Stevens makes Groza watch list

[adoniijahsooner]

What?!?!


http://blog.newsok.com/ou/2009/08/13/stevens-makes-groza-watch-list/

[SPuL]

ahahaha my initial reaction too. Really shows you just how valid these pre-season watch lists are.

[soonerinabilene]

there must be some really sh*tty kickers this year.

[TahoeSOONER]

Good luck Stevens, make us proud.

Tress is waiting if you don't do better because better is what Sooner Nation expects.

[CrimsonJim]

I got a chuckle out of this too. Let's hope he proves us wrong.

[Curly Bill]

I'm all for our kids being named to watch lists, winning awards, and all that good stuff...

...but this is ridiculous.

[delhalew]

does not compute.

[BoulderSooner79]

Go get'em, Jimmy !

[Crimson_Balls]

I hear he really worked hard in the off season!

[adoniijahsooner]

I guess the jokes on me.


Practice report (8-13-09)
Posted by Jake Trotteron August 13, 2009 at 7:23 pm The Sooners held their first of two open practices this fall on Thursday. Reporters didn’t have the chance to speak with coaches, however, the first hour was open for our viewing enjoyment.

Some observations:

* Place-kicker Jimmy Stevens had a terrific showing. In my opinion, he was the story of evening. I don’t believe he missed a single attempt during the open part of practice and nailed field goals from 48 and 53 yards out. The 400-500 fans who also showed up gave Stevens one of their biggest ovations. It was just a practice, but this has got to give Stevens some confidence. Walk-on Bryce Easley, who wears No. 94, didn’t have the showing that Stevens did. Tress Way was pretty solid at kicker, but nowhere near Stevens.

[OU_Sooners75]

ahahaha my initial reaction too. Really shows you just how valid these pre-season watch lists are.

Give the kid a break.

He went 8/12 last year

I remember a certain kicker going 14/22 in his first season as a kicker at OU.

Yeah, I am talking about Garrett Hartley.

[boomersooner28]

Is there a Midget-Groza Kicker Award or something?

[Curly Bill]

Give the kid a break.

He went 8/12 last year

I remember a certain kicker going 14/22 in his first season as a kicker at OU.

Yeah, I am talking about Garrett Hartley.

My guess is we tryed field goals with Hartley that we wouldn't even bother attempting with Stevens. When you're pretty sure your tiny little kicker is not going to make one beyond 35 yards, you just don't even try.

[setem]

HORSE ****!

Groza should be making the Stevens list!

[OU_Sooners75]

My guess is we tryed field goals with Hartley that we wouldn't even bother attempting with Stevens. When you're pretty sure your tiny little kicker is not going to make one beyond 35 yards, you just don't even try.

Yeah, that is the reason his long is of 42 yards.

Fact is, we did not need to attempt very many FGs last year at all.

He will be a Sophomore this year. I will give the kid the benefit of the doubt unless he pulls a DeCarlo type season.

[Curly Bill]

I hope he has the season of all seasons this year, just to prove us doubters wrong. :D

[OU_Sooners75]

Not to mention, I believe two of the 4 FGs he missed last year were blocked.

He did miss 5 extra points, but going 94/99 on PATs is not a bad thing either, even though some of them looked really ugly.

I think his problem last year was more mental than ability.

If Tress Way is the Golden boy, why redshirt him and not Stevens?

[Collier11]

Stephens wasnt near as bad as some like to think, he does need to get more consistent though from 35+

[CrimsonJim]

Not to mention, I believe two of the 4 FGs he missed last year were blocked.

Kicking line drive knuckle balls will do that to ya. ;)

I hope that adoniijahsooner's post #10 is true and holds for the season. Having a reliable kicker makes those 4th down calls a lot easier to make!

[Dan Thompson]

Must not be much of a list.

[BoulderSooner79]

If Steven's wasn't good enough last season, it's the coach's fault not his. Coaches are responsible for recruiting and planning the succession of players. Most true FR kickers struggle no matter how talented and if we were forced to go with a freshman it was a planning issue. I'm sure Jimmy was better than the other choices or they would have been out there.

[JLEW1818]

lol, alright the jokes over........




? right?

[goingoneight]

I'd be happy if all he had to do is kick PATs again this year.

[Sooner MagicJ]

lol really how? we have Freshmen kicker that is expected to play before him lol

[adoniijahsooner]

Stevens is ballin.


Something's different about Stevens
8/17/2009 10:10:52 PM



I have watched two hours of Oklahoma preseason practice, and the most interesting thing I've seen is the new-and-improved right foot of Jimmy Stevens. The sophomore kicker has tried eight field goals in my presence, and made all eight, including three from 50-yard range.

It may not be Vinatierian, but it's a vast improvement from a year ago, when Stevens kicked the ball as if it were made of stone.

The Bleacher Report Web site recently turned the 2009 season into a playoff, stuck Oklahoma and Florida in a national championship rematch, and had it come down to a Stevens 41-yard try with :02 remaining.

Wide right. Gators win, 30-28.

I don't know. I understand a 41-yarder in the Rose Bowl in January is a whale of a lot harder to make than a 41-yarder at the OU Rugby Fields, against a token rush, in August. But from what I've seen, I'd at least give Stevens a 50-50 chance in Pasadena. Which are better odds than I would have given him to make a game-winning PAT in Miami.

-- Guerin Emig

Comments(0)

[Collier11]

Well its certainly good to see that our kicker took the summer seriously as well as the rest of the team...hopefully he has a great year

[fwsooner22]

So much easier to punch a keyboard...........than to kick a field goal

[illinisooner]

Some of Stevens' FG/XP attempts looked like free kicks in soccer, the way they bended and swerved just over the crossbar. Glad to hear he's improved (perhaps the Groza watch list committee has been scouring our practice reports?) but it's one thing to do it in practice and another thing to do it in the game.

[Collier11]

thats why those watch lists are worthless but hopefully this is all true about his improvements

[BoulderSooner79]

Yep. I contend every player (at least BCS conf. players) is on every watch list implicitly. Gone are the days where the east coast writers see nothing of west coast players except for tiny newspaper clippings. Video media is available 24/7 along with all the stats in the world. If an unknown player has a breakout season, he could win the award for his position even though he wasn't mentioned on any preseason watch list. Likewise, if a watched player has a down year, he's forgotten like yesterday's garbage.

Go Jimmy! :)

[goingoneight]

:les: Jimmy Stevens for Heisman!!!111!

[CobraKai]

Some of Stevens' FG/XP attempts looked like free kicks in soccer, the way they bended and swerved just over the crossbar. Glad to hear he's improved (perhaps the Groza watch list committee has been scouring our practice reports?) but it's one thing to do it in practice and another thing to do it in the game.

Bend it like Stevens?