the answer "WHY NICHOLAS SETTA ISN'T IN THE NFL"

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

NFL scout quote:
Has good leg strength, but is not as consistent kicking from long distances as he is from inside the 40-yard line … Generates good hang time, but not distance on his kickoffs … Effective emergency punter, but not considered pro starting material in that category … 2003 leg injury needs further evaluation.

We had brought in Lou Groza Award(top college kicker) Winner Jonathon Ruffin and he couldn't beat out Jamie.

I don't think wasting an import position on a guy who appears to be only a kicker is a smart move.

#2

have you every seen him kick?

#3

is the report from 4 years ago???

#4

More important, is this the last NFL report on him?

#5

I say we give him a chance to SHOW us what he can or can't do instead of reading what SOMEONE ELSE thinks he can or can't do. Same goes for Chang.

#6

Yes this was the last report on him in 2004, after he completed his SR. season at Notre Dame.

this is from an NFL scouting source on NFL.com

#7

Yes I have seen him kick, but not punt.

Joey Hillbold did the punting IIRC at Notre Dame. Setta was strictly a kicker.

In 2003 he was replaced by DJ Fitzpatrick due to an unjury.

Setta is really accurate, however he doesn't have much distance.

The scouting report on him is pretty much dead one. as to what I have seen from him

#8

Jason Maas last year vs. Jason Maas 2004....my point here is that 3 years can make a huge difference. I'm not hating Maas either (I truly think that he is going to bounce back and have a great year for us!)

However, this report doesn't give us any indication as to what Setta is like now. You need to have faith in what our scouting/GM/coaching staff are doing. They have the experience and knowhow to scout out talent!

#9

You are right, truth...Hibold did punt, though Setta was recruited as both.

Being a HUGE Irish backer, I'm always glad to see ND grads here, but I have questions about Setta...leg strength and distance on KO's. I've heard, however, that he has strengthened considerably, and been working with a punting coach in Florida, so...

#10

wow, hasn't even put on the uniform yet, already he can't kick in the CFL

#11

Not too sure he was recruited as a punter?

and as for training in Florida he may have been.

But as of a week ago, he was in Oregon, Coaching Chinese players, how to kick.

which seems kind off odd. I'm getting a bad feeling about this kicking situation for us in 2007

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/02/sports/nfl.php
#12

I have always felt that leg strength for a punter is more important than for a kicker, all things being equal.

My measure of a placekicker is whether he is automatic inside the 40-yard line, particularly when the game is on the line. One kicker who comes to mind in this vein is Don Sweet, whose leg strength was often questioned in his early days. However, his leg strength was just fine for the Canadian game and his accuracy was sterling. Accuracy is more important to me in the FG department than leg strength.

As for punters, leg strength is far more a key ingredient to success. A prime Hank Ilesic with the Esks was, well, lights out at around 50.0 yards per punt. The main compensation for not having a booming punting leg is the combined ability to have great punt placement and hang time. Two great punters of the past in this area for me were Ray Guy of the Oakland Raiders and Wally Buono for the Als of the 1970s. Guy had respectable punting power horizontally speaking, but was otherworldly in his hang time, being the only man to ever hit the TV screen gondola of the Louisiana Superdome (!) with a punt. I believe he should become the first punter to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for being the difference maker he was during the Raiders' championship heyday.

Buono, for his part, was not the longest punter you'd ever see, but he consistently was among the CFL leaders in net average because of his hang time and punt placement skills.

Ideally, one would love to see a remake of Ozzie or Bernie Ruoff -- a boomer in both roles. Hopefully Setta has the good leg condition and strength upgrade since his NCAA days to rise to the challenge. I look forward to training camp in that regard.

Oski Wee Wee,

#13

And let's not forget it took Osbaldiston a few years to develop his punting. People tend to overlook that many complete kickers don't start their careers that way.

#14
but is not as consistent kicking from long distances as he is from inside the 40-yard line
If this is from an NFL scout, would the above not indicate that he is not as good on 50 yrd FGs, since if its placed on the 40 yrd line, the posts are ten yards at the back of endzone?
#15

http://www.nd.edu/~observer/09062002/Sports/1.html

He hit a 59 yarder in grade 10.
Hit the cross bar from 72 yards out.
Made a 73 yarder in practice.

Yeah, I think he is only good inside the 40.

I can remember occasions where Marshall would leave Boreham on the sidelines instead of going for a 45+ yard FG.
And it wasn't because of his leg strength.
Another thing about Setta is he was on the Mens Varsity Track and Field team while at Notre Dame.
That is a major accomplishment!

#16

It's not like Nick Setta has a a long term, guaranteed contract.

The beauty of bringing Nick Setta in to Training Camp,
or any other player for that matter, [even Jason Maas] is,

as borehamgirl says, it gives him a chance
to SHOW us what he can or can't do,

and we can see whether he sacks up well
against others at his position in Camp

and if he comes up short we release him
and we have no further committment to him.

P.S.

Besides we will likely be holding our usual free agent camp
for punters and kickers before the main Training Camp begins.

#17

I watched Setta kick with Notre Dame and agree with the above analyses, however, I've lost track of him in recent years and would anticipate that he has developed the leg strength required to get the job done in the CFL.
To reiterate borehamgirl and ronfromtigertown, nothing is carved in stone. If he doesn't cut it in training camp, he's gone! Frankly, I hope he does cut it. It would be great to have a kicker who can develop into the calibre of a Ruoff or Osbaldiston.