Discussing the Canadian Fieldgoal League with the Roughriders’ sage specialist
It’s true: The CFL is literally turning into the Canadian Fieldgoal League, which has tallied 360 successful field goals through 17 weeks and only 314 offensive touchdowns.
Touchdowns are exciting. Field-goal attempts are boring, especially as CFL kickers are now successful 87 per cent of the time. Adhering to the preferred TD-to-FG ratio, NFL teams this season have scored 303 offensive touchdowns and 239 field goals.
Always articulate, honest and forthcoming, Lauther was asked some CFL-related kicking questions following a recent practice at Mosaic Stadium, starting with the reasons for the proficiency of modern-day kickers.
“Over the years it’s become a specialized position, the guys aren’t playing multiple positions,” said Lauther. “You have a fulltime snapper, holder, kicker.
“They moved the (hashmarks) in a couple years ago, so it’s made it a little easier. And there’s just a lot of good kickers across the league and across the country and across the world now.”
There’s too many FGs in the CFL, right?
“I don’t think so,” said Lauther. “Our league has more scoring and it’s a bigger field so it’s probably a result of more kicking as well. You have only three downs compared to four (in the NFL). I don’t know if that stat is above a normal trend or not, but special teams are a big part of the game up here and I think that’s what makes our league fun.”
“Probably not in our league, just how big the end zone is,” said Lauther. “You’d have to get to the 22-yard line to kick a 50-yard field goal.
“I think it would lower scoring. Maybe if it was a 10-yard end zone, that might be something to look into. But I am a traditionalist, I think we change the rules every year too much as it is. I like keeping our game the way it is.”
Whenever a kicker attempts seven field goals, it typically means his offence hasn’t scored touchdowns so he’s left to finish the drive. Most kickers would likely prefer kicking single-point converts; against Ottawa the Roughriders followed their lone touchdown with a successful pass for a two-point convert.
“Whatever way we can find a way to win, I definitely enjoy,” said Lauther. “Kicking converts means we’re scoring but the offence was moving the ball all day.
Earlier this season, Lauther attempted seven field goals in a 20-16 loss to the Montreal Alouettes. He made only three of seven, dropping his efficiency to a league-low 74.1 per cent (25-for-35), and wholeheartedly accepting blame afterwards to media, fans and teammates. Since then he has missed only once in 19 attempts while improving his success rate to 79.6 per cent, giving credit for his recent successes to snapper Jorgen Jus and holder Adam Korsak.
Lauther was asked if he has changed anything physically or psychologically since that July 25 disaster.
“That Montreal game, I felt great going into that day,” said Lauther. “There’s no excuses for anything. It wasn’t any different than any other game. They didn’t go in that night.
“I’ve just been doing the same since and they started to drop. I’m not really ever gonna change too much in-season anyways, maybe a little bit in the offseason. I’m kind of at the point where I’m just old and stubborn and going to do it my way until they don’t want me here anymore.”
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