Featured Columnist IVOctober 19, 2024
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Arizona State head soccer coach Kenny Dillingham mentioned Saturday that he’s holding a kicking tryout subsequent week after sophomore kicker Ian Hershey missed a pair of subject targets in a 24-14 highway loss to Cincinnati.
Dillingham made the announcement throughout a postgame press convention by which he was vital of his crew’s kicking struggles:
The Athletic CFB @TheAthleticCFB
“When you can kick and also you’re at Arizona State, e-mail me. … I am lifeless critical.”
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham is on the lookout for some particular groups assist 👀
“Our kicking recreation’s atrocious, so for those who can kick and also you’re at Arizona State, e-mail me,” Dillingham mentioned. “We’re gonna have kicking tryouts on Monday, so convey it on. Kicking tryouts Monday, let’s go. … I am lifeless critical. We’re gonna put it out on our social, we’re gonna have a kicking tryout on Monday. We gotta discover somebody who could make a subject objective.”
Dillingham later apologized on social media, writing that the crew’s losses “will all the time 100% fall on myself.”
Coach Dillingham @KennyDillingham
I wish to apologize in my publish recreation press convention I talked about our kicking recreation like I do offense / protection. Nevertheless the kicking recreation is all the time directed at one participant. I shouldn’t have accomplished that and I apologize. This crew’s losses will all the time 100% fall on myself.…
With the Solar Devils trailing by 10, they missed subject targets on every of their last two offensive drives of Saturday’s recreation.
Hershey’s first miss was from 48 yards out, and he adopted up by misfiring on a 41-yard subject objective.
Coming into Saturday’s recreation, Hershey was simply 7-for-10 on subject targets this season, however the two misses dropped him to an abysmal subject objective share of 58.3 p.c on the yr.
Hershey additionally kicked at Idaho State in 2022, making seven of his 11 subject targets. He didn’t try any subject targets final season after transferring to ASU.
The Solar Devils even have one other kicker in freshman Carston Kieffer who has made 4 of his 5 additional level makes an attempt and missed his solely subject objective try this season.
With the loss, Arizona State dropped to 5-2 total and 2-2 in Large 12 play on the yr, however the crew continues to be trending in the fitting course.
In 2022, the Solar Devils went 3-9 in Herm Edwards’ last yr on the helm, and so they adopted it up with one other 3-9 marketing campaign final season below Dillingham.
Arizona State has already proven immense enchancment, and it is only one win away from turning into bowl eligible.
Continued kicking woes may harm the Solar Devils shifting ahead, although, and it’s clear that Dillingham is keen to go to nice lengths so as to stabilize that side of the crew.
