career and last season it was 82 and everyone thinks he sucks.
August 23rd, 2016 at 11:25 am
Needs to see a shrink, that’s a good one. No, Aguayo will be fine, he needs to expand his kicking game, not shrink it.
August 23rd, 2016 at 11:32 am
I worried….GO BUCS!!!!
August 23rd, 2016 at 11:44 am
I have the perfect solution, cut him along with the rest of our 2nd round picks i.e. Banks, ASJ. Heck I’m sure Spawn will miss a sack or tackle so lets just cut him now too.
2nd year players that haven’t reached the pro bowl yet have no room on this team.
August 23rd, 2016 at 12:18 pm
It’s not the norm but they might have to bring in a veteran and carry 2 kickers and until this blows over. The guy has talent but just not handling pressure of the media because of his draft position.
August 23rd, 2016 at 12:23 pm
Always good points with Cobra..hope someone sees your comments from the Bucs and maybe approach the suggestions you have..
Roberto will be fine..it’s very typical first year jitters..
August 23rd, 2016 at 12:25 pm
Pressure! Pushing down on him, under pressure. Gee if I miss this kick, Ka Pow!
August 23rd, 2016 at 12:27 pm
@DB… who is Spawn? There’s a chance Banks does get cut and ASJ could be traded or cut. I’m not in favor of it, but theres a chance. Two things will happen if we keep missing on 2nd rounders and keep trading 3’s and 4’s for guys who aren’t elite…. we will spend another 5yrs in last place being irrelevant and will fire the gm.
August 23rd, 2016 at 12:35 pm
Mike
Noah Spence = Spawn
August 23rd, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Every article should just be titled… “The sky is falling!! The sky is falling!! But don’t worry Jameis will catch us all!” That about sums up this site.
August 23rd, 2016 at 1:39 pm
@Tony- LOL!