Emphasizing ‘A Natural Style of Kicking and Punting’®, Coach Zauner’s teaching philosophy facilitates an environment where kicking specialists develop the skills, technique, and confidence to achieve their maximum physical and mental potential. At an amateur and professional level, Coach Zauner, LLC programs and events provide a kicker, punter or snapper ‘A Specialist’s Path to PRO Football'®...Coach Zauner, LLC Mission Statement

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Sam Martin 2013 5th Round Pick - Detroit Lions

Sam Martin - Appalachian State University
Punter / Kickoff Specialists
2013 College Senior Combine Specialist
Detroit Lions 5th Round Pick
Punter / Kickoff Specialists, Sam Martin (Appalachian State) 
Congrats to Appalachian State Punter / Kickoff Specialists, Sam Martin for being drafted in the 5th Round by the Detroit Lions.  In my opinion Sam was in the top two combination Punter / Kickoff Specialists in this years 2013 Draft.

He was also one of 27 punters and 73 kicking specialists that attended Coach Zauner's 2013 College Senior Combine, held March 1-3, 2013 in Gilbert, Arizona.
Sam Martin, Nose Down Drop
Coach Zauner's College Senior Combine is producing results for specialists in smaller division schools.  In the 2012 NFL Draft, John Potter (Western Michigan) was Drafted in the 7th Round by the Buffalo Bills.  In this years 2013 NFL Draft it was Sam Martin (Appalachian State University).

Appalachian State University and Western Michigan are two smaller division football schools however, specialists are getting the exposure the deserve and need from my combines.

Coach Zauner's College Senior Combine has become a "Field of Dreams" for several college senior kicking specialists. Some have been drafted and others have signed Free Agent Contracts.  The key is to get the EXPOSURE they want, need and deserve and get into a NFL training camp to compete for a starting job.

The goal of Coach Zauner, LLC and the College Senior Combine is to get any college senior kicking specialists that has NFL potential and was NOT invited to the NFL Combine exposure.

I believe that because I have coached, trained and consulted 22 PRO Bowl and over 95 NFL kicking specialists NFL Special Teams Coaches and Directors of Personnel take notice of the lists, information and videos I gather.

The system is working and I hope it continues to work for the upcoming kicking specialists around the country that have the dream of one day playing in the NFL.  And most hard working specialists say they just want a chance.

Coach Zauner's College Senior and Free Agent Combines are giving kicking specialists the chance they want and deserve as long as they are performing at a high level.

Sam Martin Explodes Up & Through The Ball
Sam Martin Explodes Kickoffs High & Far
This year Sam Martin was drafted and Congrats to him.  Also, several other players that attended my 2013 College Senior Combine have called informing me of signing Free Agent Contracts.  Punters: 
Tress Way (U. of Oklahoma) Bears and Ryan Doerr (Kansas State University) Broncos  Snappers:  Kevin McDermott (UCLA) 49ers and Jorgen Hus (U. of Regina) Rams.

And I hope there will be more to come.

Sam Martin was one of the 16 specialists I recommended to NFL Special Teams Coordinators and so were Tress Way, Ryan Doerr, Kevin McDermott and Jorgen Hus.  As a kicking coach and teacher it is very gratifying to know that what you are doing is having a positive impact on people you are working with and for. 

At the 2013 Kicking Combine Sam demonstrated why he was one of the top two punter / kickoff specialists in this years draft.  Sam was a late entry to my Combine this year and I believe he is pleased that he attended.

Click below to listen to Sam Martin's testimonial about Coach Zauner's College Senior Combine. 


Coach Zauner's One on One Lessons, Pro Development Camps, 
College Senior and Free Agent Combines are 
"A Specialist's Path To PRO Football"

2013 College Senior Combine Punters Group (27)

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Saturday, April 27, 2013

2013 College Senior Combine Best Kickers


2013 College Senior Combine Kickers Group

At Coach Zauner's 2013 College Senior Combine 73 Specialists attended.  Twenty-Nine (29) Kickers, Twenty-Seven (27) Punters and Seventeen (17) Snappers.

Sundays Kickers Group
  
The purpose of this combine is to get the senior class Kickers that deserve EXPOSURE.

I felt this was an excellent group of kickers. After three days of evaluating the twenty-nine (29) Kickers I felt five had NFL potential: In alphabetical order:  Jose Lopez (Middle Tennessee State), Bryson Rose (Ole Miss), Jeremy Shelley (U. of Alabama), Matt Weller (Ohio University) and Jake Wieclaw (U. of Miami). 
Jose Lopez (Middle Tennessee State)
Bryson Rose (Ole Miss)
Jeremy Shelley (U. of Alabama)
Matt Weller (U. of Ohio)
Jake Wieclaw (U. of Miami)

University of Alabama Kicker, Jeremy Shelley who was labeled the short kicker won the kicking contest with a long field goal of 61yards.  Jeremy made 11 straight field goals and finally missed at 64 yards.  He might be the best kept secret in the kicking world.  Congrats to Jeremy.
U. of Alabama Kicker, Jeremy Shelley Wins Field Goal Contest

In addition to the five Kickers that I recommended to the NFL, several other kickers with a little work and improved consistency will maybe be future prospects:  Drew Alleman (LSU), Michael Josifovski (Marian University), Morgan Lineberry (Abilene Christian) and Chance Marden (SDSU).

I would like to wish all the kickers good luck in this years 2013 NFL Draft and in the future.

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Friday, April 26, 2013

2013 College Senior Combines Best Punters


2013 College Senior Combine Punters Group

At Coach Zauner's 2013 College Senior Combine 73 Specialists attended.  Twenty-Nine (29) Kickers, Twenty-Seven (27) Punters and Seventeen (17) Snappers.  

The purpose of this combine is to get the senior class punters that deserve EXPOSURE.

I felt this top group of punters was the best group I have had in the past four years of my combine.  I even told my assistants that these five punters might be even better than the group of punters I saw two weeks previously at the NFL Combine.  We will all know when the NFL season starts in September.

After three days of evaluating the twenty-seven (27) punters I felt five had NFL potential.  In alphabetical order:  Ryan Doerr (Kansas State), Joseph Gardner (U. of Wisconsin - Whitewater), Scott Lopano (U. of Penn), Sam Martin (Appalachian State) and Tress Way (U. of Oklahoma).

Ryan Doerr (Kansas State University)
Joseph Gardner (U. of Wisconsin - Whitewater)

Scott Lopano (U. of Penn)
Sam Martin (Appalachian State University)
Tress Way (U. of Oklahoma)
In addition to the five punters that I recommended to the NFL, several other punters with a little work and improved consistency will maybe be future prospects:  Will Atterberry (U. of North Texas), Dalton Botts (U. of Miami), Alex King (U. of Texas), Jonathan Plisco (Old Dominion) and Daniel Zychlinski (Stanford).
Sam Martin Punter / Kickoff Specialists (Appalachian State)
Appalachian State University Punter / Kickoff Specialists, Sam Martin really caught my eye and everyone at the combine with his explosive punts, field goals and kickoffs.

I want to wish all the punters the best of luck in the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft and in the future.

Coach Zauner Gives Directions to Punters & Snappers


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2013 College Senior Combine Best Snappers


2013 College Senior Combine Snappers Group

At Coach Zauner's 2013 College Senior Combine 73 Specialists attended.  Twenty-Nine (29) Kickers, Twenty-Seven (27) Punters and Seventeen (17) Snappers.  

The purpose of this combine is to get the senior class specialists that deserve EXPOSURE.  I

n 2010 Morgan Cox (U. of Tennessee) and Justin Drescher (U. of Colorado) signed free agent contracts and are now playing in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens and N.O. Saints.

In 2011 Christian Yount (UCLA) was signed after the draft and is now snapping for the Cleveland Browns. Then in 2012 Beau Brinkley (U. of Missouri) signed with the Tennessee Titans and is their starting Snapper.

The 2013 Draft is right around the corner and which snapper or snappers from my 2013 College Senior Combine will be signing contracts, going to camp and competing for starting positions.

The six snappers I thought had the best NFL potential were the following: In alphabetical order: Jackson Anderson (Duke), Brandon Hartson (U. of Houston), Jorgen Hus (U. of Regina), Evan Jacobsen (U. of New Mexico), Billy Johnson (Tulane) and Kevin McDermott (UCLA). 
Jackson Anderson (Duke)
Brandon Hartson (U. of Houston)
Jorgen Hus (U. of Regina - Canada)
Evan Jacobsen (U. of New Mexico)
Billy Johnson (U. of Tulane)
Kevin McDermott (UCLA)
There were also three other snappers that I felt needed to either get bigger, become more consistent or needed to improve some part of their game in the future and would also be NFL prospects and they were: Sean Flaherty (Boston College), Martin Resner (Augustana) and Michael Zupancic (Eastern Michigan).

Good luck to all these snappers in the 2013 NFL draft and in the future.  

Coach Consults with Assistant Steve Hoppe & NFL Snapper Nick Sundberg (Redskins)


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The 'Vital Man' In Your Kicking Game -- The Snapper

Coach Zauner Has Always Believed, Coached and Preached That


The Long Snapper Is The ‘Vital Man’

In Your Kicking Game

One on One Snapping Lessons
Snappers Work on Perfecting Their Field Goal Snaps
Snappers Work To Improve Their Punt Snap Consistency 
Snappers Work To Improve Their Coverage Skills

NFL Snapping Specialist’s Embrace Coach Zauner, LLC

The life of a Snapper can be described as all guts and no glory. Hardly any fan can ever name their team’s long snapper, unless it’s for the wrong reasons. When things go badly on a snap the whole world knows it.  This is why over my 35-year coaching career, I’ve always said, “The most vital man in your kicking game is the snapper.” Every good kick or punt starts with a good snap.

Any kicker and punter will credit success to their snappers. It’s a bond that specialists have because of their operation. You may even say it’s similar to a quarterback’s timing with a receiver running routes. Kickers and punters rely heavily on comfort and concentration, and an errant or wobbly snap can throw everything off balance. A bad snap can even throw a holder off his spot by just a few inches causing a kick to sail wide. I can’t say it enough; the snapper is the most vital man in the kicking game!

When I was a punter and kicker in high school and college, I always appreciated having a good snapper because it made my job so much easier. I was only as good as my snapper was. That’s why over my high school, college and NFL coaching career, I’ve always put finding a good snapper at the top of my recruiting and scouting lists.

As a side note, when I was an NFL Special Teams Coach with the Baltimore Ravens, I petitioned for snappers to be a part of both the NFL Combine and the Pro Bowl because I felt that they are a ‘football player’ just as anyone else on the team. With the support and endorsement of several NFL Coaches and Coordinators, the petition was brought to the NFL Competition Committee and passed. Initially, the NFL Combine invited two snappers each year but has since dropped to one. As far as each team having a long snapper for the Pro Bowl, it was decided each team would have a 'need' player the coaches select and its generally understood it's always a snapper.

This just goes to show that long snappers are still at the bottom of the food chain.

When I started back into my consulting business as a kicking coach, the idea of finding and coaching snappers carried over in it. This idea seems to have caught on since several NFL teams have consulted with Coach Zauner, LLC in regards to snappers. My track record with punters and kickers has always spoken for itself, however the number of snappers finding 'A Specialist's Path to PRO Football' is ever increasing as the results are proving.
Pro scouts and personnel generally find it difficult to evaluate kickers, punters and in particular snappers. I believe because of my background and appreciation for snappers, I have a gift to find, evaluate, refine and develop them. Currently eight of the 32 starting NFL snappers have come through a Coach Zauner Program.

Also, I think it would be very interesting to train and develop positional players to be a back up snapper in case of injury. A perfect example of this is when Oakland Raiders snapper Jon Condo received a concussion and had no back-up causing a special teams fiasco. These unfortunate events ultimately cost Oakland the game. Because of the 53-man roster rule today, NFL teams no longer carry back-up kickers, punters and snappers.

Click Below To listen to this short video on Coach Zauner's PROGRAMS and how his One on One Lessons and PRO Development Camps have helped snappers improve their technique and take their games to the next level.  Also, how the College Senior and Free Agent Specialist's Combines have been a platform for Snappers to show case their skills and get exposure they deserve to NFL, CFL and UFL teams.



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