and Chad Ryland can curse him. The "New Dynamic Kick Off", put in last year by the NFL was a complete dud, until Aubrey cracked the code on how to hit an NFL kick-off. No longer do you desire a 75+ yard hit out of the end zone, because the ball would come out to the 30 yard line (instead of the 20) and no time off the clock. BUT, you also don't want to hit short of the "landing zone" (between the 20 and goalline), because your opponent gets the ball at the 40 yard line without a second off the clock. Most kickers have simply gone to hitting a puff ball somewhere down to the goal line. Most returners want to return and taking a touchback in the end zone, only brings the ball out to the 20. So they run it out — and the league is happy because KOR rates have skyrocketed. The play IS MORE DYNAMIC now. However, Aubrey took a little inspiration from Major League Baseball and started hitting knuckleballs, sliders, change-ups and screwballs. The effect is a weaponized kick-off perfect for the new rule book. Why? Because moving up your tacklers to the opponents 40 yard line means any high hang time kick off is easy to catch and there's no merit in, because your tacklers can't start the play until the returner touches the ball — who's likely to get the ball back out to your 30 yard line... maybe even break one for a big score. But having to field a line-drive bouncing ball inside the landing zone forces the return man into action with more time for your defenders to make a tackle on him. It's brilliant... IF YOU CAN DO IT. Aubrey has mastered this skill and it shows*. Chad Ryland, of the Cardinals, has not mastered it just yet, and hit, to my knowledge, the first ever game losing kick off in the NFL. *There is one rather embarrassing incident that recently happened when Aubrey botched one of his "patented" kicks and nailed a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader in the noggin. Thankfully, in the back of the head — and she was a trooper about it. Hope Aubrey signed the ball for her and picked up her Tylenol tab. 🤣

New year, new form. Kicks from 20M, 20M, 32M, 36RM, 40LM, 40LM, 40LM! Feedback is very much appreciated!

This past weekend, I worked with Gary Zauner, the #1 kicking coach in the country. Gary is famous for helping elite specialists break into the NFL. This clip is of Ben d'Aquila, a Big Sky Honorable Mention All-Conference Punter from Northern Arizona. Last Fall, he averaged 46 yds/punt. This is an elite punter, getting an opportunity to be tested — NOT to get an NFL contract, but to get an invite to a pro tryout in front of pro coaches who can offer that contract. He flew from Arizona to Wisconsin (paying his own way), just for the chance to punt in front of Coach Zauner on a nice July morning in Milwaukee (also paid for). He stretched out and warmed up for about 20 minutes. Had to wait another 20 minutes while snappers were being tested, then prepped a little more just prior to being asked to "give it a go" with a live snapper and Coach Zauner ready with a trusty stop-watch. This is the full extent of the charting he received.He got 6 punts (3 traditional+3 directional). That's it... his day was done. How do you think he felt? Did he accomplish what he set out to do? Were the bombs he hit enough to impress an invite? When the pressure is on — like REALLY on — how well do you perform?

OK, so it was a weak month of commentary from our membership, but I think that's mostly because I spent most of my June on the road at the 8 kicking camps this summer. They are all complete now... and as fate would have it, Matt joined me at the last camp in Walworth, WI at Big Foot High School. He took a day off from work just to work with my campers! When Matt offers his advice in here, know that he was once a fine kicker himself, was a camper at the Original Mike Farley's Kickers Camp, became the proud father of an All-Conference High School kicker/punter who has gone on to kick and punt at Drake University! He has a lot of friendly advice for both specialists AND THEIR PARENTS! He's even devised a recruiting "game" that we'll be sharing with our membership soon. Congrats, Matt! Now, everyone, it's summer practice season. The time is now to get your kicking leg in gear and make the positive strides you're looking for prior to this Fall's Football Season! 🏈

I have never been able to watch the UFL, but have gotten oddly into CFL highlights. They just started the regular season up north so check it out on YT. It’s 12 men per side, unlimited motion, huge fields and for kickers, two big things — place kickers may use a small block, and the “rouge” or “single” is a thing. Punts that go into the huge end zones and are not returned earn one point for the kicking team. Same with a missed field goal. So you can often see a score of 1-0. Go to the 1:24 mark here to see a rouge, followed by the score line you’ll see nowhere else in football.