By Mark Maynard / Prokickernews.com

CLARKSTON, Mich. – Prokicker.com camper Alex Barta made a verbal commitment to attend the Naval Academy as a punter on Monday.

Barta, a combo kicker for Clarkston High School, will attend prep school for a year at Newport, R.I., before transferring to the Naval Academy for his four-year commitment.

The decision wasn’t made lightly. He’s looking forward to being a part of the Midshipmen football team but also serving his country.

“I’m proud to serve my country,” he said.

Barta learned much of his techniques after attending “dozens” of Ray Guy Prokicker.com camps ranging from Kentucky to Illinois. He said they gave him the technique and background to become a top punter.

As a senior, he played on a powerhouse Clarkston High School team that rarely had to punt. But when they did, Barta was there for them. He averaged 40 yards per kick.

As a kicker, Barta provided Clarkston with a solid season as well. He made 3 of 5 field goals, including one from 45 yards out, and was 41 of 44 on extra points. He also averaged 61 yards on kickoffs, backing opponents up with a strong leg.

Barta was recruited as punter but plans to keep his kicking edge just in case.

Navy began showing interest in him last summer after watching him at a camp. In November they contacted him again to see if he was still interested and began the process.

Barta started getting his paperwork in order. Not everybody enrolls and attends the Naval Academy. For one, a congressman has to nominate students. He doesn’t have to have everything in order until transferring in the fall of 2013.

“I never thought I’d end up at one of the armed services,” he said.

Barta got a great taste of it in December when he was invited to watch the Army-Navy game.

“It was a great experience, of the best football games I’ve ever been to,” he said. “The atmosphere was amazing. There were some sweet flyovers and paratrooper guys dropping out of the sky. President Obama was on the sideline for a lot of the game, which was surprising.”

Barta has been a Navy fan this fall watching the Midshipmen whenever possible.

“I tried to watch as many games as I could,” he said.

Barta credited much of his success to Prokicker.com camps.

“I learned a lot from (director) Rick Sang and his staff. They were great. They got me to the poing where I could start getting recruited. They focus on the basics instead of just charting me the whole time. You’ll get the technique at those camps. That’s the most important thing.”

Now, Gibbons is 6-of-8 on the season, he's converted all 32 of his extra-point attempts and, with each ball that passes through the uprights, is easing the doubts that lingered about the position heading into the season.

"Kids change a little bit," coach Brady Hoke said. "Their mind-set changes a little bit. Sometimes, the coaching changes are good for some and not as good for others.”

It's been excellent for Gibbons, a West Palm Beach, Fla., native who was Scout's 11th-ranked kicker coming out of high school and an Army All-American. He was 16-of-21 in high school before his freshman season at Michigan (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten).

Hoke said the coaching staff talked to Gibbons when they arrived in Ann Arbor about putting last season behind him. By all accounts, he has.

Hoke said there wasn't a specific turning point, but Gibbons' consistency during spring and fall workouts gave him confidence the sophomore would produce. It also helped Gibbons hold off a hard charge by elite true freshman Matt Wile, who competed for the job in camp.

"I've never doubted the kid," Hoke said. "I know nothing about place-kicking. I couldn't teach it. I know what to look for, maybe, if I watch a guy, just like with punters. But, I've been real comfortable with how he's handled the different situations we've put him in, how he's gone out and worked every day.

"There has been competition, but he's shown us, on a daily basis, that he's got a good mind-set, and he's got a good leg."

The biggest remaining uncertainty regarding Gibbons heading into Saturday's game at Iowa (Noon, ESPN) is his range. Hoke said in August the sophomore was the more accurate kicker in practices, but that Wile had a stronger leg and would be the guy from 43 yards or longer.

That arrangement no longer is the case, as Gibbons has excelled this year and earned all the kicking duties. However, he still has not converted a field-goal attempt of longer than 38 yards, and has missed his only attempt of more than 40 yards.

His long in high school was 52 yards.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – kicker Brenton Zuzo, a Prokicker.com camper, is getting some attention for his talents.

Zuzo delivered for the unbeaten Plymouth team in big way Oct. 7.

With his team trailing, Zuzo executed a perfect onsides kick that was recovered by his teammates and then with two seconds remaining drilled a 40-yard field goal that many said would have cleared from more than 50 yards out.

The field goal lifted Plymouth to a 31-30 victory over Canton.

That kick came after Plymouth found itself down by two possessions and no timeouts remaining with a minute left in the game.

After Canton kicker Scott Piwowar hit a 22-yard field goal with under a minute left in the game to give the Chiefs a 30-21 lead, he squibbed the following kickoff out of bounds to set Plymouth up at its own 35.

On the first play from the line of scrimmage, Plymouth quarterback Shaun Austin fired a strike down the middle of the field to junior receiver Nate Emminger who took the ball 64 yards down to the 1-yard line. 

Austin then snuck the ball up the middle for 1-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds on the clock to inch Plymouth closer, 30-28. 

Plymouth lined up for an all-or-nothing onside kick by Zuzo that bounced several times and Canton was hesitant to go after the football.  Jamarl Eiland recovered for Plymouth at its 45 to give the Wildcats a chance with 18 seconds left.

Austin went back to Emminger for a 15-yard catch along the Plymouth sideline and then hit Devin McMillian for eight more yards along the sideline to stop the clock and set up the 40-yard field-goal try.

Bobby Deeg is the regular kicker but Coach Mike Sawchuk decided to go with his junior kickoff specialist Zuzo, who has a stronger leg.  Zuzo nailed the 40-yarder with two seconds remaining to keep Plymouth undefeated on the season.

“I was pretty nervous when I came out but kicked my leg straight up through and kept my head down, and it went in,” Zuzo said.

The field goal was Zuzo's first in two tries this season, but he has nailed a 61-yarder in practice.

Sawchuk said he was nervous when the kick was in the air, and he knew the perfect way to describe the feeling. 

“Like when you are a little kid and you throw a rock and it is heading towards a window and you’re going ‘no!’ but it was pretty special – that young man got it done,'' Sawchuck said.

Zuzo and Deeg are following the footsteps of Kyle Brindza, who graduated last year and now handles the kicking duties for the University of Notre Dame.

By Adam Biggers / Flint Journal

FENTON, Mich. — A few more phone calls from college recruiters are coming Fenton grad Jimmy Allen's way these days. And the kicker/punter hopes that those calls result in an invitation to where he has dreamt of going — a Division I school.

After a star-studded prep career with the Tigers, Allen thought he was well on his way to receiving Division I scholarship offers. However, his road to a major college took a detour and he signed with Grand Rapids Community College in 2010. But he never let his head down, and he was productive with GRCC during his year as its punter.

But Allen needed more experience and more recognition in order to get to his desired level of play. And he feels he received just that as a member of the semi-pro Michigan Gators this summer. He helped the Gators reach the Mid-Continental Football League’s title game about a month ago, but they lost 55-38 to the South Buffalo Celtics.

But on the bright side, for Allen, he went 10-for-12 on field goal attempts, averaged 44 yards a punt and helped the Gators post a 10-4 record. His “year off” from college play wasn’t really a year off. Although he attended Mott Community College, he didn’t let his talent go to waste. Nor did he forget about his ultimate goal of playing major college football.

“Playing semi-pro kept me from losing a step and forgetting things like the game speed,” said Allen, who was recently contacted by the University of North Carolina and Old Dominion. “It gave me a chance to get more film (highlights) to coaches as well.”

While some may have viewed playing semi-pro as a step backward, Allen insists that it was in his best interest. He still has three years of eligibility. Playing for the Gators didn’t “burn a year,” but yet, he still played at a high level. It was a win-win, he says.

“I had a lot of fun playing,” he said. “I was definitely surprised at how good they were. I thought it would have been a lot of older guys who weren’t sure about what they were doing. There were a lot of skilled guys on that team (the Gators).

“They were really happy to have me down there. (In) Semi-pro, you don’t really get a lot of kickers that consistently perform at a higher level. I had a lot of coaches and players say I was the best kicker they’d seen (in semi-pro).”

Hang time on punts, distance and consistent ball placement on kickoffs were vastly improved upon, says Allen, who credited his time with the Gators for helping him develop as an athlete. He went 7-for-7 on extra-point attempts during a 66-0 win over the Flint Fury, a game of which he is particularly proud. Because of his time with the Birmingham-based franchise, landing at a Division I school is a likely possibility, says Allen.

“I think there is more interest from (Division I teams) now because of how well I performed at Grand Rapids (CC) and in semi-pro,” said Allen, who plans to wait until early 2012 before making a college decision. “The speed has picked up from high school to college, and they (coaches) know I have adjusted to it. They don’t have a problem with me coming in. I don’t need a year to adjust. I think they have faith in me.”

Along with UNC and Old Dominion, Allen says he’s been contacted by Fresno State, Kentucky, Western Michigan and a “couple schools from Canada.” But as of now, Fresno State is among his top choices.

“They’ve always been in the middle of the pack (when it comes to winning), but knowing that they’ve been on TV a lot kind of helps with the national recognition and what not,” he said. “I’m not too big on a team’s record. It’s more or less about national exposure and a fanbase, even. They have what I’m looking for.”

If there is one kicker that Allen looks up to — and there are a few — it’s former Carman-Ainsworth standout Todd Carter, who was a member of the St. Louis Rams’ practice team earlier this season. He kicked for the Carolina Panthers last year, but isn’t currently in the NFL.

Seeing what Carter — a former Grand Valley State University standout — did to attain pro and college status pushes Allen along. He admires Carter’s desire.

“He just says it’s all about consistency,” said Allen, who watched Carter during offseason practice at Fenton High. “(Carter says) once you become consistent, and a coach can trust you inside 50 yards, you won’t have any trouble finding a team. He’s helped me a lot. Anyone who makes it to the NFL is obviously top-notch. I’d love to be in his shoes.”

And while Carter is a great role model, Allen says he looks at one of the NFL’s greatest kickers for inspiration as well. Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson is the prototype, says Allen.

“Jason Hanson is everyone’s idol, to be honest,” said Allen, who was at Ford Field in Detroit when Hanson nailed a 31-yard field goal in Week 5 to seal the Lions’ 24-13 Monday Night Football win over the Chicago Bears. “Every kicker dreams to have the longevity he has. His past three years have been his top years since he’s been in the league. A couple years ago, he went, what, 8-for-8 in field goals over 50 yards?! And he was 39 when he did that?!”

Allen used to bet Carter meals from Taco Bell during kicking competitions. Maybe that will work for Allen, who has a powerful leg, too. During their training sessions, Carter’s leg was so impressive that it earned the kicker more than a few items off the Taco Bell menu.

“He just has one of the strongest legs I’ve ever seen,” said Allen, who has also won a few bets with Carter. “You can tell when he kicks off in games; just pure, raw strength. A lot of that comes from soccer. I’ve never seen the ball fly off someone’s foot like that before.”

Shortly after being named homecoming queen, the Michigan girl gave her fellow students another big reason to cheer.

Brianna Amat kicked the field goal that proved to be the difference after earlier riding in Pinckney's homecoming parade, wearing her football uniform, along with the team's quarterback.

"It was amazing," she said of the kick. "It was a good night. I'm glad I could do that for the guys, because they deserve every win they can get. The team ... they're such good players, but they have to get over that little hump, and they can win every game."

Amat's 31-yard field goal put Pinckney ahead 9-0 over Grand Blanc. She is also a star on the school's girls' soccer team.

Amat told the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell that after the soccer season ended last school year she gave field goal kicking a try at the urging of the school's coaches. She grew up playing soccer, and has been at it since age 3.

She credits her teammates for helping her kick, especially the two who snap and hold the ball for her.

By Marc Pendleton / Dayton Daily News

DAYTON — Ryan Adams was easily the best player in the area at his position last football season. But unlike scores of other great players and even teammates, he wasn’t close to landing a college athletic scholarship.

No matter that he had crisscrossed the Midwest, attending every summer football camp he could find. In his estimation, he went to 30 during his high school career at Carroll.

“The only way that you’re going to get a scholarship is to kick in front of them,” Adams said. “I went all over, all summer.”

The message was the same everywhere he went: We like you, but ...

“It was up and down like a rollercoaster emotionally,” he said.

Adams was living the life of a frustrated kicker.

At 6 feet 1 inch and 195 pounds, Adams ably earned the tag “thunder foot.”

He didn’t just kick off; he rocketed unreturnable bombs – 18 of 25 – into the end zone, even into stiff wind.

Two of his five field goals last season were 52-yarders, both on grass fields. Others went for 44 and 37 yards.

His punts also whistled, good for an average of 38.7 yards.

But still, no takers. Instead, plenty of programs dangled a runner-up offer.

“I ended up No. 2 at a lot of places; Michigan, Toledo, UC,” he said.

“They would offer to another guy and they said that if he didn’t commit, then they would offer to me.”

That sounded good, then got old real fast. No program contacted him to say a scholarship was available.

That’s not unusual for kickers and punters. Like long snappers, those spots are after-thoughts compared to the other starting positions. And that’s with 65 scholarships available to Division I programs.

Carroll coaches were just as frustrated. A bulk email entitled “kicker with a big leg” was sent to scores of programs. It worked.

Southeastern Louisiana was smitten with video of Adams kicking.

“They saw it right there, called me up the next day, flew me down the following week and then just offered,” said Adams, shaking his head in near-disbelief even all these months later.

It doesn’t matter to Adams that he’ll have to travel to the Gulf of Mexico (Hammond, La.) just to play football. All he wanted was a chance, and he got it with the Southland Conference school.

Here’s what the Lions are getting: Playing for the South, Adams nailed field goals of 50 and 41 yards in Friday night’s 16-13 loss to the North in the White Allen Pigskin Classic all-star football game at Welcome Stadium.

He barely missed a 55-yarder. In practice at the stadium this week he was good from 63 and 62 yards.

Who wouldn’t want that kind of leg power? Apparently, a lot of programs.

“It’s tough,” Adams said during the Classic.

“I’m hoping that this brings a big future to me at Southeastern and hopefully maybe into the pros.”

Marconews.com

Made with 10-karat gold and at least a dozen small diamonds, the ring Brandon Kornblue won as a kicker on the University of Michigan’s 1997 national championship football team is a bit too gaudy for every day wear.

He still brings the ring out for special occasions, which is why Kornblue had his prized jewelry with him over the weekend for his sister’s wedding in Boca Raton. When he returned to his Bonita Springs home late Sunday, he was too tired to unpack and left his travel bag in the car.

When Kornblue returned to his 2003 Honda Accord on Monday morning, the ring was gone. According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, Kornblue told deputies someone entered his unlocked car between 1 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Monday and stole the ring, valued at $2,000, and his wallet which contained about $200.

“I usually don’t leave that bag in my car,” Kornblue, 34, said. “It was late, and I didn’t take everything out of the car because I was going right back early in the morning, and I was just exhausted from the weekend.”

Kornblue, of the 28000 block of Herring Way in the Villa Walk edition, earned the ring as a backup kicker on the Wolverines team that went 14-0 and beat Washington State in the Rose Bowl in 1997. He is now a coach, running Kornblue kicking that puts on camps and trains kickers locally, while also traveling the country to teach at college camps.

Though angry when he first discovered his ring was taken, Kornblue said he didn’t have much time to dwell on it. He had a private coaching session Monday morning he had to get to after calling deputies.

If the ring is not recovered, and Kornblue isn’t optimistic that it will be, it can be replaced by the manufacturing company. Kornblue said he hasn’t looked into a replacement ring yet. He has spent the past two days dealing with his stolen wallet – canceling credit cards and renewing his driver license.

“As much as I value (the ring), at the same time it’s not what I value most,” Kornblue said. “I value the experiences I had (at Michigan). The actual ring is great to have, but I didn’t lose any sleep over not having it either.”

As a redshirt sophomore in 1997, Kornblue was behind current NFL kicker Jay Feely on the depth chart. When Kornblue did get to kick, three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady was his holder on field goals.

Brady was a backup to former NFL quarterback Brian Griese in 1997. Kornblue estimated that 30 to 35 players from the national championship team went on to play professional football.

A native of Boca Raton, Kornblue was named an Academic All-Big Ten in 1999. Kornblue played with the Arena Football League, Spring Football League and for six seasons was the kicker for the Florida Firecats.

He was the af2’s all-time career leader in field goals and extra points made and total points by a kicker. The Firecats won the league’s Arena Cup in 2004 with Kornblue as their kicker. In 2009 he was voted as one of the top 10 kickers in af2 history.

Kornblue described his neighborhood, located on Bonita Beach Road two miles west of Interstate 75, as quiet. He said he never would have imagined a burglary in the area.

“You never see anything suspicious,” Kornblue said. “It’s not a community that you have to worry too much about burglaries. … I guess I was kind of naïve.”

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Saginaw News

FRANKENMUTH, Mich. - Former NFL referee Art Holst and former Midland Dow and Michigan kicker Phil Brabbs will step in for former Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr as the keynote speaker at the Frankenmuth Foundation Legacy Ball on Saturday.

Carr was scheduled to speak, but canceled the engagement to attend former U-M player Jim Mandich's funeral Saturday in Florida.

"I've heard Art before and I can't wait to hear more," said Dennis Krafft, a member of the Legacy Ball organizing committee. "He's an inspirational speaker who's very funny ... a great speaker.

"He's a fellow Rotarian, a fellow football official, so that's the card I played."

Brabbs, a Midland Dow graduate, is most known for his game-winning 44-yard kick to give the Wolverines a 31-29 win over Washington in 2002.

Brabbs is currently fighting multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow.

Holst was an NFL official for 15 seasons, working four championship games and two Super Bowls. He currently serves on a supervisory staff, where he rates college officials' performances.

The Legacy Ball, at Frankenmuth's Bavarian Inn, begins at 5 p.m. with a social hour with a 7 p.m. dinner. Tickets are $100 per person, which includes dinner, entertainment and a silent auction.

Proceeds will go to the Frankenmuth Community Foundation, which has provided more than $1 million in grants to a variety of projects and scholarships since it began in 1976.

Michigan's spring game is Saturday at noon at Michigan Stadium.

The coaches will be looking at several areas but one would have to be the kicking game considering how the Wolverines struggled there last season.

Brendan Gibbons and Seth Brokehuizen went a combined 4-for-14 on field-goal attempts. The holdovers have this spring to impress the new coaching staff before highly touted freshman Matt Wile arrives later this summer.