I wouldn't write a third story about a kicker commitment unless I had good reason.
Matthew Coghlin's personal kicking coach - Tim Williams - has tons of credibility. Williams is a former four-year place kicker for Ohio State, and a guy who has worked with some outstanding college and pro kickers, including Mike Nugent.
Williams worked with Mike Nugent from the time he was in the seventh grade. Williams said Coghlin is better at the same stage.
Story link:
https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1777967
Guru: Coghlin compares favorably to Nugent
Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com Publisher
EAST LANSING - No one - not even Michigan State's coaches - have a better handle on what kind of kicking prospect Michigan State obtained when Matthew Coghlin committed to the Spartans on Tuesday than Ohio-based kicking coach Tim Williams.
Williams, who was a four-year starting kicker Ohio State from 1990-93, has been coaching kickers in Ohio and throughout the Midwest for 20 years. He has worked with several college players over the past two decades and with Coghlin for the past few years - and he has never worked with a kicker as good and talented at this age than Coghlin.
"Here's the big statement, here's what Michigan State fans need to hear," Williams said. "I trained a guy namedMike Nugent."
Nugent has been kicking in the NFL since since 2005. Nugent was part of Ohio State's National Championship team in 2002 and became the first kicker to win the team MVP award in school history in 2004. Williams began working with Nugent when Nugent was in the seventh grade.
"Mike's pretty good," Williams said. "He's on the Bengals now."
But here's the kicker:
"Matthew Coghlin is the best kicker I've trained, to date, his age, over the course of the last 20 years," Williams said. "Absolutely. No question."
Nugent went 24-of-27 as a high school senior at Centerville High, including a 55-yarder.
But Coghlin has impressed Williams more, at this stage.
"He has the intangibles, the mental toughness, the ability to go into a situation and change the game," said Williams, who runs Ohio-based UpAndThroughKicking. "He has the ability to flip the field on kickoffs. He has the ability to change a game in terms of making a big kick regardless of how far it is. He is exactly what you look for when you are recruiting a kicker.
"He's always had a strong leg, but his ability to direct the ball and position the ball where it needs to go on kickoffs and hit the ball straight, he just has all the intangibles needed. It's hard to explain unless you're in the kicking game. He has it. I mean he has it. He will make an impact on Michigan State football, without question."
The ability to hit clutch field goals has helped set Coghlin apart. Coghlin's game-tying field goal and game-winner against rival St. Xavier as a sophomore began Coghlin's trek of success.
"When he was a sophomore, I realized that this is probably going to be the best kid I've ever trained to this point," Williams said.
In the 2013 state semifinals, Coghlin provided the winning points in a 13-11 victory over Hilliard Davidson in the state semifinals, with a 27-yard field goal midway through the second half.
"He has the experiences of hitting the big kick," Williams said. "In the semifinal game this year, he was 5-for-6, and a 54-yarder.
Williams
"It's the intangibles. That's the big thing that I stress with Matthew - his work ethic, his ability to capture a moment when needed. He can do it all. I would not be surprised if in his freshman year he makes a huge impact on Michigan State football.
"The kid is amazing. He is so athletic, and intelligent athletically. He will make Michigan State proud on the field and off the field. Raised the way kids are supposed to be raised."
Coghlin committed to Michigan State on Tuesday over Illinois and Purdue.
"When I instruct college coaches on recruiting a kicker," Williams said, "I am very adamant about saying, 'If the kid physically can do it, then you need to recruit the personality because you're going to have to trust this kid to go into a game and put your job on the line.' And Matthew has that ability to save your job. I mean it's that simple. He's that good.
"He is a kid that should have the opportunity, as long as he keeps working hard, to go beyond college football."
Williams has worked with Mark Dantonio kickers before, going back to Dantonio's days at the University of Cincinnati. Williams worked with Bearcats kicker Kevin Lovell.
"I had a conversation with Mike Tressel back then where I told him, 'Hey, I could help Kevin,'" Williams said. "Kevin was the starting kicker in '04, '05 and '06. His numbers from his junior year to his senior year dramatically increased after we worked together. So I think that helped at least make my name better as far as them trusting me training kids. So I think I established a name a little bit with those guys.
"And Matthew has always expressed the biggest interest in Michigan State and I think the reason is Dantonio."
Williams could vouch for Dantonio.
"Getting to know Mark Dantonio … he's a great guy," Williams said. "I understand why kids would flock to him and that's exactly what the difference was with Matthew. It was Dantonio and his personality. And it kind of clicks because Dantonio is a family man. He wants to win; that's why he's in the business. But he's a great guy and I think Matthew was easily influenced over him."
Matthew Coghlin's personal kicking coach - Tim Williams - has tons of credibility. Williams is a former four-year place kicker for Ohio State, and a guy who has worked with some outstanding college and pro kickers, including Mike Nugent.
Williams worked with Mike Nugent from the time he was in the seventh grade. Williams said Coghlin is better at the same stage.
Story link:
https://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1777967
Guru: Coghlin compares favorably to Nugent
Jim Comparoni
SpartanMag.com Publisher
EAST LANSING - No one - not even Michigan State's coaches - have a better handle on what kind of kicking prospect Michigan State obtained when Matthew Coghlin committed to the Spartans on Tuesday than Ohio-based kicking coach Tim Williams.
Williams, who was a four-year starting kicker Ohio State from 1990-93, has been coaching kickers in Ohio and throughout the Midwest for 20 years. He has worked with several college players over the past two decades and with Coghlin for the past few years - and he has never worked with a kicker as good and talented at this age than Coghlin.
"Here's the big statement, here's what Michigan State fans need to hear," Williams said. "I trained a guy namedMike Nugent."
Nugent has been kicking in the NFL since since 2005. Nugent was part of Ohio State's National Championship team in 2002 and became the first kicker to win the team MVP award in school history in 2004. Williams began working with Nugent when Nugent was in the seventh grade.
"Mike's pretty good," Williams said. "He's on the Bengals now."
But here's the kicker:
"Matthew Coghlin is the best kicker I've trained, to date, his age, over the course of the last 20 years," Williams said. "Absolutely. No question."
Nugent went 24-of-27 as a high school senior at Centerville High, including a 55-yarder.
But Coghlin has impressed Williams more, at this stage.
"He has the intangibles, the mental toughness, the ability to go into a situation and change the game," said Williams, who runs Ohio-based UpAndThroughKicking. "He has the ability to flip the field on kickoffs. He has the ability to change a game in terms of making a big kick regardless of how far it is. He is exactly what you look for when you are recruiting a kicker.
"He's always had a strong leg, but his ability to direct the ball and position the ball where it needs to go on kickoffs and hit the ball straight, he just has all the intangibles needed. It's hard to explain unless you're in the kicking game. He has it. I mean he has it. He will make an impact on Michigan State football, without question."
The ability to hit clutch field goals has helped set Coghlin apart. Coghlin's game-tying field goal and game-winner against rival St. Xavier as a sophomore began Coghlin's trek of success.
"When he was a sophomore, I realized that this is probably going to be the best kid I've ever trained to this point," Williams said.
In the 2013 state semifinals, Coghlin provided the winning points in a 13-11 victory over Hilliard Davidson in the state semifinals, with a 27-yard field goal midway through the second half.
"He has the experiences of hitting the big kick," Williams said. "In the semifinal game this year, he was 5-for-6, and a 54-yarder.
Williams
"It's the intangibles. That's the big thing that I stress with Matthew - his work ethic, his ability to capture a moment when needed. He can do it all. I would not be surprised if in his freshman year he makes a huge impact on Michigan State football.
"The kid is amazing. He is so athletic, and intelligent athletically. He will make Michigan State proud on the field and off the field. Raised the way kids are supposed to be raised."
Coghlin committed to Michigan State on Tuesday over Illinois and Purdue.
"When I instruct college coaches on recruiting a kicker," Williams said, "I am very adamant about saying, 'If the kid physically can do it, then you need to recruit the personality because you're going to have to trust this kid to go into a game and put your job on the line.' And Matthew has that ability to save your job. I mean it's that simple. He's that good.
"He is a kid that should have the opportunity, as long as he keeps working hard, to go beyond college football."
Williams has worked with Mark Dantonio kickers before, going back to Dantonio's days at the University of Cincinnati. Williams worked with Bearcats kicker Kevin Lovell.
"I had a conversation with Mike Tressel back then where I told him, 'Hey, I could help Kevin,'" Williams said. "Kevin was the starting kicker in '04, '05 and '06. His numbers from his junior year to his senior year dramatically increased after we worked together. So I think that helped at least make my name better as far as them trusting me training kids. So I think I established a name a little bit with those guys.
"And Matthew has always expressed the biggest interest in Michigan State and I think the reason is Dantonio."
Williams could vouch for Dantonio.
"Getting to know Mark Dantonio … he's a great guy," Williams said. "I understand why kids would flock to him and that's exactly what the difference was with Matthew. It was Dantonio and his personality. And it kind of clicks because Dantonio is a family man. He wants to win; that's why he's in the business. But he's a great guy and I think Matthew was easily influenced over him."
