Charlie Ham – Syndication Server

Georgia adds ACC kicker out of transfer portal

The Georgia Bulldogs addressed a major need on special teams on Saturday through the transfer portal with the addition of a veteran ACC kicker

The Georgia Bulldogs addressed a major need on special teams on Saturday through the transfer portal. Duke kickoff specialist Charlie Ham has joined the roster to presumably fill the same role for the Dawgs in 2024.

Ham will fill the role vacated earlier in the offseason by Jared Zirkel, who transferred to Texas A&M after losing the placekicking competition a season ago to Peyton Woodring. Ham will reunite with his former special teams coach at Duke, Kirk Benedict, who is now serving in the same role at Georgia.

Ham kicked 97 touchbacks on 191 kickoffs over the course of his four years at Duke, while also converting 36 of 50 field goals during his first three years in which he also served as the Blue Devils’ primary placekicker. Ham will also provide depth at kicker for Georgia.

Ham originally played high school football in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Westminster Schools. The 2024 college football season will be Ham’s final year of eligibility.

Notre Dame vs. Duke: Second-Quarter Analysis

Well, that’s a little more like it. Though it may not seem so, Notre Dame finally looks something like the team it’s expected to be in 2020.

Well, that’s a little more like it. Though it may not seem so, Notre Dame finally looks something like the team it’s expected to be in 2020. Thanks to a little trickery, the Irish find themselves ahead of Duke at halftime, 10-6.

When it looked like another Irish drive would die early, Jay Bramblett successfully executed a late punt. It woke the offense up, as evidenced by Kyren Williams’ 11-yard run, which was added onto by a face-mask penalty, and a nice catch by Jafar Armstrong, who took it 20 yards to the Duke 2. Williams ran it in for the Irish’s first touchdown of the season one play later.

The defense was picked apart on a drive that Duke got down to the Notre Dame 2. With the Blue Devils threatening to retake the lead on third-and-goal, Isaiah Foskey got to Chase Brice and ultimately was credited with a 10-yard sack after a replay review. Charlie Ham salvaged the drive with a 30-yard field, his second of the game and his career.

On the next drive, the Irish had a chance to extend their lead further after Williams caught an Ian Book pass and ran 75 yards to the Duke 11. But Book made an ill-advised throw into traffic, and Lummie Young IV intercepted it in the end zone for a touchback. Book then threw another interception when he got back on the field, but an offsides penalty wiped it out. The drive continued, and Jonathan Doerer kicked a 48-yard field goal as the clock expired on the first half.

Notre Dame vs. Duke: First-Quarter Analysis

If Notre Dame was hoping to come out fast in its opener, the first quarter was anything but, resulting in a 3-0 Duke lead.

The Irish allowed the Blue Devils to get on the outskirts of field-goal range on the game’s first possession before forcing a turnover on downs. The next time Duke had the ball, Chase Brice hit Eli Pancol for a 55-yard completion, and it was lackluster tackling execution that allowed Pancol to get to the Notre Dame 8-yard line. Though the Irish held the Blue Devils to a 29-yard field goal by Charlie Ham, the first of his collegiate career, it was a disappointing drive given that it started on the Duke 10.

The offense looked even worse, going three-and-out on its first three possessions. The lowlight came when Ian Book got sacked by Rocky Shelton II for a 10-yard loss. Just a wild guess here, but you probably need to pick up first downs to have a chance at winning a football game. Anyone wanna argue that?