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Lanning: no cause for concern

Gamecocks’ kicker confident in his abilities despite poor opener

spencer lanning lead horo

South Carolina junior kicker No. 34 Spencer Lanning makes a field goal try but misses wide left during the THIRD QUARTER as USC defeats N.C. State 7-3 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.

Gerry Melendez /gmelendez@thestate.com

Written by JOSEPH PERSON

jperson @thestate.com
Posted on 09.10.09
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It was two mistakes in a season opener that did not cost South Carolina the win.

But for a field goal unit viewed as a preseason question mark following kicker Ryan Succop’s departure to the Kansas City Chiefs, Spencer Lanning knows the miscues at N.C. State might have added a few worry lines to the faces of Gamecock fans.

But Lanning insists the first-game struggles are not cause for long-term concern.

“That’s one of those things that looks bad on so many different levels,” Lanning said of his missed field goal and Charles Turner’s bad snap in Raleigh last week. “We’re a team that’s been reliable in the past. For it to happen, I guess it’s good that now we know our weaknesses and we can build on them. But it’s not going to happen again.”

The problems in the kicking game overshadowed a strong special teams performance in USC’s 7-3 win. Defensive end Devin Taylor blocked a punt, and Lanning had a good night punting before hitting a low line drive on his final punt that was returned to midfield.

Most of the pregame, special teams talk centered on finding someone to take the kickoff duties from Lanning. Adam Yates, recovered from a groin injury, said he felt good on his two kickoffs.

The field goals did not go as smoothly.

With Lanning lined up for a 31-yard attempt in the first half, Turner sent a low snap to holder Stephen Flint, who was tackled for a loss when he tried to run. Lanning called Turner’s flub a freak occurrence.

“I’ve been with C.D. (Turner) since I’ve been here (in 2006), and he doesn’t have bad snaps,” Lanning said. “That’s just something that doesn’t happen. I don’t know whether it was the ball or what.”

The Gamecocks missed another chance to add to their slim lead in the third quarter when Lanning pulled a chip-shot, 27-yard attempt wide left.

“I just missed it,” Lanning said. “I knew as soon as it came off. I didn’t even have to look up.”

When he did look up, the ESPN cameras caught Lanning with a smirk on his face — something his family later gave him a hard time about.

“I got a little heat because I was smiling, but it was one of those smirks on my face like, ‘I can’t believe it,’ ” he said. “It was one of those ‘You can’t be serious’ looks.”

The miss against the Wolfpack followed an inconsistent preseason for Lanning, who hit almost all of his practice kicks but struggled in the intrasquad scrimmages at Williams-Brice Stadium.

But special teams coordinator Shane Beamer said Lanning would be fine.

“Part of the problem the other night was our whole operation. But I have no problems with (Lanning),” Beamer said Wednesday. “Just gotta keep building the confidence up, and let him know that he’s our guy. We’ve done that. There’s a couple technical things that, obviously, we’ll try to clean up. But we feel good about that.”

Lanning said he did not feel nervous in his first game as the starting kicker, but conceded the pressure of a game-day kick is hard to replicate in practice.

“You can get out here in practice all you want, but as soon as you get under those lights — it’s like coach Beamer said — it’s a completely different situation,” Lanning said. “You try to prepare as much as possible. ... Try to put as much pressure on you as possible, no matter what it is, so that it doesn’t happen again.”

Lanning, a redshirt junior from Rock Hill, said he received a call after the N.C. State game from Succop, who told Lanning “there’s a difference between hoping you make it, and expecting to make it.”

Lanning said he has been working more on his mental approach this week than changing his technique.

“He bounced back great,” Yates said. “He’s been hitting the ball well. He’s pretty confident.”

Confident enough that he is ready for another chance Saturday in Athens, where a series that has been close and low-scoring could come down to a field goal.

“You’ve just got to trust in yourself,” Lanning said. “You’ve just got to stroke it.”

Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.

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