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

Friday, February 24, 2012

'A Specialist's Path to the NFL Combine'

Coach Zauner's One on One Lessons,  
College Senior and Free Agent Specialist's Combines
and PRO Development Camps are:


'A Specialist's Path To PRO Football'
These One on One Specialists Have Bought Into Coach Zauner's
Natural Style of Kicking and Punting For The Past Two to Five Years
It's no secret that all the kicking specialists and athletes invited to the NFL Combine have talent. The real question is, do they have the composure, personality and mental toughness that the NFL is looking for?

The interview process attempts to identify whether or not players possess the necessary qualities off the field that will make them successful at the next level. Through a variety of mental and physical tests, some players will surprise teams with impressive performances, raising their stock in the draft, while others will simply fall through the cracks. Similarly, several players will pass the 'Eye Ball' test while others won't. Every year there are players that pull off that once-in-a-lifetime performance where everything goes perfectly, punching their ticket to the NFL.

Every athlete at the combine is given a grade by scouts and scouting services that essentially rank their skills, abilities and potential. However, most scouts aren't as knowledgeable on some positions as they are others. In fact, a scout I spoke with said, "To be fair, I give ALL college specialists a Free Agent draft grade because of my lack of knowledge of those postitions." So, what does this mean? It gives those specialists not invited to the combine a reason to continue to work and fine tune their skills because there are a myriad of kickers and punters NOT invited to the combine that make their way into the NFL.

It is my experience after coaching 13 years in the NFL that most or all scouts are very conservative in grading all players and even more so with kicking specialists.

In my opinion, the best kicking specialists in the country are not always invited to the NFL Combine. At the same token, those receiving invitations have zero guarantee that they will be drafted or signed to an NFL contract. Every year, I watch athletes who didn't attend the combine make their way into the league. Some examples are Stephen Gostowski (Patriots) 4th Round Pick in 2006 NFL Draft.  Free Agent Specialists: Dan Carpenter (Dolphins), Garrett Hartley (Saints), Connor Barth (Tampa Bay), Brett Kern (Titans), Steve Hauschka (Seahawks) and many others through the years.  All are currently kicking in the NFL and were not invited to the NFL Combine.

I've been attending the NFL draft for over twenty years, and one thing I can say with 100% certainty is that the process is not an exact science. I've seen kicking specialists who I believe failed to impress scouts, get signed with teams and have long careers at the next level. I've also seen athletes who knocked it out of the park, fail to make it to the NFL or any professional team.

Becoming an elite specialist requires more than just a good skill set. It takes passion and determination to make the very most out of your talent and take the necessary steps to perfect your craft. Athletes that are dedicated to putting in the time and effort to give them that "edge" are those who will separate from the pack and realize their dreams of playing at the next level. Most great kickers are not born, they are made and  the even field of competing One on One in practice is where players win the starting job.

One on One Training in Phoenix, Arizona:

In the last couple of years, One on One Kicking and Punting Lessons have assisted Drew Butler (Georgia), Randy Bullock (Texas A & M), Kyle Martens (Rice University) and Brad Nortman (Wisconsin) in having success during their college careers.  Also, last week Carson Wiggs (Purdue University) came to Phoenix for One on One Kicking lessons to improve on his kickoff technique.

As I always say, 'coaches coach and players play'.  The NFL Combine is a huge event with all 32 NFL Teams in attendance including Owners, General Managers, Head Coaches, Directors of College and PRO Scouting, Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Coordinators, as well as various position coaches.

The players are evaluated not only on each individual test, but how they handle the entire four-day process prior to the physical competitions. Special Teams Coordinators and scouts constantly make mental notes on the little things-- how the athletes prepare, their attitudes, their demeanor as they stand and wait for hours. It is imperative that every player recognizes that from the second they arrive to the second they leave they are auditioning. It takes a lot of pressure and focus to remain collected and on your toes the days leading up to Friday afternoon, where you are asked to perform to the very best of your ability in an incredibly intense situation.

Sometimes human error plays a part in evaluating some of the specialists.  Like with kickers, it could be a bad snap, hold or combination of both, and one too many misses can make coaches wonder.  If an NFL coach likes a specialists from his pre-combine evaluation and his potential at the combine, he will do more research to decide if the team would like for their special teams coach to give him a private workout.

The most important factors to a special teams coach on the field is accuracy, hang time, consistency and how he handles pressure.
Coach Zauner with his Five One on One Students at 2012 NFL Combine
I tip my hat to all athletes attending this year's combine and wish all the specialists I've had the chance to work with the best of luck at the NFL Combine, their Pro Days and the NFL Draft. I hope that the One on One Training they received is their 'Specialist's Path to PRO Football'.

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Five Specialists Attend 2012 NFL Combine

Coach Zauner is Proud to Announce 
That Five of His One on One Students 
Will Be Attending The 2012 NFL Combine
Coach at 2012 Senior Bowl with Drew Butler, Randy Bullock & Brad Nortman
There is nothing more satisfying than to watch hard work pay off. I couldn’t be more thrilled to announce that five of my One-on-One Kicking Specialists will be participating in this week’s 2012 NFL combine.
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is the site of 2012 NFL Combine
Brad Nortman, Drew Butler, Randy Bullock, Kyle Martens and Carson Wiggs have all been invited to Indianapolis to showcase their skills and abilities in front of the best coaches, scouts and teams in the business. The combine provides an opportunity for second-to-none exposure that serves as a launching pad for flourishing careers in the NFL.
Brad Nortman (U. of Wisconsin) One on One Lesson in February 2012
Brad Nortman (University of Wisconsin) and I have been working together since his Senior year in high school. Brad has since gone on to the University of Wisconsin and currently holds the third best career punting average in school history, fourth best in total punting yards and fifth best in total punts. Among his list of accolades, Brad has received two Honorable Mention All Big Ten Awards and All-Academic honors each of his three varsity years. Brad’s dedication and belief in my 'Natural Style of Kicking' technique has propelled him to become not only good at what he does, but one of the best. I cannot wait to see what he has in store in Indianapolis this weekend.
Drew Butler (U. of Georgia) Training in Phoenix January and February of 2012
Drew Butler (University of Georgia) came to me four years ago through the suggestion of his father, former Chicago Bear, Kevin Butler. Drew was a red-shirt freshman at Georgia at the time and had aspirations of following in his dad’s footsteps and playing with the big boys in the NFL. Throughout his tenure with the Bulldogs, Drew received the 2009 Ray Guy Award, which is given out annually to the most outstanding Division I punter in the country. Drew also received multiple ALL-SEC honors, was selected as “2009 Punter of theYear” by  CollegeFootballPerformance.com and was recently named to UGA’s Team of the Decade. From day one, Drew has been dedicated to perfecting his craft and over the years he used the 'Specialists Path to PRO Football' to develop a fundamentally sound technique that will take him to the next level and beyond.
Randy Bullock (Texas A & M) One on One Lesson in February 2012
Randy Bullock (Texas A & M) came to my PRO Development Camp three years ago while he was a sophomore at Texas A & M. His record-setting 2011 senior season earned him the coveted Lou Groza Award which is given annually to the nation’s best placekicker. Randy was selected to four All-America teams and received multiple All Big-12 second team honors cementing his place among the top players in the country. He finished last season as the Aggie record holder for most career points as a placekicker. Randy is an outstanding individual whose attitude and perseverance should be admired.
Kyle Martens (Rice University) One on One Lessons in January and February 2012
Kyle Martens (Rice University) and I became acquainted when he attended one of my 2011 PRO Development Camp in Phoenix. Kyle spent four years as a punter at Rice University where he earned consecutive First Team All C-USA honors, was a Second Team 2010 Walter Camp All-American selection, and finished his career with a 43.0 career punting average and a single season mark of 45.98 average which are now currently school records. On February 4th, Kyle competed in the Players All-Star Classic in Little, Rock Arkansas. I am incredibly proud of Kyle’s accomplishments and eagerly anticipate his performance at the upcoming NFL combine.
Carson Wiggs (Purdue University) One on One Lesson in February 2012
Carson Wiggs (Purdue University) was introduced to me a few weeks ago at the 2012 Senior Bowl. Carson is coming off an exceptional college career at Purdue University where he currently holds the record for field goal percentage and the four longest field goals in school history. Already receiving an invitation to the NFL combine, Carson was looking for that “edge” that would separate him from his competition, and his agent recommended him to me. Although we haven’t had years of One-on-One Training like some of my other specialists, I have already seen monumental improvements in Carson’s technique and look forward to seeing his talents on display in Indianapolis.
Drew Butler and Randy Bullock Receive Awards On and Off The Field
I am grateful to have the experience and tools to help guide these young men on a 'Specialists Path to PRO football.' Every year, prospective athletes from our PRO Development Camps,  Combines (College Senior & Free Agent Specialist's Combines) and One on One Lessons take the next step in their careers and come face to face with their dreams of playing football at a professional level. These athletes are successful not only because of their natural abilities but because they believed in the process and were committed to making the most of their talent. Watching Brad, Drew, Kyle, Randy and Carson this weekend will undoubtedly remind me why I do what I do and why I have the best, most fulfilling job on the planet.

Click below to listen to Drew Butler's, Kyle Martens, Brad Nortman's, Carson Wigg's and Randy Bullock's Testimonials about their One on One Lesson and Combine Training with Coach Zauner and their 'Path to PRO Football'.



Group Training Session in February 2012
Kyle Martens, Drew Butler, Coach, Randy Bullock and Chris Pousson
Drew Butler (U. of Georgia) and Brad Nortman (U. of Wisconsin) One on One Weekend
Note:  I wish all the kickers, punters and snappers attending the 2012 NFL Combine the Best of Luck at the combine and in this upcoming NFL Draft.

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