Sutton and Christy named Preseason All-Americans

We're equal parts proud and thrilled to congratulate a duo of past O-D Bowlers for being named by SI.com as 2013 Preseason All-Americans!

2009 O-D Bowler and current Arizona State Sun Devil Will Sutton was a 2012 consensus All-American pick, made first-team All-Pac-12 selection the same year, won the 2012 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award, and earned himself the 2012 Morris Trophy as best defensive lineman on the west coast. In addition to SI's preseason pick, Sutton looks to collect more hardware as he wraps up his collegiate career in the desert!

Arizona State's Will Sutton

Florida Gator Kyle Christy was the kicker for Team East in the 2011 O-D Bowl and is well-established as the Gators' punter already, having been a finalist for the Ray Guy Award presented annually to college football's top punter in only his sophomore season. Now entering his junior year, Christy is sure to build on his impressive resume that already includes 2012 selections to the first-team All-American and All-SEC squads.

Florida's Kyle Christy

Congrats and good luck, gentlemen!

Special Teams - Alignment and The Kick

Before you get into your kicking motion, it's important you learn how to properly align yourself to the ball's placement spot. Place a kicking tee, cup, or a piece of tape on the ground. In your mind, make this the spot where the ball will be placed for your kick.

Once your spot is established, it becomes a case of stepping up and getting in proper position to make the kick. To do so, you need to:

1. Place your plant foot so that the instep of the foot is next to the placement spot
2. Place your kicking foot directly behind the placement spot
3. Beginning with your kicking foot, take three normal steps straight backward from the placement spot
4. Take two steps sideways with your plant foot at a right angle
5. Turn and face the placement spot and get into your proper stance

As you're starting out, you may find that you're not stepping straight back from the placement spot. One easy way to correct this error is to put the placement spot on a marked sideline on the field and concentrate on stepping back straight down the line.

As you approach the ball for your kick, remember that your plant foot should come down even with and six inches outside the placement spot with the toe pointed the same direction as the kicking spot. This is easier to practice if you're working on the sideline.

The power for your kick should start with your hips moving forward and your kicking leg coming forward in a full arch. It's important that the knee of the kicking leg precedes the foot toward the placement spot. The knee of the kicking leg should be bent slightly.

The position of the kicking foot is vitally important. You should have your toe pointed down and your ankle locked and stable. The toe of your kicking foot will pass just outside the placement spot. The center of the inside of the kicking foot should pass directly over the center of the placement spot. The top inside of the center of the kicking foot is the actual part of the foot we want to make contact with the ball.

As a kicker, you'll come to learn that your follow-through will be an excellent indication of how the kick will turn out. When your kicking foot moves over the placement spot, it's important that your entire body move straight at the target.

Remember - as your kicking foot moves over the placement spot:

1. Your body should be balanced
2. Your head must be down
3. Your eyes must stay focused on the placement spot
4. Your hips need to lead the way to the target
5. Your shoulders should precede your feet throughout the kicking motion

Special Teams - Approaching the Ball

Your initial move toward the ball's placement spot should start with a slight forward lean of your shoulders. Then:

1. Take a short momentum step forward with your plant foot
2. Take a normal forward step with the kicking foot
3. Next, take a longer second step with the plant foot

Your second plant foot step should bring the foot even with and six inches outside the spot where the ball will be spotted for the kick.

In this position, the kicker has room and is in position to make proper contact with the ball.

When you're first working on getting your initial steps down, you require neither tee nor ball. It's better to use a piece of tape as your placement spot. You'll soon feel that your steps are the correct length and that you are ending in the proper position to make your kick with your head down and eyes focused on the placement spot.

Special Teams - Placekicking

For you to perform a successful kick, your teammates must do their job just as well as you do yours. It's a total team effort.

Your blockers must be able to hold off the defenders from getting to you and blocking the kick.

The center must make a strong and accurate snap.

The holder needs to catch the snap and properly place the ball on the spot.

You need to maintain focus and kick the ball soundly and accurately.

As a placekicker, you are in the unique position of being able to score points whenever you take the field. This opportunity comes with increased pressure and responsibility that you must recognize and accept.

Your teammates have worked long and hard to put the ball in the best position for you to make your kick. All their work gets wasted if you are unable to perform your job successfully - it's vital you strive to be the very best kicker you can be.

As a placekicker, it's likely that you're a soccer-style kicker. It's important that your stance is comfortable and that you consistently adopt the same stance every time out.

1. Stand straight up and step forward with your non-kicking foot (the plant foot)
2. Have the heel of your plant foot just ahead of the toe of your kicking foot
3. Position your feet so that they are no wider apart than your hips
4. Maintain equal weight on both feet
5. Slightly bend both knees
6. Bend forward at the waist
7. Move your shoulders far enough forward so that they are in front of your hips
8. Relax your shoulders
9. Allow your hands and arms to hang down comfortably
10. Focus on the kicking tee/holder's hands and be prepared to attack the ball

If you practice each of these techniques away from the field, they will feel more natural and comfortable with the pads on on the field.

Stop by next time as we address the approach to the ball.

Special Teams - Learning in the Right Order

Your stance must be functional and aid you in performing the motions and movements require to punt or placekick. Getting into a proper stance is a football skill you can practice repeatedly and easily both on and off the field. Use a mirror if you must to make sure you're adopting the correct stance.

The initial steps taken by a punter and/or kicker at the beginning of a play will greatly influence the outcome of the kick.

When you watch an excellent kicker, you'll see how consistent they are in their approach to the ball. Consistency is repetition and repetition breeds success.

Once you're comfortable getting into a stance and beginning your approach, the next technique to work on is your actual kicking motion. It's imperative you've got your setup and approach down before you move on to the actual kicking of the ball.

Don't rush! Trying to learn everything at once is nearly impossible and will cost you more frustration than slow, proper, steady progress through each step. Don't even utilize a ball at first. Once you're comfortable with everything involved in shadow kicking, you can move on to the real thing.

Tune in next time as we dig in to more kicking and punting!