2026 Draft Rd 6 #35 K Trey Smack Florida

[Heyjoe4]

Ever since Mason Crosby retired haven't had a long haul kicker as hopefully Smack will really do awesome wonders.

Crosby got what I thought was an unfair amount of criticism. He seemed very reliable to me, especially from inside the 50. He didn't have a big leg and wasn't built to regularly make kicks from 55 plus. And it's not meaningful to compare %s for kickers in outdoor, northern cllmates with dome kickers,.

In today's NFL, more and more kickers are hitting 80 plus % on kicks FGs of 50 plus yards. I've read that Smack has a big leg and can make these kicks, and that his accuracy is good.

The Packers have been plagued for a few years now with kickers that just aren't very reliable from inside 50, usually wide left or right - or blocked.

Smack will of course find that kicking in Lambeau in December will be very different than FL. There will be fewer attenpts as the weather gets cold. If he can be consistent from inside 45/50, that will be an improvement over the recent past.

 

[Heyjoe4]

The man tried despite his coaching inexperience. He was not dealt the best deck either.

Agreed. Team leadership was not very strong in the decades following Lombardi. As you note, Starr wasn't provided with a lot of talent. But keeping him HC for nine years was a mistake as well, as much as we all love the guy.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Wow didn’t recall Starr hung around that long…

Yeah it was a very long time. Too long. But how do you fire Bart Starr? His legend carried the day, and that was an unfortunate mistake.

 

[milani]

Yeah it was a very long time. Too long. But how do you fire Bart Starr? His legend carried the day, and that was an unfortunate mistake.

The guy we needed instead of Devine was Joe Paterno.

 

[gopkrs]

I believe he allowed ****** exploitation to go on so he could have a good football team.

 

[Heyjoe4]

The guy we needed instead of Devine was Joe Paterno.

Anybody but Devine. He seemed like a nice guy, but nice guys don't get much respect when they are NFL HCs.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I believe he allowed ****** exploitation to go on so he could have a good football team.

It went beyond having a good football team, much like the OSU and MSU scandals, it was Male self-importance, that took priority over everyone else.

 

[milani]

Anybody but Devine. He seemed like a nice guy, but nice guys don't get much respect when they are NFL HCs.

And back then coaching in the NCAA was somewhat different than the NFL.

 

[Heyjoe4]

And back then coaching in the NCAA was somewhat different than the NFL.

Agreed. I don't think great HCs at the college level will translate to great NFL HCs. I don't keep track, but it seems like there have been more failures for teams hiring a HC from a college team. Chip Kelly comes to mind, and that guy who coached the Jags for one year, forget his name.

Cliff Kingsbury may be an exception, although he makes a better coordinator than HC.

 

[milani]

Agreed. I don't think great HCs at the college level will translate to great NFL HCs. I don't keep track, but it seems like there have been more failures for teams hiring a HC from a college team. Chip Kelly comes to mind, and that guy who coached the Jags for one year, forget his name.

Cliff Kingsbury may be an exception, although he makes a better coordinator than HC.

Pete Carroll won a national championship at USC and a SB at Seattle.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Pete Carroll won a national championship at USC and a SB at Seattle.

Yup.

I really don't think there is anything set in stone as to college coaches not being able to work in the NFL successfully and vice versa. Really comes down to a lot of different factors.

I actually think with the Transfer Portal and NIL money, the way coaches coach and recruit in the NCAA is going to change significantly.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Yup.

I really don't think there is anything set in stone as to college coaches not being able to work in the NFL successfully and vice versa. Really comes down to a lot of different factors.

I actually think with the Transfer Portal and NIL money, the way coaches coach and recruit in the NCAA is going to change significantly.

Seems to me Jimmy Johnson did okay also.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Seems to me Jimmy Johnson did okay also.

Yup.

There are examples of successful college coaches that both nose dived in the NFL, as well as flourished. Like I said, I don't think there is a whole lot of correlation between success or failure with coaches that have made the jump, in either direction.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Pete Carroll won a national championship at USC and a SB at Seattle.

Good point. I think he is the only person to accomplish that. As much as I despise the Hags, Pete was a v good HC.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Yup.

I really don't think there is anything set in stone as to college coaches not being able to work in the NFL successfully and vice versa. Really comes down to a lot of different factors.

I actually think with the Transfer Portal and NIL money, the way coaches coach and recruit in the NCAA is going to change significantly.

The portal and NIL is already affecting how college teams recruit and retain talent. And IMO, not for the better.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The portal and NIL is already affecting how college teams recruit and retain talent. And IMO, not for the better.

Yup. It is still the Wild West out there. Some programs were well out ahead of others on both. Seems like those programs are battling with tanks and destroyers, while others are just learning how to shoot a flintlock. I predict over the next 5 years, a HUGE gap between the top teams and the bottom tier in talent, success and ability to even keep certain programs afloat.

 

[SudsMcBucky]

Good point. I think he is the only person to accomplish that. As much as I despise the Hags, Pete was a v good HC.

Barry Switzer and Jimmy Johnson.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Barry Switzer and Jimmy Johnson.

Thanks Suds, forgot about them. Barry Switzer was also a Dallas HC, right?

 

[SudsMcBucky]

Thanks Suds, forgot about them. Barry Switzer was also a Dallas HC, right?

correct.

 

[mradtke66]

I really don't think there is anything set in stone as to college coaches not being able to work in the NFL successfully and vice versa. Really comes down to a lot of different factors.

It does depend, but I think many college coaches lean into the hard ***, my way or the highway mindset. Or the overly rah-rah leadership style. Neither translates well to the NFL when good players stick around more than the 3-4 years in college, are grown mean who won't put up with the same stuff that naive college kids would.

I actually think with the Transfer Portal and NIL money, the way coaches coach and recruit in the NCAA is going to change significantly.

I think the bigger change is that coaches won't have the same ultimate power in college. In years past, transferring cost years or eligibility. Now it doesn't. NIL is just a bigger lever. If a player doesn't have a chance to play or doesn't line up with the coach, he'll find a differently place that theoretically is better for him. A bit more like the pro game and free agency.