O’Shea confident as rookie kicker sticks to process

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This article was published 17/07/2021 (1512 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was a tough day at the office for Bombers rookie kicker Marc Liegghio.

At one point, the University of Western Ontario product, who is the only kicker in training camp, missed four field goals in a row between 40-50 yards before capping off the drill with a 53-yarder.

If that makes head coach Mike O’Shea nervous, he sure isn’t showing it. He was asked on Saturday to evaluate Liegghio’s camp.

“He’s out there working like every kicker does. When the wind picks up he’s out there trying his kicks and still pushing the ball back and not satisfied with kicking from short distances. He understands if he strokes the ball he knows what it looks like and, just like Meddy (Justin Medlock) and all the good kickers, if you made good contact and the operation was good and it happens to go wide left or right you’re sticking to the process,” O’Shea said.

“That’s what he’s doing. He’s working through his process, making sure he gets all his kicks in and evaluating it from there. It is just that, it’s a process everybody goes through.”

GAUTHIER PLAY STILL GETS TALKED ABOUT

He’s not the most well-known player on the team, but without him, the Bombers might’ve not won the 2019 Grey Cup. With four minutes left in the Western Conference final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Riders punt returner Nick Marshall broke loose for what looked like was going to be a game-tying touchdown before Gauthier chased him down and made the biggest tackle of his life.

So, how many times has he been asked about that play since?

“A zillion times,” quipped the 29-year-old Quebecer, who’s entering his fifth season with the team.

“It’s a great play I did. It’s in the past now. I’ll always remember it as one of the best plays of my career but we got to move forward from that and move toward 2021 now.”

STARTING TO FEEL LIKE DAY 8

The Bombers have practised for eight straight days, most of them in the scorching heat, and they’re starting to feel it.

“My wife keeps telling me every day to make sure I put on sunscreen. I listened to her today,” said defensive tackle Jake Thomas who’s currently displaying some burnt biceps.

“It’s just like any other camp. You’re going to get bumps, you’re going to get bruises. Miraculously by Aug. 5, we’ll all feel better, but until then, we’ll all be sore.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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