The Fort Mill Times (Fort Mill has a newspaper? Really?) has a nice write-up on former Wolfpack kicker Steven Hauschka. Stuck behind steady, strong-legged Ryan Longwell on the depth chart, it’s unlikely that he’ll be in a Viking uniform this year. Still, it sounds like he is at least getting notice in camp:
Longwell and special teams coordinator Paul Ferraro have helped Hauschka change his kicking style, with the biggest adjustment involving shortening his delivery and reducing the amount of time it takes him to get a field-goal attempt off.
“A lot of guys I’ve suggested stuff to, they don’t listen and they don’t make it,” Longwell said. “So that’s why I say Steve has a legit chance, because he is now kicking the ball in a style and a form that can make it in this league.”
Ferraro said it didn’t take long for Hauschka to get the hang of it.
“He’s done a good job adjusting to it and his times are really good now,” Ferraro said.
The Vikings open the preseason on Friday night against Seattle, and just how the kicking duties are going to be split in the four games has yet to be determined.
Vikings coach Brad Childress said Hauschka “has an NFL leg,” and Loeffler agrees.
“He’s been tweaking a few things on his field goals, but his kickoffs have been incredible,” Loeffler said. “That’s something that could definitely get a guy in the league and keep him there for a long time. A guy like him could come in and really do some damage because he can hang it up there for a long time.”
I really hope he makes it. In my mind, Hauschka was clearly the team’s MVP last year. It’s weird to say this about a kicker, but he was a genuine badass. Click here to relive his finest moment wearing the red and white, when he carried the Pack to victory in Coral Gables.
