Let’s see … the Fort Pierce Fire to the St. Lucie Bobcats to the Arizona Rattlers to the Sacramento Mountain Lions to the San Francisco 49ers practice squad.
After the one-of-a-kind road he’s traveled to the NFL’s fringes, what’s another five yards to rocket-footed kicker Fabrizio Scaccia?
This week’s vote by the NFL owners to move kickoffs to the 35-yard line (from the 30-yard line) will obviously impact big-name returners such as the Chicago’s Devin Hester and Cleveland’s Josh Cribbs, who will have fewer chances to return kicks.
But what about the flip side – the impact on a largely anonymous NFL hopeful such as Scaccia, 26, whose unique ability to blast kickoffs into the end zone just became a little less unique? It’s possible the rule change will decrease Scaccia’s chances of latching on with the Niners, or another team, strictly as a kickoff specialist.
Of course, Scaccia, who never attended college, knows something about beating the odds. Not surprisingly, he’s a glass-is-half-full type who notes NFL teams could find value in a kicker who could almost guarantee touchbacks.
“I was definitely fine with it being on the (30-yard-line),” Scaccia said with a laugh this morning. “But it could be an advantage (for me). We’ll see. I think from the 35 I could consistently get it deep into the end zone, if not out of the end zone.”
In 2009, Scaccia nailed a 68-yard field goal while playing with the semi-pro St. Lucie Bobcats. His 68-yarder, believed to be the second-longest in organized football history, earned him mention in Sports Illustrated and, he says, a scholarship offer from Ohio State, which ultimately couldn’t be accepted due to eligibility issues from playing semi-pro football. He had a full-ride scholarship from South Carolina out of high school, but couldn’t accept that offer either. His mom was in a serious car accident and he stayed home in Port St. Lucie, Fla., to care for her.
Last year with the Sacramento Mountain Lions, Scaccia nailed a 54-yarder, a UFL record. He was signed to the Niners practice squad on Dec. 21 and was re-signed to a future contract on Jan. 5.
The role of kickoff specialist seems like a possibility for Scaccia in San Francisco although new special teams coordinator Brad Seely has never had one during his 22-year NFL career.
Niners placekicker Joe Nedney, who turned 38 this week, had four touchbacks on 37 kickoffs last year. Nedney missed the final seven games with a knee injury, which he sustained while kicking off against the Rams on Nov. 14.
Kicking guru Gary Zauner, a special teams coach for 13 years with the Vikings, Ravens and Cardinals, believes the NFL’s rule change could be a blessing for veteran kickers such as Nedney.
“I think as a kicker gets older they all think their career is coming to an end because they can’t kick off,” Zauner said. “Now I think all these guys are licking their chops and saying this has now extended their career.”
Zauner is now a special-teams consultant based outside Phoenix and one of his pupils is Scaccia. The pair began working together 14 months ago and Zauner estimates they have since had 35 two-hour kicking sessions. Scaccia, who lives in Port St. Lucie, arrived in Arizona this week for two weeks of work with Zauner, who has had also Niners kicker Jeff Reed, a free-agent-to-be, visit him this week.
Zauner is a believer in Scaccia’s ability to find a full-time NFL kicking job and was instrumental in Scaccia landing with Sacramento in the UFL (Mountain Lions coach Dennis Green was Zauner’s boss with the Vikings).
Zauner says Scaccia has an ideal even-keeled temperament for an NFL kicker and compares his leg strength to Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski and Jacksonville’s Josh Scobee, both former clients. The final step, Zauner says, is to improve his consistency. Scaccia made 12 of 16 field goals with Sacramento.
“Fabrizio is now kicking the ball better than I’ve ever seen him,” Zauner said. “He’s improved his technique, which has improved his consistency.”
For his part, Scaccia is ready to take the final step is his one-of-a-kind journey and make an NFL active roster. His dream is so close. No wonder he doesn’t think five yards will stop him.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said. “All my friends and family will tell me ‘Think about where you’re at’ and it’s still overwhelming to me. But I’m ready to go and I’m going to do my best. If it’s not good enough (in San Francisco) hopefully it will be good enough somewhere else.”
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As much as I like Joe Nedney and his field goal consistency I think it’s time to consider a replacement. Kickoffs have never been his strong point and the last couple of years they’re getting shorter and shorter which enables the other team to get much better field position. I hope they give this kid a serious look.
Yes Joe Nedney needs to retire, and I also hope they sign this kid.
Kicking off from the 35, is basically a 75 yard fg. With a running start on the kickoff, expect to see Fabrizio kick his kickoffs thru the up-rights. Lol, ESPN will love him.
I do also think that Nedney needs a buck up, and as much as I like him he just turned 38 so its time the 9ers get someone to eventually replace him wy not this kid? GO 9ERS…
You guys have basically been spoiled. Nedney is up there with the best field percentage kickers in the history of the league. You are willing to fall in love with a big leg kicker not knowing how he will handle pressure or what his percentage will be inside of 45 yards. I say keep Nedney.
I agree… but he keeps ending up on IR. I’ll take consistency and accuracy over a big leg any day, but if he’s only going to last half a season, they’re going to have to find his replacement soon.
This was the first time I remember him going on IR.
He missed two games in ’09, I thought he was on IR then. For some reason I thought he missed time in ’08, as well, but it looks like I was wrong.
Damn straight. Nedney is the only consistent and steady piece of offense (and special teams) we’ve had in years. So he’s 38? Let’s not throw him out because he missed a few games once or twice in his career. When it’s time to retire, it’s time to retire. I’m sure he has a handle on it.
Seems like if he’s any good the 49er’s may two kickers under contract that could provide some trade value.
It’s really cool to have two kickers–one for accuracy and one for distance–if you have enough versatility on your team that you can afford to lose a game-day player. Last season Mike Singletary let Michael Robinson go, not figuring he would make a big special teams’ difference. We saw what a mistake that was, as Seattle needed him and every other member of their team to slip into the playoffs, while the Niners ruefully watched. I would hope the new regime would think harder than Mike did, if they decide to go with two kickers.
Hitting is being taken out of the game. Rugby players think the NFL is for sissy’s. I’m all for the players’ safety but the sport I’ve followed for the last 60 years is becoming different. I’m waiting for a litigation box where the plays are reviewed by lawyers…….wait we have that already.
Yeah… Rugby. I hear the Euros making this claim all the time. I watched England vs. Ireland the other day on the BBC. Those guys move so slow they don’t need pads – the tackling is different too, the flying wedge formations don’t exactly allow anyone to get up to top speed. Actually, I like Rugby (how can you not, it’s the forefather of our game) but to compare the “toughness”… eh… I don’t think so.
I’d actually like to see an old-style football league start up here in the US where the pads/helmets and some of the rules are thrown back to the early days (a little more like rugby). Sort of like a real version of the Leatherheads movie. Pipe dream :P
Just because he has a strong leg doesn’t mean he’s not accurate. Scaccia is more of the balanced style kicker (just blessed with a cannon), in the AFL the posts are slim. Inside 45 yards is a chip shot for this guy. Kind of like someone in golf that can drive the ball far and putt well. Not like John Daly where he is just the power type without the complete game.
I concur that Mr. Nedneys’ time is waning and if this kid looks good in training camp and beyond I would make him our kicker. The road he has traveled is good character mileage.
Why are we talking about kickers? What’s next, quality control coaches?
Would you prefer Ejiro Evero or Peter Hansen?
– Eric
I’d actually want to read about both.
I heard that Peter Hansen is one of the best in business and Harbaugh would not have taken the job unless Hansen was his first hire, CMON MAN!!!! Eric that’s weak!
@FDM
Dude, you read down this far, and so did I…….
I don’t know if its addiction or obsession, but we probably all need help. At least Eric gets paid for writing it.
Actually, I’ll admit to being a sports nerd. Like reading stuff about all these guys. :P And Nedney’s the man! We take guys like him and Ray Wersching, back in the day, for granted. Mr. Automatic.
We are talking about kickers because they are like closers in baseball. I’m a Vikings fan, and in 1998 if Gary Anderson makes the 38 yard field goal to seal the deal against the falcons in the NFC Championship game, we’d of been in the Super Bowl against the Broncos. Situations come up like this every week in the NFL… you don’t want to be the team with the shitty kicker. Plus on a side note, Scaccia would be a nice addition to my fantasy team, we get 10 points for FGs 50+. Doing my scouting early this year, if there is a season, lol.
Ok. Nedney is great but he has a permanent physical issue and is aging. True, Gary Anderson makes that kick if idiot head coach Dennis Green uses third down to position the ball in the middle of the field. But the changing of the guard is eminent. If this kid is accurate, I say; the king is dead…Long Live the King.