Texas A&M Football 2017: Midseason report card and position grades
By Robert Ford
One word: GREAT!
The punting game is very solid. Do you expect anything different from a school that’s had several great punters? Shane Tripucka is averaging 46.2 yards per punt. The team is sixth nationally in net punting.
In the kicking game, Daniel LaCamera has also been very solid. He’s 14 for 16 with both misses coming on field goals over 50 yards. Go back and look at his kicks in the Florida game and you will see a kicker with a confidence level through the roof. I would run him out there every time we cross the opponents 40.
As for the other aspects of the kicking game, we’re only giving up 21 yards per kickoff return. Braden Mann has contributed with 23 touchbacks.
The return game is where this team needs improvement. Kirk, outside of the big return in the Florida game, has been almost nonexistent. He only has 57 punt return yards for the season, 43 came on one return. He also has a few muffed punts.
In the kickoff return game we’ve had two great returns but the rest have left a bit to be desired.
Second half notes
Can we find someone who wants to do something in the kick return game. If we keep winning the special teams battle, this will put this team in position to win every game.