Tressel has always maintained that Special Teams is the biggest key to victory. And the championship years proved it. In the recent past under JH, we had done some pooch kicking toward the sidelines near the 25-30 yd line.
However, I do remember seeing some of the hardest hits of this year come on kickoffs by #34 Thomas Sprague (Valpo and Illinois State). However, I have not seen him on the field for kickoffs during the 2nd half of the season.
Liste is more natural at the P rather than K. However, our more experienced transfer K haven't been able to get the ball in the endzone, so they may just be working on initiating Nick for both positions.
I have faith in our PK. I believe the two early misses were a result of 39-41 yd FGs from the right hash rather than straight on or the left hash (certain on SDSU). Each was a result of the play calling that is not to set up for FG's but rather score TD's, as it should be.
Z