“Kinda Like To Figure Things Out On My Own”
June 14th, 2019
Coaching itself is a change
JoeBucsFan.com intern Zach Seifter was grinding away on the mean streets of Valrico this morning and caught up to Bucs rookie kicker Matt Gay, the fifth-round pick.
One cool thing about Gay is he’s a sort of a self-made kicker, a big dude who was an international caliber soccer player who trained with the Under-17 national team in Bradenton years ago.
So coming to the Bucs, where Bucco Bruce Arians has employed ex-NFL kicker Chris Boniol as a dedicated kicking coach, is a very new experience for the rookie.
Seifter asked Gay whether Boniol has changed or raised his game. Gay likes having a kicking coach but is still feeling out the right balance of coaching versus his own instincts.
“A little bit of both,” Gay said. “It’s new for me to have a coach. I kind of self-taught and kinda like to figure things out on my own. I feel like most of the time I know what I’m doing wrong. But he’s got a lot of experience and he’s definitely brought a lot of good things and good things that are, honestly, not repairs but almost precautions … things you can fix to help yourself down the line.”
Gay, who was at River Hills Country Club playing in Mike Evans’ charity golf event, added that he’s trying to learn from Boniol and has appreciated what he’s learned about playing the wind in different stadiums.
Having a kicking coach is great, but man, Joe sure hopes Boniol doesn’t overcoach the rookie. Kicking doesn’t have to be that complicated.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:04 pm
I think we have found a (Scot Brantley) Keeeker !!!
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Man, Joe sure hopes Boniol doesn’t overcoach the rookie. Kicking doesn’t have to be that complicated…….BINGO to the 5th power !
June 14th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Kicking isn’t complicated….making kicks is….
June 14th, 2019 at 12:13 pm
“not repairs but almost precautions … things you can fix to help yourself down the line.”
Sounds a little too similar to the story that recently came out about Aguayo deciding to change his kicking motion just as he was first entering the NFL for the same reasons…
So I’m with you Joe – the kicking coach needs to not be monkeying too much with the young kickers swing.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:16 pm
if he’s making his kicks, leave him alone…..lol….if he’s missing them, then coach him up….
GO BUCS!!!!
June 14th, 2019 at 12:20 pm
I think Gay will indeed be fine, mostly adjusting on his own, and hopefully from 50+ consistently like in college.
Hey Bucs fans…noticed today that @Joe is running a “Rare Deal” to “advertise right here” at the bottom of the Header on the site, with a banner ad for “Only $299 per month!”.
Now Bucs fans…if there are indeed, so many visitors, as the @Joes have constantly alleged in retort to SO MANY of us, and as Ira alleged in a column’s lead-in about 3 Friday’s ago…(of which only unique visitors really matter)…WHY..Buc faithful would there be…such a “Rare Deal” available for “Only $299 a month”…?!?!? Especially in such a relatively prime location on the site’s header?!…
Actually, glad you weighed in with your ignorance. 1) That advertising price only represents a percentage of the views in that specific advertising spot. It’s a wonderful value opportunity for a business that has a small budget. 2) Unlike most companies that sell advertising, Joe does not engage in cash grabs and ripoffs. It’s a big reason Joe has advertisers here for years upon years. –Joe
🙂 🙂
Maybe cause there’s 12-15 turtles daily chatting, and perhaps allll those “visitors” we’ve heard so much about on podcasts, here, Ira, etc…are…well, visiting elsewhere. (Rhetorical).
Happy Friday to all!
June 14th, 2019 at 12:20 pm
Not that I’m one to talk……but…..doesn’t he look a bit pudgy? i.e. FAT?
June 14th, 2019 at 12:21 pm
Me as Kicking Coach: See those two posts over here? Kick the ball through them. Ok, I’m going to lunch.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Ever tried to kick a FG?
I couldn’t kick a 20 yarder.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Boniol said during his presser his job was more about teaching him how to become a professional kicker more so than making changes to his kicking style.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:25 pm
@Morgus,
He’s not a WR. See Sebastian Janikowski.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:27 pm
I don’t question Gay’s physical ability as much I am axious to see if he has the “nerve.” That is what fouls up most kickers. Boniol, as a former kicker himself, certainly must know coaching a kicker is mostly about teaching consistency in form and execution that his subject already brings to the position. Not unlike a golf swing…and the good part is Boniol undersstand the mechanics and can recognize changes/inconsistencies. We know Aguayo didn’t have the nerve required and after Joe’s article, turns out (if what Aguayo said was true) if he changed things up–a kicking coach would have caught that and never let it continue.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:39 pm
🙂
And Bucs fans, guess what… 🙂 as soon as @Joe posted my comment out of (completely unjustified) “moderation” since yesterday’s commentary….SURPRISE Buc faithful, the Banner has been changed by a certain someone to reflect “golf events with JBF and Todd Wright”. Hilarious. Predictable.
There was no banner change. As Joe referenced earlier, you only see the $299 offer on a percentage of views that mirror roughly how often that ad would appear. Sad that you’re so hateful and misguided. –Joe
June 14th, 2019 at 12:42 pm
If Beau Allen and Pat McAfee had a baby, I’m pretty sure he was drafted by the Bucs in the 5th round.
Just sayin’.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:46 pm
Hilarious Todd! I see it…
Banner rotating…
June 14th, 2019 at 12:48 pm
Hey Smooth, if you can do better start your own website. Don’t mess with another mans money.
June 14th, 2019 at 12:49 pm
Underwear football he was dropping some bombs straight down the middle. Throughout TC and PS is when you can determine if he needs to be coached up or not. I would take the coaching slow if anything.
June 14th, 2019 at 1:01 pm
🙂 ahh @ Dewey…since long ago on this here site, you’ve always contributed such profound nuggets of insight…we’ve always marveled at your….Selmon-isms. Like @Bonzai. Same company.
June 14th, 2019 at 1:03 pm
Sounds like he doesn’t like having a coach.
June 14th, 2019 at 1:35 pm
Awesome, can’t wait for the draft and our top 5 pick
June 14th, 2019 at 1:38 pm
I sent in my $299 but my Ad is under Moderation….
June 14th, 2019 at 1:43 pm
“Hey Bucs fans…noticed today that @Joe is running a “Rare Deal” to “advertise right here” at the bottom of the Header on the site, with a banner ad for “Only $299 per month!”.”
Hey! That pays for Ira’s new Cadillac XT-4! You think that Caddies grow on trees?
June 14th, 2019 at 1:47 pm
1-15 for the Succaneers
June 14th, 2019 at 1:55 pm
it’s so darn easy to coach up a kicker….3 things you tell him:
1. keeek it fuggin’ straight you mofo
2. when you make one, don’t party like gramatica
3. when you miss one, block everything out like a horse with blinders on…and just stare at the cheerleaders for hours on end
emergency advice: if your career is tanking like aguayo, buy a drill, drill a peephole into the cheerleaders locker room, spend all your woken time peeping thru that hole when not practicing keeeks
June 14th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
#Simple 🙂
June 14th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Nothing like getting into the head of the kicker and telling them to change everything that comes naturally to them – it’s a surefire way to have success!!!
June 14th, 2019 at 2:35 pm
Rod Munch Says:
June 14th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Nothing like getting into the head of the kicker and telling them to change everything that comes naturally to them – it’s a surefire way to have success!!!
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Gay should simply ask the kicking coach to demonstrate and then copy what the coach did…;-)
June 14th, 2019 at 2:38 pm
Succaneers Says:
June 14th, 2019 at 1:47 pm
“1-15 for the Succaneers”
How much of a loser does one have to be to troll a site of the worst franchise in NFL history and do it daily?
June 14th, 2019 at 3:11 pm
Boniol has changed kicking coaching jobs every year since 2014. He was with Dallas for 3 years before that but hasnt stuck since in NFL or NCAA since ’14. I see that as a red flag in biz hiring myself. I am not sure about this decision but with a rookie kicker he may be able to help in with creating a professional routine. Boniol trained under Hoffman who is a legend in NFL kicking.
This is from an old Chicago Tribune article on him at the end of Boniol career that I wanted to share:
Boniol left his confidence in Dallas, home of the NFL’s most respected kicking coach, Steve Hoffman. Owner Jerry Jones refuses to pay kickers more than minimum wage when they become free agents. So every three or so years Jones expects Hoffman to create another MVP from among 10 or 15 undrafted college free agents.
In 1997 Boniol left the nest to take Philly’s offer of $2.45 million for four years. “Big brother” Hoffman was no longer there to convince Boniol how automatic he was and correct his technical flaws. The farther east Boniol went, the farther south.
June 14th, 2019 at 7:51 pm
I wanna hear cobraboy’s thoughts on this
Where are ya?
Kicking seems to be an area that is left un-coached sometimes.
I know we have coaches for these things. But kickers are responsible for a LOT of points every year, and it just seems weird that there hasn’t been a coach we have hired to be a “kicker whisperer”. Why is that?
I just don’t get it.
Everyone talks about our QB whisperer. We talk all the time about Smitty and his D, how we need new schemes, coaching, attitudes…
We even talk about how our special teams will benefit from having more LBs on the roster instead of DLs once we switch to this attacking 3-4…
But we NEVER hear about changes with our coaches that are working with our kickers.
I’ve seen some comments about the holder being the problem and not the kicker, but these are fan theories.
What are the bucs doing to help give their kickers a better chance?
It just can’t be a coincidence that all the kickers we have seen in Red and Pewter have actually been equally as bad as each other…
Or maybe it is possible…
Is it scouting or coaching?!
June 14th, 2019 at 8:06 pm
Joe, frustrating to see people use your site to voice their opinions and then say disparaging things about the advertising rates or advertisers. Show some respect, people.
Great site. I check once or twice a day. I would definitely consider any of your sponsors.
And I don’t care what the K weighs as long as he makes FGs and extra points.
June 15th, 2019 at 1:31 am
A ball – sometimes on a tee – needs to be hit to fly over an obstacle in given direction to a given target area. If you hit it once just keep the same motion and repeat it over and over again. Sounds pretty easy, so no coaching is needed, right?
Oh, I’m not talking the NFL kicking game, I’m talking golf! If you funny guys thinking a Kicker doesn’t need coaching were right, golf pros worldwide would be unemployed.
June 15th, 2019 at 10:08 am
It’s one thing to coach college kickers. Coaching kickers in the pros is an entirely different concept.
In college you coach techniques and increasing leg strength along with physical maturity. Depending on when a kid physically matures, by the time he’s at the end of his college career he has the technique and leg strength. Nit much will change.
It the pros, you coach two things only:
1) Mental prep
2) Consistent technique
A pro kicking coach is like a PGA putting coach: keep it smooth, block out distractions…and pray for No Yips.
There is a world of difference between a ST coach and kicking coach. I was fortunate to be able to do both.