Questions abound with kicking game

Posted Sep 29, 2010 by Adam Adkins

Updated Sep 29, 2010 at 08:37 PM

Place kicker won’t be the only starting position in the kicking game decided in the next few days. The starting punter job also is a question mark, USF coach Skip Holtz said after Wednesday’s practice.

Sophomore P Justin Brockhaus-Kann, who averages a Big East Conference-best 48.1 yards per punt, missed his second consecutive practice Wednesday with back spasms, and Holtz said he is unsure of his status for Saturday’s game against Florida Atlantic.

“Right now we’re just going to have to turn and wait to see how he responds to treatment,” said Holtz, adding he wasn’t sure who the replacement would be if Brockhaus-Kann was unable to play. “We’ve contemplated a bit with Chris Veron, the freshman, possibly taking the redshirt year off of him and because he can kickoff, kick field goals and he can punt and he puts another kicker into the mix. At this point, I just don’t know.”

Meanwhile, the battle between senior K Eric Schwartz and sophomore K Maikon Bonani was no clearer Wednesday. Bonani, who replaced Schwartz after he missed his first two field goal attempts against Western Kentucky, has been slowed in recent days because of a hip strain.

“We talked a little bit about kicking them (Thursday). I may even kick them on Friday. I don’t know,” Holtz said.