Should Holders in High School American Football be ranked?

[cLuTcHy]

As I’m nearing the final stretch before graduating high school and plan on attending a university where I will not be playing sports. I beg the question should the position of Holder in American Football be ranked? I have played for my high school football team for 4 years now and have been an “exclusive” Holder in which I played nothing but the position itself. I would attend practice everyday where I would hold for the number of Kickers we’ve had over the years perfecting my craft. While I know it is very possible that I am one of the only kids in the country that play the position and nothing else as it’s usually the backup quarterbacks, the punter, or a receiver that mans the position on special teams. But here’s the real question since I began playing the position I have never dropped a hold  nor have I felt the direct reason for missing a kick because missed field goals do happen it’s just part of the game but never did me nor the kicker feel I botched the hold. When putting all this together there’s something I’ve always wondered, what if the position was ranked? How would it be done? What would be used in order to calculate who the best of the best are? Now in reference to 247 Sports, kickers are usually given a maximum of 3 stars which on that specific website is equivalent to a five star prospect as the number one kicker in the nation for the class of 2022 is only 3 stars. This makes sense as giving them any more stars would only throw off the national rank for other positions such as quarterback, running back, receiver etc. Since this method is used for Kickers would the cream of the crop Holders only be given 2 stars maximum or even 1 star. I’d like to hear people‘s point of view and opinion on this matter as when looking at a website like 247 sports even long snapper is given some of the limelight meaning that the position of Holder is The only position in American football that is not ranked or barely given any stitch of credit for a job well done only when things go very very wrong haha. 

[The_Admiral]

12 minutes ago, cLuTcHy said:

I have played for my high school football team for 4 years now and have been an “exclusive” Holder in which I played nothing but the position itself.

 

In other words, your dad buys an ad in the program.

[MJWalker45]

Most programs either have the backup QB or punter serve as the holder. I have never heard of someone solely doing the role of a holder but if they do it for long snapper I don't see why it can't be done for holders.

[BBTV]

1 hour ago, MJWalker45 said:

if they do it for long snapper I don't see why it can't be done for holders.

 

Because holder isn't a real position that any team with roster limits is going to waste a spot on.  It's not like long snapper that requires  super-specific hard-to-train skill.   I'm fairly certain I could be trained to hold.  I'm completely certain I could never long snap.

 

Also, the backup QBs are often holders so that the teams can run fakes, or at least have the threat of that present.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

It's like playing triangle in concert band. It's an underrated skill...but also a non-essential one.

[cLuTcHy]

14 minutes ago, BBTV said:

 

Because holder isn't a real position that any team with roster limits is going to waste a spot on.  It's not like long snapper that requires  super-specific hard-to-train skill.   I'm fairly certain I could be trained to hold.  I'm completely certain I could never long snap.

 

Also, the backup QBs are often holders so that the teams can run fakes, or at least have the threat of that present.

 

11 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

It's like playing triangle in concert band. It's an underrated skill...but also a non-essential one.

These are both really good points! In reality the chances of Holders ever becoming ranked are pretty slim as it is a skill that can be developed with practice. I feel though that Holder is a job not many want, simply because of the pressure involved. Even when watching NFL games on TV it is very rare that an announcer will take time to appreciate a good hold (though it has been done) most of the time they are the first to mention when things go south whether the holder drops the ball or doesn’t have the laces in front. Even this past season when I was out there to hold for a possible game winning kick, the pressure and nerves were intense but when ranking Holders I feel  an essential quality should be that they are calm under pressure so that when the snap is bad they are able to get the ball down even though there are men rushing from either side.

[BBTV]

Someone should start up a holders camp, where the top holders from all over the country can convene to hone their craft.

 

Maybe this doofus could run it

 

[The_Admiral]

You have a made-up role because your peers enjoy your company. I'm sorry you're not being scouted adequately.

[GDAWG]

56 minutes ago, BBTV said:

 

Because holder isn't a real position that any team with roster limits is going to waste a spot on.  It's not like long snapper that requires  super-specific hard-to-train skill.   I'm fairly certain I could be trained to hold.  I'm completely certain I could never long snap.

 

Also, the backup QBs are often holders so that the teams can run fakes, or at least have the threat of that present.

 

Don't most, if not all of the NFL teams use their punter as the holder?

[cLuTcHy]

12 minutes ago, the admiral said:

You have a made-up role because your peers enjoy your company. I'm sorry you're not being scouted adequately.

I appreciate that you feel the need to come on this thread and post nothing but asinine comments. The whole point of this is not for me to get scouted or to play holder at the next level as we all know that that’s just not a possibility or option for anyone at the position who doesn’t play another area of the game. The point is to explore what it’d be like if Holders were examined and ranked at the high school level because it’s a fun and interesting idea not because it’s legitimate.

[The_Admiral]

Well, I don't find it fun nor interesting, so I'm making jokes instead.

[-kj]

14 hours ago, cLuTcHy said:

I appreciate that you feel the need to come on this thread and post nothing but asinine comments.

Eh, it's his thing.  You'll get used to rolling your eyes and moving on.

[GDAWG]

They usually don't have rankings for holders because they are usually the backup quarterback or the punter.  it's why they don't have rankings for return specialists because they are usually wide receivers, running backs or defensive backs.  

[BBTV]

14 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

Don't most, if not all of the NFL teams use their punter as the holder?

 

I guess nowadays they do since the LS, K, and P always stick to themselves on the side and practice separate from the teams, but at least as of early 00s, backup QBs were common too.  

 

There hasn't been a reason to fake on a PAT for a while, and now it's not even an option since they moved it back.  Don't see many fake FGs anymore either.  Ironically, the only time you really see fakes are punts, where the punter (now also the holder) has to throw.

[dont care]

Holder shouldn’t be ranked, because it doesn’t take skill to hold. You can put anyone with half a brain out there and tell him to catch the ball and put it on the ground and be able to do it. Also when it comes to college they aren’t going to waste one of their roster spots on a holder who can do nothing but hold because he has no athletic skills other than being able to catch a ball and put it on the ground, when he can use that roster spot for someone who can actually play a position, and then just throw the backup qb of punter in there to hold since it takes absolutely no skill to do that. 

[cLuTcHy]

3 hours ago, GDAWG said:

They usually don't have rankings for holders because they are usually the backup quarterback or the punter.  it's why they don't have rankings for return specialists because they are usually wide receivers, running backs or defensive backs.  

You’re definitely right! When looking at 247 Sports the last time a Return Specialist was ranked was in the class of 2019. For 2020 and so on, no rankings to be seen for the position probably because of exactly what you said, that they play receiver or running back but are also good returners so they just get ranked at their primary position rather then on the specialist tab.

[cLuTcHy]

2 hours ago, dont care said:

Holder shouldn’t be ranked, because it doesn’t take skill to hold. You can put anyone with half a brain out there and tell him to catch the ball and put it on the ground and be able to do it. Also when it comes to college they aren’t going to waste one of their roster spots on a holder who can do nothing but hold because he has no athletic skills other than being able to catch a ball and put it on the ground, when he can use that roster spot for someone who can actually play a position, and then just throw the backup qb of punter in there to hold since it takes absolutely no skill to do that. 

In all honesty dude you’re right and that’s just the truth of the matter. Anyone with a little practice can Hold, but there’s also certain parts that usually get left out. For example the direction of the ball: as most high school stadiums are very wide open in space they usually catch quite an amount of wind so when going out there for a field goal (especially when on the hash mark) it is the holders job to lean the ball in the direction at which you want the kick to go (this all depends ofc on wind speed) this past season I practiced a lot on leaning the ball left and right just so I could find the perfect position so that it would make it easier for the kickers to make kicks that weren’t directly down the middle. Now I know what you’re thinking the kicker should be able to direct the ball from where they kick it on their own and yes but usually at the high school level Kickers haven’t quite developed this sense of accuracy so my coaches always taught me as a Holder to direct the ball in order to help him out.

[BBTV]

worst holder ever:

 

[dont care]

1 hour ago, cLuTcHy said:

In all honesty dude you’re right and that’s just the truth of the matter. Anyone with a little practice can Hold, but there’s also certain parts that usually get left out. For example the direction of the ball: as most high school stadiums are very wide open in space they usually catch quite an amount of wind so when going out there for a field goal (especially when on the hash mark) it is the holders job to lean the ball in the direction at which you want the kick to go (this all depends ofc on wind speed) this past season I practiced a lot on leaning the ball left and right just so I could find the perfect position so that it would make it easier for the kickers to make kicks that weren’t directly down the middle. Now I know what you’re thinking the kicker should be able to direct the ball from where they kick it on their own and yes but usually at the high school level Kickers haven’t quite developed this sense of accuracy so my coaches always taught me as a Holder to direct the ball in order to help him out.

Leaning a ball still takes no skill. My senior year I got injured and helped the LS and kicker practice kicks by holding for them. I needed no instruction to figure out what to do. This thread is incredibly dumb.

[DEAD!]

LACES OUT!