Specialist Path' Michael Palardy

As Tennessee recovers from a tough 41-10 loss to Alabama, many fans are looking for something positive to look forward to in the next few years and I believe they should look no further than freshman kicker/punter Michael Palardy.

After playing more than half the season I got the chance to ask Michael the questions that I thought most kicking specialists and Tennessee fans would want to know from one of last year’s most heralded high school kickers in the entire country.

In this story Michael explains what it is like to try to compete as a freshman in the wild and crazy SEC, why he chose Tennessee, and explains the challenges of kicking field goals, punting, and kickoffs at the college level.

This is Michael Palardy On A Specialists Path.

Michael got his start in kicking when he joined the football team as an 8th grader. His soccer background taught him how to violently strike the ball, which made his transition to being a kicker much easier.

“When I was young I started out as a soccer player and my dad put me playing football for the first time for my city in 8th grade and because I played soccer, I had the capability to be the kicker/punter”, Michael said.

“He realized after seeing me kick that I need to be playing football and nothing else. Going into my 9th grade year my special teams coach at St. Thomas (Tim Conrad), worked with me on my technique, day in and day out and stuck with me for four years and now I am where I am because of it.”

Right now Michael is making the transition to major College Football. This transition from high school to college is always a challenge, but this adjustment has been made easier because of the program he played for in high school, St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida.

Most high school kickers and punters are excited to get there highlights shown on the local Friday night news, while Michael’s high school games were regularly aired on ESPN and ESPN 2.

“It is every high school football players dream to play where I have”, Michael said.

“Anywhere from the tradition, to the facilities, the out of state games/nationally televised games, even to the Nike sponsorship. Playing at St. Thomas was probably the best experience of my life.”

“I played with kids who lived for football and were not only tremendous athletes, but were dedicated to winning and never settled for less. In 2007 we won the state championship and in 2008 we won the National Championship. We had a coaching staff that didn’t get paid and yet worked just as hard as we did to make sure we were doing the right thing and taking that next step in becoming a man. Everything about playing there is amazing.”

“We are known nation-wide, have played on ESPN and ESPNU, had I would have to say it started with my dad by pushing me to become a kicker and punter but as the years went on it was my coach (Tim Conrad) who molded me into who I am and made sure I did everything to my fullest potential. 13 Division-1 signees last year, our games are always sold out with 4500 people, Hall of Fame Wide-Receiver Chris Carter is our WR’s coach and the list goes on. All in all, this program helped a lot with recruiting and getting my name out to schools so I can play at the collegiate level.”

While the extra visibility that came with playing at St. Thomas Aquinas was beneficial, his talent and work ethic probably contributed most to his development into a major Division I kicker. These traits were instilled in him at a young age and were reinforced by his kicking coach, Tim Conrad.

“The factors that influenced me the most as a kicker would have to my dad’s persistence in pushing me to become a kicker and punter”, Michael said.

“Also, as the years went on it was my coach (Tim Conrad) who molded me into who I am and made sure I did everything to my fullest potential.”

Schools from across the country came to Florida to evaluate and offer Michael a scholarship, but one of schools and coaches that most stood out to him was Coach Eddie Gran (pictured above) from the University of Tennessee.

Coach Gran is now the Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator at Florida State University and had recruited Michael’s high school for years. He first became aware of Michael when he was recruiting current Auburn kicker and St. Thomas Aquinas alumnus, Wes Byrum. His relationship with Michael proved to be a big factor in Michael’s initial interest in Tennessee.

Michael committed to Tennessee before Coach Gran left for Florida State and there was much speculation that he might leave Tennessee after the coaching changes of Coach Gran and Coach Lane Kiffin. I was curious to ask Michael if he would have been interested in following Coach Gran to Florida State if there had been a scholarship available.

“Coach Gran is a very genuine guy who does his job extremely well and effectively”, Michael said. “His family-oriented characteristics and passion and expertise in what he does drew me closer to Tennessee in the recruiting process.”

“No, I would not have gone to FSU. Even though I loved the coaching staff at Tennessee, I chose Tennessee for the university because that is where I thought I would enjoy myself most and yet have the most success. I think that kids getting recruited for college athletics should realize that this is a business and coaches are looking for the best job they can get, so choose a school because you like it, not because of a particular coach because their job is only temporary.”

Tennessee is excited and relieved that he stayed with the Vols on National Signing Day and what Coach Dooley found out this Summer was that he had a kicking specialist that was talented enough to push both a senior kicker and punter for their jobs as a true freshman.

There are a few challenges to being an elite kicker and punter at the college level. There is not one kicker in the NFL that handles all the kicking chores and there are even quite a few kicking specialists that split all the duties like the Carolina Panthers who have a field goal kicker, punter, and a kickoff specialist. A few of the best in College Football at handling all three duties are Matt Bosher of the U. of Miami and Alex Henery of Nebraska.

Getting on a good kicking workout and being able to transition from kicks to punts are two of the biggest challenges to being exceptional at all three kicking chores.

“The biggest thing that has helped me has been conditioning and preparing my legs by kicking all three during one practice but in moderation”, Michael said.

“There are a few challenges in doing all three and one of them is over-kicking. Kickers tend to get carried away with the amount of balls they kick during practice so limit the number of balls you hit.”

“Another challenge is keeping your form. Kicking and punting have two different types of form and sometimes that form is lost through doing all three. So what helps me is keeping my form mentally and when I switch from one form to another, I already have what I need to do to execute well in my head, therefore, executing the way I want to.”

Michael has contributed for the Vols this year in all three duties as he started kickoffs against Florida, had one punt against LSU, and has assumed the starting field goal job since Daniel Lincoln’s second straight year with a leg injury.

I remember my first experience was like kicking in Neyland Stadium and now since Michael has gotten the chance to experience the experience himself, I thought I would ask him what it was like to kick in the stadium that was named after General Robert Neyland.

“It was a bit nerve racking but once you get your first kick out of the way, and your emotions stay level, it gets easier” Michael said.”

“But I loved the experience and it’s one of the reasons why I chose to be here. 102,000 + is unreal and I love the fan base.”

I can tell Michael and other kickers that it does get easier with experience. Kicking in front of crowds takes experience, poise, and preparation.

Success in college and the NFL certainly don’t come by accident and Michael has the drive and work ethic to reach his ambitious goals.

“My goals for the season are to stay healthy and make every kick count and hopefully become freshman All-SEC” Michael said.

“For my career, I would like to become an All-American my junior and senior year and hopefully get drafted in the NFL.”

If Michael is able to make good on those goals than Tennessee fans will certainly have something to look forward to!

Visit: www.jameswilhoitkickingcoach.com

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Specialist Path' Alan Gendreau

The majority of kids in the United States that kick a ball are not kicking footballs but rather soccer balls. There are many kids, including myself, that dreamed of one day playing in a World Cup and certainly not a Super Bowl.

Alan Gendreau is certainly a soccer player by heart, but he is now the star kicker for the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State University. His natural ability to kick a ball has opened the opportunity for a free education and quite possibly a look from the NFL in a few years.

This is a great story for younger soccer players who are thinking of coming out for the football team and becoming a kicker.

This is Alan Gendreau On A Specialists Path.

This Spring and Summer, high school coaches will be scouring the soccer fields looking for their next great kicker. Alan didn’t know his path as a kicker but his football coach saw things pretty clearly.

“I had competitively been playing soccer for about 10 years and my school was very small. They had their first football season in 2004 and my older brother handled all the kicking duties”, Alan said.

“I never really had any desire to be a kicker because I thought I wanted to play soccer in college, but when my brother graduated high school in 2005, I was pretty much forced into filling the spot for my brother.”

Alan was thrust into the starting kicker in 2005 but he took to the position like a fish in water. Even though he didn’t see himself as a kicker, his high school coaches and eventually college coaches started to take notice.

“I had no intentions of pursuing football in college probably until the end of my junior season when I was having coaches tell me I should send film to certain schools”, Alan said.

“But thoughts of playing football in college actually started playing in my mind when I hit a 57 yarder in a homecoming game my junior year. I had no knowledge of college kickers and the way scholarships worked because I was set on going to play soccer in college.”

Many times our path in life is influenced by the people around us and Alan’s coaches kept pushing him to reach his potential in athletics and assisted in his personal growth.

“Looking back, I can remember a couple coaches pushing me in the direction of playing football in college because they saw potential in me that I hadn’t recognized”, Alan said.

“To me, I was just doing what I had grown up doing, kicking a ball. But I would say my soccer coaches throughout my teenage years helped me in my growth as a young man and seeing my full potential not only on the playing field but in life as well.”

What high school kickers and punters learn in retrospect about the recruiting process is that it is all about who you know and the relationships you make in recruiting. Alan was fortunate to have a strong bond with Coach Hunt at the University of South Carolina. This relationship opened up doors that he never would have dreamed of…literally!

“During the recruiting process I was in communication with the University of Florida and the University of South Carolina”, Alan said.

“Throughout my senior season, I was in a consistent speaking schedule with Coach John Hunt at the University of South Carolina and I was thinking that was where I would be going school. I was preparing to be a Gamecock but about 3-4 months before signing day, Coach Hunt informed me that Coach Spurrier wasn’t going to put another kicker on scholarship as they had a junior in Ryan Succup.”

“While I was initially disappointed, Coach Hunt promised me many references to other coaches in need of a kicker. I can specifically remember the day my head coach in high school came up to me and said, “Alan, the coach at Middle Tennessee State called and they are VERY interested in talking to you.” My first response was “WHO!?” haha.

“But Coach Hunt and Coach Stockstill were very close because Coach Stockstill used to be a coach at South Carolina. I went up to MTSU for a visit and liked the area and school. It also helped that they were in desperate need of a field goal kicker. One thing I’ll never forget were the wise recruiting words of Coach Stock on my visit. He said, “Alan, the only thing you will be paying for if you come here is McDonalds if you ever get hungry”. It was pretty sad, but that’s what sold me!”
Much like in high school, Alan was thrust directly into the starting kicker position at MTSU and had to get some on-the-job training. He has certainly experienced the highs and lows of being a college kicker and he has developed a few nicknames along the way.

“There isn’t a better feeling on earth than when you gain the respect of your teammates, especially being a kicker”, Alan said.

“But in order to gain respect from your teammates you have to perform well in front of them. I would definitely say my freshman year kicking the winning PAT on ESPN2 and my sophomore year, making the game winning field goal with no time left against Maryland at their place would be my most memorable moments so far in my career.”

“But also, throughout the last 3 years I have developed some nicknames from my teammates, for example; Auto (short for automatic), Ice, golden toe etc. But these nicknames don’t really mean anything but it makes you feel good and appreciated by teammates.”

While Alan has had a few struggles during his career, it has helped to have such a supportive coach to help him through the tough times. Having a coach believe in you can be one of the best ways to increase a kicker’s confidence and Coach Rick Stockstill (pictured above) has done a fantastic job developing Alan as a player and a person.

“I would say my freshman year I was faced with some adversity when I missed 3 field goals over three games”, Alan said.

“But I remember Coach Stock bringing my nerves down and telling me to just stay calm and do what I know how to do. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself and I was learning how to adapt to a new environment and being far away from home and a lot of factors.”

“After my 3 misses and advice from Coach Stock, I went on an 8 kick streak. So I took Stock’s advice and applied it to my game. I have remained calm in every kick I attempt since then and I have been having a great time at what I do. I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made to come to MTSU.”

Alan’s poise and talent has helped him become one of the best kickers in the Sun Belt Conference. He was just recently named conference player of the week honors after making a 55 yard field goal this season.

Alan never would have anticipated using his soccer cleats for kicking footballs rather than soccer balls, but his football talents have led to many wins for the Blue Raiders and quite possibly a shot in the NFL.

Not too bad for a guy that never had any plans to play football!

Visit: www.jameswilhoitkickingcoach.com

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Specialist Path' Dave Harrington

Most Tennessee fans are not familiar with the name David Harrington, but I believe the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” certainly applies to this former University of Tennessee walk on punter.

Dave has taken a long road to become a starting punter in College Football but his unorthdox path has been vital in his development as the starting punter at Idaho State University.

Find out how Dave’s path brought him from the beautiful beaches of California to the majestic mountains of Tennessee and finally to the state known best for its potatoes, Idaho.

This story is great for kicking specialists who are waiting for their opportunity or who are looking to know more about the process of transferring to a new school.

This is Dave Harrington ‘On A Specialists Path’.

Dave always had a natural ability to punt a football and started to really develop his skills through repetition.

“I first decided I wanted to be a punter when my high school after workouts one day asked if anybody wanted to be the punter”, Dave said.

“Our punter the previous year had graduated and the coaching staff was in need of a guy so I said to myself, yeah I could do that, I had seen enough games on TV and thought how hard could it be?”

Dave had a natural ability to punt but he learned most of his technique through many days of trial and error at the local park.

“The coaches brought me a bag of balls and said to get to work, so I went home and went to the park by my house and just started kicking away, not knowing what I was doing”, Dave said.”

He certainly was doing some things right because he really opened some people’s eyes with his towering punts. He gained a lot of confidence after winning a few kicking camps and after a brief stint at Orange Coast Community College, he decided to walk on at the University of Tennessee.

Dave chose Tennessee after studying the depth charts of schools and because he wanted to play big time College Football.

Because of Tennessee’s lack of depth at punter, Dave was able to come right in during Two a Days and compete with incumbent punter Chad Cunningham for the job. Like most young kicking specialists, he was very talented but also very immature.

He could hit a towering punt with five second hang time or shank one off the side of his foot. Consistency was something that was tough for him to reach and a big part of it was because of his never-ending need to impress the coaches. This led to the coaches choosing to redshirt him.

“I learned so much at Tennessee, and I will always be grateful for the time I spent there and the things I learned, Tennessee will always be a special place to me”, Dave said.

“I learned the ins and outs of a major college football program, redshirting there could not have benefited me more in my development as a punter. Just going through practice every day and experiencing that, gave me a lot of confidence which I carried over to Idaho State.”

There were a few times during last season that Dave was given a chance to seriously compete for the starting punting job, but he was never able to fully translate his success in his charting before practice and carry it over into live punt team.

As the season finished Lane Kiffin bolted for USC and Coach Dooley entered as head coach. Like most coaches, Coach Dooley wanted his own players in the program and after signing two talented punters Michael Palardy and Matt Darr, Dave was made expendable. This is the nature of the beast in major College Football.

“One of the toughest moments for me was during my meeting with Coach Dooley”, Dave said.”

“He told me that they couldn’t give me a scholarship, and I came to the realization that I just couldn’t afford to be a walk on anymore and that I would have to leave the University of Tennessee. I had come to love the university and its football program. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t get a little emotional.”

It is interesting that two walk on punters from last year’s team are now starting at other Universities: Dave Harrington (Idaho State) and Josh Davis (MTSU). Both players have been named Players of the Week by their prospective conferences.

Once Dave had the conversation with Coach Dooley, he began to explore his options at other universities across the country.

“During that whole process of getting my release from the university I had been contacting some of my coaches from my junior college and they had been working the phones for me”, Dave said.
“I literally sent out a 100 emails to different schools around the country looking for anybody that could use a punter. One of the first schools to get back to me and show real interest was Idaho State.”

“Eddie Johnson who I had been working with for a few years and is the greatest punter to come out of Idaho State. He told the coaches that I was available and that they should definitely take a chance on me. So I took my visit and fell in love with the place.

That gamble has certainly paid off as Dave is averaging 44 yards a punt and has hit 12 punts of 50 yards or more this season. Check out this article on the Idaho website of his recent punting success http://www.isubengals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/100310aac.html .

Dave dreams of one day following in the footsteps of his two childhood heroes in punting.

“My biggest punting influences were definitely Ray Guy and Shane Lechler, I’ve always been a Raider fan and it just so happened that the best punters in NFL history are Raiders. I always wondered if I had the ability of Ray and the strength of Lechler, I would be the perfect punter.”

Dave may not be the perfect punter just yet, but Idaho State certainly got a good one in Dave “Hang Time” Harrington.

Visit: www.jameswilhoitkickingcoach.com

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Specialist Path' In Season Routine

Now with the football season underway, I have gotten numerous emails from kicking specialists asking about what you should do during the season to stay healthy and keep playing at a high level.

The answer to this question is to develop a specific routine each week during the season. This routine includes lifting, drills, and other measures to keep your body healthy.

This is On A Specialist's Path-In Season Routine.

When I was a freshman in high school I learned the hard way about not having a kicking routine. I got the honor of dressing out for the varsity team at Hendersonville High School along with being the starting kicker for the freshman and junior varsity.

Even though I was ecstatic at the time to be on all three teams, this also meant three practices a day and three games a week! I was a young kicker excited to make an impression on anyone who would watch me kick and I certainly kicked too much. By the end of the season I had pulled my groin and was struggling to make it through the season.

You never get the ability of hindsight in life but I can at least help others to not repeat the same mistakes. One of the toughest things for kicking specialists is understanding that in kicking more is not always better. Let me repeat that more is not always better.

If you get a chance to watch the NFL kickers or punters on Sundays watch how easy they approach the ball and how smooth they swing. If you are using the proper technique than kicking should not be a very tiring exercise.

Technique is the most important part of kicking. A good athlete can use just natural ability to have success in high school but it takes technique to reach the highest levels. The reason I talk about technique so much in this article is because if you understand what you are doing then you can work drills that don't require numerous full kick and punt repetitions.

By the time you get to the regular season your leg should be in good kicking shape. The next step once you are in kicking shape is to get quality reps and to sharpen your technique.

Doing dry run kicks is very valuable for a kicker and working on the mold and drop is extremely important for a punter. These drills can be done without ever kicking a ball!

Kicking specialists should develop a kick or punt count to know how many reps they are getting during a given week. If a punter normally hits 50 balls on Monday's than they should hit 50 balls EVERY Monday. This helps the body to adapt into a routine and keep you healthy.

Another part of maintenance for a kicking specialist is to do some light lifting. In season lifting is not to get you stronger but to keep you healthy. Body weight lifts and some running is valuable to get some of the soreness out from the previous week's game.

The last part of the equation is to take care of the places on your body that get the most use. An ice bath (pictured above) is a great way to ice the entire lower body. This can be very valuable to kicking specialists and the majority of NFL kickers and punters use this after practice. If the team does not make an ice bath available then a simple ice pack after practice can be used.

The bottom line is that the best kickers and punter across the country don't get there by accident. They work on their technique but they also take care of their body. Are you doing everything you can do to keep yourself healthy during the season?

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