They Can’t Kick About Practice

With extra practice time spent on the kicking game after last week’s three missed field goals and a flubbed extra point, David Newbury said he made 11 of 13 field goals this week.

Newbury adjusted a flaw in his approach and follow-through that led to pulled kicks, and Coach Paul Hackett curtailed long snapper Pat Swanson’s practice time at tight end to try to narrow his focus after Swanson caught two passes but had an uncharacteristic bad outing at snapper.

“Coach Hackett said I could contribute at tight end, but every time the ball is in my hands as snapper could mean a win or a loss,” Swanson said. “My main purpose is to be a 100% snapper.”

John Fox, the holder, attributed the kicking game’s bad night to a combination of things--the snaps, the holds and the kicks.

“I know I can tell you I’ve never seen Pat be like that and I probably never will again,” Fox said.

Hackett just wants it fixed.

“When you’re a young kicker just getting started, any little thing can throw you off,” he said.

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The timetable for Malaefou MacKenzie to be an effective runner again after struggling with a hamstring injury has been moved to midseason, Hackett said.