Football Practice Report: Sept. 24
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Venue: Autzen Stadium
Format: Walk-through
As Aidan Schneider and the UO placekicking team rushed onto the field for a buzzer-beating field goal at the end of the first half last Saturday, he could easily imagine the voice of special teams coach Tom Osborne echoing throughout Autzen Stadium, counting down the waning seconds left on the clock.
An end-of-half field goal with the clock running is something Oregon practices every week, during its “Fast Friday” workout. That’s one of numerous “what if” scenarios the Ducks drill, and it was gratifying for the team to see its preparation pay off, when Schneider drilled a 40-yard attempt to end the first half against Georgia State.
“You’re happy for your guys, because of the amount of time spent practicing it,” Osborne said. “So when they get the chance to do it, and have success, you’re happy for them.”
That particular situation is drilled late in each Friday practice. The offense downs the ball between the hash marks and runs to the sideline, and the kicking team runs on, with Osborne counting down to zero over the stadium PA.
“Eighteen, seventeen, sixteen,” he’ll call out. If the quick change is happening efficiently, Osborne will jump ahead to add more pressure. “Fourteen, thirteen, ten, nine, eight …” Schneider sets up for the kick, nods to holder Taylor Alie that he’s ready, and Tanner Carew fires back the snap.
“Me, Tanner and Taylor, we’re really used to that from how much we practice it,” Schneider said. “To go out and do it in a game was a pretty cool experience.”
So far this season Schneider is perfect on six attempts, making him 17-of-18 over the last two years. He entered this fall with momentum, having missed just one attempt in preseason camp.
That said, in the end-of-half drill just last week, Schneider missed his kick. That he rebounded to make one in the same scenario a day later, this time in a full stadium during an actual game, illustrates his “no worries” demeanor that is such an asset.
“You can’t really worry too much,” he said. “You know you can do it, and you’ve got to trust yourself.”
Schneider could trust himself because he’d made that kick so many other times, among the various other scenarios Oregon drills.
“Things like that, or the hands team (for an onside kick) come up maybe once or twice a year,” Osborne said. “But all those scenarios, they do come up. It may not happen every game, but it’s going to come up over the course of the season.”
In the case of the field goal to end the first half last week, the Ducks were ready.
Other observations: Since practice was conducted at walk-through speed, there are no highlights to report. … Oregon’s punt return team is preparing to face Utah’s outstanding Tom Hackett, the returning Ray Guy Award winner. To mimic Hackett’s rugby-style punting, the Ducks employed their own Australian with a big leg, newcomer Jake Ford. Though listed as a placekicker, Ford has done some punting with the scout team this week. … Linebacker Kaulana Apelu has been working with the punt return team recently. He’s also on the kickoff team, a remarkable development for a walk-on who suffered season-ending knee injuries in the first game of both his junior and senior seasons of high school.
