Tag: georgia kicker

Projecting Georgia’s special teams depth chart

The Georgia Bulldogs return a lot of talent on special teams like Jake Camarda and Jack Podlesny for the 2021 college football season.

The Georgia Bulldogs return one of the top punters in the country in Jake Camarda. Camarda is a senior from Norcross, Georgia. He’s expected to return as Georgia’s No. 1 punter after averaging 46.6 yards per punt last season.

Jake Camarda will look for more consistency on his kicks, but overall, he was impressive last season. He was especially accurate at pinning teams inside the 20. Camarda had 18 punts pinned inside the 20 last season and only six touchbacks. Noah Chumley projects to be Georgia’s No. 2 punter in 2021.

Jake Camarda additionally handled kickoff duties for the first time of his career in 2020. The Norcross High School product recorded 36 touchbacks on 41 kicks last season. Look for him to be the primary kickoff specialist once again in 2021.

Starting kicker Jack Podlesny saved his best moment for last in the 2020-2021 season. Podlesny nailed a 53 yard game-winning kick to beat Cincinnati in the final seconds of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Podlesny went 13-16 on field goal attempts last season. The junior did a solid job replacing Rodrigo Blankenship, but will have talented redshirt sophomore Jared Zirkel competing with him for the starting role.

Georgia’s kicking game is in good hands. Georgia special teams coordinator Scott Cochran will have elite athletes to cover kicks and punts once again. Although, Georgia lost key special teamer Prather Hudson to the transfer portal.

UGA’s No. 1 kick and punt returner should be Kearis Jackson. Jackson was one of the better kick returners in the SEC last season. He returned 11 kicks for an average of 27.1 yards per return. On top of that, Jackson returned 15 punts for 87 yards (including a 52 yard return against South Carolina).

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Former UGA football K Rodrigo Blankenship wins AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Former UGA football K Rodrigo Blankenship won the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has been on an absolute tear during his rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts.

Tied for second in the league with 94 points, Hot Rod had the play of the week last Sunday when he knocked in the 39 yard game-winning field goal in overtime.

Blankenship went 4/5 on Sunday with his only miss being one that bounced off the goal-post.

For his great play, he was awarded the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Rodrigo Blankenship hits game winning FG for Colts

Former Georgia football K Rodrigo Blankenship hits game winning 39-yard FG for the Colts in overtime.

It has been quite the rookie NFL season for former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.

After being passed on in the 2020 NFL Draft, Blankenship signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent.  The Georgia legend is now starting to make a name for himself around the NFL.

Hot Rod drilled a game winning 39 yard field goal against the Packers on Sunday to secure a 34 – 31 victory in overtime.

Blankenship has been money all year, going 19/21 (90.5%) on field goals and 23/25 (92%) on extra points so far.  He leads the NFL in points scored with 94 total points.  That’s pretty good for the walk-on, undrafted free agent out of Athens.

The NFL has officially been put on notice.  It’s time to start respecting the specs.

Beloved Georgia football player accepts Senior Bowl invitation

Highly-respect Georgia football kicker Rodrigo Blankenship accepts Senior Bowl invitation

The Reese’s Senior Bowl, one of the most prestigious post-season scouting games for NFL Draft prospects, has extended an invitation to Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.

‘Hot Rod’ accepted the offer Tuesday, becoming the first Bulldog kicker in over 10 years to represent Georgia in the event.

Blankenship is currently a perfect 198/198 on extra points for the Dawgs and 78/95 on field goal attempts. Though his numbers may have slightly dipped from his outstanding sophomore season, the beloved place kicker is still one of, if not the best in the nation right now.

No matter what happens in the Sugar Bowl against Baylor, everyone can agree Georgia will certainly miss this Damn Good Dawg.

Kirby Smart: “What Rodrigo has overcome is a story for the ages”

Georgia football HC Kirby Smart discusses how amazing UGA K Rodrigo Blankenship’s Bulldog career has been.

In Kirby Smart’s post-game presser tailing Saturday’s home win over Texas A&M, the coach used his opening remarks to congratulate Georgia’s newest career leader in points, Rodrigo Blankenship.

Blankenship, who also has the highest career field goal percentage of any Bulldog past or present, was flawless against the Aggies and scored 13 of the Dawgs’ 19 points on senior night.

It’s strange to think that the most automatic placekicker in school history didn’t start out on scholarship.

“What Rodrigo has done and overcome is a story for the ages,” Smart said.

Blankenship arrived in Athens as a preferred walk-on, meaning he had a semi-promised scholarship that would be awarded by the end of one season should he progress as the coaches hope.

He did his job, a scholarship still wasn’t awarded, and his dad wrote an open letter addressing the coaching staff that Georgia fans still remember.

The kicker responded by keeping his head down, persisting, and consequently earning his scholarship.

Smart continued:

 “To be a walk-on, to not getting a scholarship, to continue to work, to get a scholarship, and to continue to grind and be as consistent as he has been in some of the toughest conditions you can ask a kicker to kick…he’s just been tremendous.”

The senior out of Sprayberry High School has long been a fan favorite for the obvious football-related rationale. He is, as Smart later remarked, a “weapon.”

His habits of donning rec specs and lacing up the same Nike Mercurial cleats he’s worn since his high school soccer days have earned him fans nationwide for more frivolous reasons.

Blankenship’s tenacity, positive attitude, and grit should earn him even more.