Tech hopes two kickers better than one

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

If you happened to walk by Rose Bowl field this summer and you saw someone trying to kick a ball that wasn’t there, don’t worry.

That was Georgia Tech kicker Scott Blair doing an exercise called “dry runs” that are created to build muscle memory.

Blair spent a lot of time this summer working on that exercise, which he said is one reason why his kicking habits are much better this season. Add in that he no longer will handle punting duties, as he did last season, and Blair said he feels very confident before the season-opening game against Jacksonville State at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Sept. 5.

“I feel a lot better kicking the ball now than when I was doing all three,” he said. “Everything seems to be going a lot more smoothly.”

Blair said that he is a lot more consistent in practice making field goals from more than 40 yards than he was last season, when he was 0-for-6 from those distances in games. Overall last season, he was 12-of-13 on field goals of 39 yards and less.

Chandler Anderson, who is winning the battle to replace Blair as the team’s punter, said he feels just as confident.

“We’re just progressing more and more each practice,” Anderson said.

A few weeks ago Tech special-teams coordinator Jeff Monken said he wants to improve the team’s net punting average to around 39 yards, an increase of almost six yards from last year. Doing so would catapult Tech from one of the worst punt-coverage units in the ACC to one of the nation’s best.

Anderson said that the goal is within reach, especially with the speed that will be on the kicking team.

“If we can kick it high enough, our gunners are fast enough to get down there to where the returner will catch the ball and can’t go anywhere,” Anderson said.

Injury updates

● Wearing a new, smaller cast on his healing right wrist, Roddy Jones wasn’t able to participate in the contact portions of Thursday’s practice, but said he will be able to Monday.

He said returning for the Clemson game on Sept. 10 is the goal. The new cast is lighter and gives him more movement in the thumbs. He said he doesn’t think it will take him long to get back to 100 percent once this cast is replaced by a splint.

“I’m just excited to get done with it,” Jones said.

● Also, wide receiver Tyler Melton sustained an injury but coach Paul Johnson said it wasn’t serious.

Johnson happy

For the second consecutive day, Johnson said he was pleased with the team’s effort at practice as it prepares to open the season.

“We got something done, it’s picking up,” Johnson said. “It’s encouraging.”

The team will do a short scrimmage tomorrow and then come back Monday “guns blazing,” Johnson said.