Florida Atlantic has spent a lot of time this week practicing its kicking game.
The Owls had three field goals blocked — including a potential game-winner at the end of regulation and one in overtime — in a 37-34 loss in double overtime at South Alabama last Saturday and want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
The biggest problem with the field goal unit was kicker Mitch Anderson not getting enough trajectory on his kicks.
“They are putting three guys on your guard and they are going to get some push, so you have to get more lift on the ball,” coach Carl Pelini said. “Mitch, as he gets more experienced, is going to understand that. The ones he made had great lift and they had just as much penetration.”
Anderson, a redshirt junior who transferred from Division III Austin College, came into the game without having attempted a field goal after assuming the kicker’s role after senior kicker Vinny Zaccario left the team.
Anderson was 2-for-5 vs. the Jaguars, making field goals of 23 and 37 yards, but had his attempt of 39 blocked early in the third quarter before his 32-yard try that could have won the game was blocked with 12 seconds remaining. Anderson’s 44-yard attempt in the second overtime also was blocked, which allowed the Jaguars to win the game four plays later with a 44-yard field goal of their own.
“I didn’t foresee it, but there’s something that I talked about with Mitch and that’s self-correcting,” Pelini said “It’s something that experienced kickers can do … He needs to be more analytical as a kicker.”
Marcus Nelson writes for Owlaccess.com
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