Packers Film Room, Preseason Week 2: Trey Smack

By now, I think we’ve all seen Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Cam Achord’s presser where he talked about how the hold will change depending on different factors while kicking a field goal. But, in case you missed it, here it is:

First-year Packers special teams coordinator Cam Achord was asked how Trey Smack likes his kicks to be held.

He then came off the podium and did this for almost two minutes.

Enjoy. pic.twitter.com/sD6yhBbZDB

Here’s a bit of a summary:
1. A lot of kickers like the ball straight up and down.
2. If you want to drive the ball through the wind, lean the ball forward a bit. “Most guys who kick in weather have a forward lean.”
3. The direction of the wind can inform the direction of the horizontal lean.
4. Some kickers like a more extreme horizontal angle.
5. By adjusting the football, the kicker doesn’t have to change his swing. The lean of the ball can help do some of the work for him.

So, basically, the amount of lean will change depending on the kicker and the elements. Knowing that Trey Smack is the kicker – and will be the kicker heading into the regular season – let’s look at his field goal kicks against the Broncos. I took his four field goal attempts (all makes, of course) and slowed down the snap-to-kick portion.

The flags on the uprights are pretty still. I see forward lean on the hold, without much of a horizontal lean in either direction. Maybe a slight lean away from Smack.

You can’t see the uprights in this clip, but this is a forward lean away from Smack. Big fan of his celebration after it goes through.

The flags are pushing ever-so-slightly to the left of the screen. The hold is a forward lean with a slight lean away from Smack (with the wind).

Flags are dead. Not much wind in Denver, apparently. This appears to be a forward lean away from Smack.

With all that in mind, it looks like Smack’s preference is likely a slight forward lean, with a horizontal lean slightly away from him. While this game is outside, the conditions appear to be ideal: very little wind, no precipitation, with an added boost of being in the thin Denver air. I think it’s fair to assume that this is how he wants the ball held in ideal conditions. I’m curious to see how this changes if there’s wind and/or precipitation.

Albums listened to: Jessica Lea Mayfield – Miss Obliteration