Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 25, 1995 TAG: 9507250063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Can Chip Lohmiller again locate the accuracy and consistency that made him one of the NFL's best place-kickers?
Who's punting?
Those are two of the oft-asked questions at the Redskins' training camp at Frostburg State. It's much too early for answers.
Washington was a combined 7-25 in 1993 and '94, and Lohmiller's performance sank with team fortunes. If Washington is going to reach owner Jack Kent Cooke's predicted 9-7 finish, Lohmiller must regain the form he displayed from 1988-92.
The Redskins aren't sure Lohmiller still has it. He made only 57 percent of his field-goal attempts in 1993, and last season several wide tries had coach Norv Turner looking at prospective replacements in October.
Then Lohmiller spent the offseason seeking a better deal than the $691,000 offer from the Redskins. He didn't find one, and he signed last week. Washington had made Lohmiller its ``transition'' player, meaning the team had the right to match any other club's offer.
That wasn't necessary.
``It's a one-year deal,'' Lohmiller said. ``I guess I'll be going through this again next year.''
In the first few days of training camp, Lohmiller's kicking hasn't wowed anyone, and the Redskins have free agents Scott Blanton of Oklahoma and Steve Videtich of North Carolina State on campus as competition.
Although Videtich was 22-for-22 inside the 40 for the Wolfpack the past two seasons, Blanton has been the better of the two, if only because too many of Videtich's boots have been of the blockable, line-drive variety.
Blanton kicked a 47-yard field goal in a scrimmage Saturday, but the job is Lohmiller's to lose - and that's not likely to happen.
In the past two seasons, Lohmiller made only 9 of 22 field goals from 40 yards and beyond. He also missed two extra-point tries in each of the past two seasons following 213 straight conversions.
However, Lohmiller has kicked eight game-winning field goals in his career, and his 787 points are the most by any player in NFL history after seven seasons in the league.
The Redskins are more concerned about their punting. Reggie Roby, whose thunder-foot average of 44.4 yards often outkicked the coverage last season, left via free agency for Tampa Bay.
``We don't have anyone who has punted in an NFL game,'' said Turner. ``Sure, that's a concern.''
Of Washington's 13 losses last season, seven were by a total of 21 points, including the last five by 15. Kicking can make the difference.
The punters in camp are Matt Turk, from Wisconsin-Whitewater and Kent Sullivan of Cal-Lutheran. Each has been in NFL camps in previous years, but neither may be the Redskins' punter.
The club will be watching other teams' cuts in the preseason. Of the two, Sullivan would appear to have the better chance to stick. To date, his kicking has been more consistent, and he also has experience as a holder for place-kickers.
Turk has the stronger leg, but if he gets the job - he's wearing Roby's old uniform No.1 - the likely holder is backup quarterback Gus Frerotte.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB