Kicking Battle in San Jose?
With less than 48 hours until the NSFL regular season is set to begin, you'd think all position battles would be settled, right? Apparently the GMs out in northern California had other ideas. Instead of settling a position battle, the SaberCats' brass went out & created yet another one, signing free agent kicker Jack Vanderjagt. Now while most people outside the organization may see this as a surprise, most within the team welcome the move, as most feared this may have been a weak spot in the SaberCats' depth chart. With all that being said, Vanderjagt will still have to earn his spot if he's going to overtake existing kicker Kentillan Laces. Now, let's break down our 2 competitors:
First, the incumbent, Kentillan Laces. Originally from Virginia Beach, Laces took his talents to the University of Nevada, where he put together a solid 4 year career for the Wolfpack before entering the inaugural NSFL draft. Drafted in the 16th round, Laces went into the preseason as the SaberCats' only kicker, so he was responsible for kicking & punting duties. His performance wasn't overwhelming, but not overly disappointing either. Popular opinion inside the locker room is that his work ethic has been less than admirable, which is likely why management went looking to potentially replace him.
Now for the newcomer, Jack Vanderjagt. Originally from the great white north, specifically Oakville, Ontario, Vanderjagt played his college ball at Allan Hancock in California. Despite playing at a virtually unknown school, Vanderjagt put up monster numbers for the Bulldogs, catching the eye of San Jose's scouting department. Look for this kid to give Laces a run for his money as they battle for playing time early in the season.
Will Laces hold onto his spot? Will Vanderjagt take over the reigns? Or will they split time, one as kicker & one as punter? This battle should be fun to watch moving forward.
With less than 48 hours until the NSFL regular season is set to begin, you'd think all position battles would be settled, right? Apparently the GMs out in northern California had other ideas. Instead of settling a position battle, the SaberCats' brass went out & created yet another one, signing free agent kicker Jack Vanderjagt. Now while most people outside the organization may see this as a surprise, most within the team welcome the move, as most feared this may have been a weak spot in the SaberCats' depth chart. With all that being said, Vanderjagt will still have to earn his spot if he's going to overtake existing kicker Kentillan Laces. Now, let's break down our 2 competitors:
First, the incumbent, Kentillan Laces. Originally from Virginia Beach, Laces took his talents to the University of Nevada, where he put together a solid 4 year career for the Wolfpack before entering the inaugural NSFL draft. Drafted in the 16th round, Laces went into the preseason as the SaberCats' only kicker, so he was responsible for kicking & punting duties. His performance wasn't overwhelming, but not overly disappointing either. Popular opinion inside the locker room is that his work ethic has been less than admirable, which is likely why management went looking to potentially replace him.
Now for the newcomer, Jack Vanderjagt. Originally from the great white north, specifically Oakville, Ontario, Vanderjagt played his college ball at Allan Hancock in California. Despite playing at a virtually unknown school, Vanderjagt put up monster numbers for the Bulldogs, catching the eye of San Jose's scouting department. Look for this kid to give Laces a run for his money as they battle for playing time early in the season.
Will Laces hold onto his spot? Will Vanderjagt take over the reigns? Or will they split time, one as kicker & one as punter? This battle should be fun to watch moving forward.