Notre Dame Kicker Gone Missing

Milk Carton Poster Boy Nick Tausch

Junior Notre Dame kicker Nick Tausch out of Jesuit High School in Plano Texas has not kicked a football for the Irish this year.  We thought he would get a chance in either the Air Force game or the blow-out last Saturday against Navy.  In the AFA game Head Coach Brian Kelly did send in walk-on senior Mike Grieco to kick an extra point as a reward for being a loyal and dedicated member of the Team.  Kelly also opted to work through David Ruffer's shaky start this year and did not call on Tausch.

During 2010 Nick had lost his starting role and was 1/1 in field goals, kicking a 34 yarder while Ruffer was 18/19 and 37/40 on PATs.  Nick kicked off 8 times and averaged only 55.4 yards compared to Ruffer’s 65 kicks averaging 64.3 yards including 10 touchbacks.

During pregame warm ups before the Pittsburgh game in 2009 then freshman Tausch came up lame and could not play.  He had been 14-17 in field goals and 27/30 for PATs. David Ruffer kicked a 42 yard field goal but missed a PAT in relief and took over the kicking duties. Nick and David were in a basic dead heat with kick-offs.   Tausch 65 kicks averaged 61.8 yards with no touchbacks or out of bounds.  Ruffer also kicked off 65 times averaging 62.1 yards, two touchbacks and two going out of bounds.

Thus far in 2011freshman Kyle Brindza has kicked-off 48 times, averaging 66.2 yards with 9 TB’s and 2 OBs.

So where is junior Nick Tausch?  Wearing a redshirt?

Kelly does not have a verbal commitment for a kicker in the 2012 recruitment class thus far.  There may be some walk-on deals that are not public knowledge.  Ruffer is a fifth year senior earning a scholarship for this his last year.

Brindza was brought in as a kicker and punter.  His punting skills were not good enough to beat out sometime erratic Ben Turk.  What Kyle can do kicking field goals is unknown. 

Tausch is on scholarship and a possible added year of eligibility would/could be a good thing.

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