Too Much Perfection
August 4th, 2017
Cites perfection for inaccuracy.
Embattled Bucs kicker Roberto Aguayo seems to be slightly pulling away from Nick Folk as the kicker competition rages on in the second week of training camp.
Aguayo was perfect this morning, hitting on each of his seven kicks, including boots of 54 and 53 yards.
After practice, Dirk Koetter said Aguayo was “lights out” and should continue eating whatever he had for breakfast this morning. “Best day of training camp, best day in a long time,” Koetter said.
Aguayo has been rather good as opposed to last year’s training camp, when he was a rookie scatter-shooting his kicks all over the place, and then went on to make just 22-of-31 field goal attempts.
Today, Aguayo cited a different mentality for his summer improvement. In short, Aguayo believed last year he was trying to be too perfect.
Aguayo admitted that last summer, he tried “to just overdo things and obviously try to get better and try to be a perfectionist at every little detail, but at the end of the day, you get too cluttered in your head. You just have to relax out there and have fun.”
And that is the key to improving this summer, Aguayo said. Don’t get stressed out. Have fun.
“I was making it out to be more than what it is,” Aguayo said. “You come into the NFL… and, yeah, there are things you have to do a little better. But, it is a job. At the end of the day, just keep doing what you are doing. Take it back to when you were young and all you did was go out there and have fun and just enjoy the ride. That is one of the things Coach [D Koetter said is enjoy the ride. And I am trying to do more of that.”
If the laid back approach was all it took for Aguayo, it seems to be working.
There is a lot of time left before the Bucs have to make a call between veteran Nick Folk and Aguayo. But thus far, the chill philosophy is benefiting the second-year Bucs kicker.
August 4th, 2017 at 12:38 pm
This competition is definitely gona be won n lost during the games. I think Aguayo loses to the pressure. May the best kicker win tho. We are gona need an accurate kicker this year….n one who can knock down fgs over 50 yards. Go Bucs
August 4th, 2017 at 12:41 pm
I really want to see this kid pull away in the competition. It’d be good for him and great for our team if he can live up to his draft position (scratch that), his expectations… be a part of the Bucs for a decade+.
Not to mention if his turnaround can be seen on Hard Knocks, that would play huge in the eyes of the nat’l audience and continue to build the Bucs brand.
August 4th, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Great to see Roberto doing so well.
August 4th, 2017 at 12:58 pm
I hope he was just over thinking things and he gets a whole lot better
August 4th, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Great, I hope he wins the job and is our kicker for the next 15-years. Those so-called Bucs “fans” that want him to fail because he was a 2nd pick won’t be happy about this.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:06 pm
I have always pulled for Aguayo. While I like Folk, and would be okay with him, it would be sad to see the Bucs give up on Aguayo too quickly, and to watch him go somewhere else and be a fixture for years. I want him to be a fixture in Tampa, where he belongs.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:24 pm
When he’s out on the field during warm ups taking notes (physically writing down notes in a notebook) of the playing field and its conditions, that to me is not having fun. Just go out and kick the ball, kid.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:26 pm
Perfection and worry over mistakes leads to one thing. Being tight. Perfection can wreck mechanics. This is why Smith and Koetter care about the process first and foremost. Commit to the process, production will come.
This is why having fun is so important in succeeding in a sport. If someone can work hard and have fun, there is no limit. Its harder than it sounds, hopefully Aguayo has it figured out.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:28 pm
He will be just fine.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:36 pm
Yes, Tampa is where he belongs! If Folk is picked I’ll adapt, however I said it then and I say it now, Aguayo got the juice, Aguayo will bring the juice and he will be our clinch player 98% of the time, notice 2nd pick doesn’t mean he has to be perfect…the other 50 some guys aren’t. GO AGUAYO🤗, GO BUCS☠
August 4th, 2017 at 1:45 pm
I found it interesting as GM Licht was standing under the goal post starring at kicker as Aguyayo drills 53 yarder.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:50 pm
OMG so much crow will have to be eaten. 😀Get it den Roberto.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:54 pm
Right when you count someone out and they’re back is forced against a wall and they are left with only two options. Die or come out swinging.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:58 pm
Did Folk kick today and if he did how many misses ?
August 4th, 2017 at 2:00 pm
HaHa!
August 4th, 2017 at 2:32 pm
Waiting for them to give him some deep opportunities in preseason.
August 4th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Joe, were any of his kicks through the skinny uprights?
I am firmly convinced using those things has improved his accuracy for the regular uprights.
August 4th, 2017 at 3:02 pm
Nole on Sat- Bucc on Sun Says
“OMG so much crow will have to be eaten.”
In doubt that. The ones that rooted against him nonstop will pretend to support him now in order to avoid eating crow. You know how they are around here.
As for myself, I really have been supportive of him, though I do think it wise we keep both kickers during the Martin suspension.
August 4th, 2017 at 3:03 pm
The same people against Aguayo are the ones who were against Mike Evans two years ago. Where are they now? Case made.
August 4th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Look, I am a Nole and am rooting for Berto.
That being said, a training camp battle, even fighting for your job, is a lot different than the pressure that comes with a regular (or post) season kick that can win or lose a game.
We can’t keep 2 kickers on the active roster. I just hope if he wins the battle that the yips don’t return once we get into a dog fight with some team, especially on the road, or on national TV. That’s a much different type of pressure.
August 4th, 2017 at 3:53 pm
Lmao @ everyone that said Aguayo couldn’t make it
August 4th, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Well said Bonzai. Fake a$$ fans
August 4th, 2017 at 5:01 pm
Keep it up Roberto. If you are going to be a Buccaneer in 2017 – you are going to earn that right. Competition is always a good thing. May the best kicker win.
August 4th, 2017 at 5:10 pm
Yes, it is more pressure, but it is not NEW pressure, it is not rookie pressure. He has felt it for 16 plus games, he has HARD KNOCKS at one BUC, he has ALL THE NAYSAYERS and CRITICS. He had the GM at the goal line🤗
But It is a new day now, like what VH3, and ME had to get through…the adjustment has been made and now Opportunity meets Preparation!
Go Aguayo, go BUCS☠
August 4th, 2017 at 6:05 pm
As far as I am concerned,the ability to hit the longer 40 and 50 yard kicks was just as important as accurracy which usually improves with time for roookies.
Agree 100% with above poster about Berto meticulous notetaking on divots.
August 4th, 2017 at 7:18 pm
He’s had a good week. Let’s not get carried away now. May the best foot fairy win.