It's been a head-scratching last few weeks for Texas A&M's senior kicker Randy Bond. In the South Carolina game, when the Aggies had to make a historic comeback, Bond seemed to be the only one who didn't have a shot to redeem himself, as he went 1-3 on field goals in that game.
His lowlight was when he missed a 24-yard attempt off the upright, and since then, he hasn't been on the popular side of the fanbase. Even after Mike Elko told reporters that Bond was "still our guy," Jared Zirkel has been kicking.
Zirkel hasn't been much of a bright spot either, going 1-2 on field goals in the Texas game. This week, in prime Elko fashion, he said we were going to have to wait and see if Bond would remain the kicker for the Miami game.
Mike Elko completely backtracks what he said about Randy Bond
Fans can probably agree with Elko's assessment, but it shows that he's still hesitant to put Randy in when he clearly said that the ol' reliable starting kicker would still be their guy moving forward.
This is a complete 180 on Elko's part, and while it's necessary to have the best kicker possible in the playoffs, Randy has the receipts to show his head coach.
We should also note that the offense has been on such a tear this season that Bond hasn't attempted 20 field goals this season. That's also hurt him in the long run, as he currently has his worst kicking percentage of his collegiate career at 61.1. Bond is 11 of 18 on field goals this season, and he hasn't made a single kick of 50 yards or more, though his kicking was essential in the win over Notre Dame.
This is one of the worst gray areas that a team could have going into the playoffs. It has fans asking, who would be next if Elko can't trust Bond or Zirkel? Freshman Colton Chmelar? Sophomore Liam Padron?
This is not the question Texas A&M fans want to be asking heading into the playoffs.