Shaky form besets Hajrullahu

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This article was published 09/07/2015 (4078 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We’re only two games into the CFL regular season, so it would be premature to start talking about a sophomore jinx for Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicker Lirim Hajrullahu.

But what everyone can agree upon — including Hajrullahu — is that a man who made everything look so easy in a spectacular rookie season has been struggling this season to regain the form that saw him named the West Division’s top special teams player in 2014.

Through two games, Hajrullahu has already missed two convert attempts — one more than all of last year. He’s also kicked two balls out of bounds on kickoffs, costing his team valuable field position.

While his overall punting average is up this season, the one he dropped right into the arms of Hamilton returner Brandon Banks July 2 was promptly returned 67 yards for a touchdown.

It’s been an inauspicious start for a man who, along with his team’s front office, had very high expectations.

“I think that has a lot to do with the problems I’ve been having — I’m trying to live up to the expectations of last year,” he said. “I just need to step back and go back to what I was doing last year…

“I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself and I think I need to go back to just having fun. I need to just enjoy every moment of it like I did last year and get back to kicking just like I did last year. There doesn’t need to be any big changes.”

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said he’s not worried a bit about his kicker.

“He’s a pro and he’s working through it,” said O’Shea. “He kicked at a very high level last year and he’s still got an opportunity to get there this year… He expects a lot of himself and we expect a lot of him. But he’s set the bar higher for himself than anybody.”

Bombers long snapper Chad Rempel said a lot of new variables were introduced into the convert equation when the league stretched out converts from the 12-yard line to the 32-yard line this season.

“Obviously, every yard out makes it tougher. You’ve got wind conditions, rain, snow — all of it can factor into a kick the further out you go,” said Rempel, who is widely regarded as the premier long snapper in the CFL.

“And even when you’re a professional, you will get bouts of psychology as well as the technical side of kicking. And sometimes you just have to manage those as you go through the ups and downs…

“But Lirim is a great kicker. He’s a pro and his numbers from last year speak for themselves.”

Hajrullahu points out there’s another wrinkle making 32-yard converts challenging — they are kicked from the centre of the field instead of one of the two hash marks.

Hajrullahu said it’s rare to kick a field goal from between the hash marks — he estimates 90 per cent of field goals are from one hash mark or the other. He said the placement of the ball on converts has been messing with his head more than it should have.

“There’s a glitch obviously,” he said. “But luckily it didn’t affect the team in a serious way and I’ve been treating it as a learning experience and getting prepared to get back on my horse…

“But it’s frustrating, just because those point-afters are supposed to be gimmes.”

The Bombers tried to sign Hajrullahu to a contract extension in the off-season but he rebuffed their overtures. The kicker bristled when he was asked if he regrets not taking the extension.

“No, why?,” said Hajrullahu. “These first couple games I’ve just been learning. I’m still young, right? And my punting is up, so that’s a positive I can take out of my game and build on.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @PaulWiecek