LSU sophomore kicker James Hairston has one goal for every kickoff.
“Put the ball in the first row [of the stands],” he said. “I want to give the fans a souvenir.”
Rule changes implemented during the offseason may make Hairston’s individual goal easier, but it has changed the nature of kickoffs this year.
The NCAA moved the spot for kickoffs up to the 35-yard line from the 30, limited the coverage team to a five-yard running start and took the ball from the 20-yard line to the 25 on kickoff touchbacks.
Hairston said the new rules haven’t changed his approach to kicks.
“I can’t say I’m trying to do anything but hit a touchback, since a return is always dangerous,” he said. “But we have the fastest athletes in the country, just in case.”
That coverage unit has been less necessary than usual this season.
Hairston has booted 14 touchbacks on 29 kicks in 2012, already nearing the 16 he posted on 70 kickoffs last year.
“We joke about it with him,” said sophomore wideout Jarvis Landry, who is a gunner on the kickoff coverage team. “He’s not giving us many chances to tackle people. We don’t call him a specialist for nothing.”
While Hairston said coaches haven’t explicitly told him to angle kicks or loft them to entice a return, LSU coach Les Miles said some strategy is still necessary.
The severity of a 25-yard touchback has required more communication with the coverage unit, Miles said.
“We try to let them know when we’re going to kick it deep and when we’re going to kick it shallow so we can cover,” Miles said. “But it’s the unexpected there that’s an issue. They’re supposed to go down 100 percent on each one, so I think there’s some of that that gives a return team some advantages.”
Though Hairston is averaging 63.5 net yards per kick, down 2.2 yards from his 2011 mark — which earned him an All-Southeastern Conference Freshman selection — the opposition hasn’t benefitted from the regression.
LSU opponents are starting drives at the 22-yard line on average this season, as opposed to the 25 in 2011.
Hairston offers a simple explanation.
“I have the best coverage unit out there,” he said. “More guys are trying to bring it back from deep in the endzone with the new rules, I feel. They’re taking their future into their hands with our guys heading at them full speed.”
Indeed, opposing returners have tallied only 18 yards per return through four games, down two yards from the average against the 2011 Tigers.
Landry said LSU’s special teams coaches have counteracted the five-yard limit by implementing new techniques, such as having gunners run diagonally to maximize a running start.
“We’re lining up tighter to one side, running tighter and then fanning out as we get down the field,” Landry said. “You still pick up speed, and sometimes you stay more disciplined in your lanes.”
It’s not all positive on kickoffs, though. On Saturday, Auburn posted the longest kickoff return on LSU this season with a 43-yarder and Hairston netted just one touchback on three kicks.
That performance echoed Hairston’s message to his elite coverage team and most especially, himself.
“There’s so much room to improve,” he said. “It’s practice, practice, practice, especially with these new rules. The first row is still waiting.”
