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The play already has a name: The Block at the Rock.Miami kicker Michael Badgley lined up to attempt a tying extra point late against Florida State, having made 72 in a row. Florida State called for the block. Assistant Odell Haggins wanted his unit to get its biggest push from the left side.Defensive end DeMarcus Walker felt he could get more push from the right side, so he asked to change the call. Haggins agreed. Miami snapped the ball. It was low and off center, throwing off the timing. Walker pushed and got his hand up.You can block it, and it can still go in, Walker said. I was just hoping it didnt go in there.The block at Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida gave the Seminoles their seventh straight win in the series, but it also left avid college football observers wondering: Is this the year of the missed extra point?The misses certainly seemed much more prevalent, perhaps because they came in high-profile contests. In Week 1, Notre Dame blocked an extra point attempt against Texas and returned it for a 2-point conversion to send the game into overtime (though the Longhorns eventually won). That same week, Clemson missed an extra point attempt against Auburn that very nearly cost the Tigers in a 19-13 win.Plenty more followed. Oklahoma State blocked three extra point attempts in a win over Texas in Week 5. Later that day, North Carolina kicker Nick Weiler had an extra point attempt blocked against Florida State that looked as if it would be the difference in the game ... until he booted a winning 54-yarder field goal with 23 seconds left. Then came the Miami miss.The question had to be asked: Have there actually been more blocked kicks this season, or does it just feel that way because they have come at such crucial moments in crucial games? According to ESPN Stats & Information, FBS kickers are converting 97.1 percent of their extra point attempts so far this year. Thats on pace to be the highest percentage since the NCAA started recording the stat in 1958.Whats more, FBS teams have had 24 extra point attempts blocked this year, the fewest through six games since 2007. Only three of those blocks came in the fourth quarter with the score margin within a touchdown (Texas, North Carolina and Miami). Miami is the only team this year to miss an extra point attempt in a game that was determined by one point.Maybe people are seeing how an extra point can impact a game or maybe the defenses rush harder when it is late in a game, Weiler said. Its not a guaranteed make, thats the thing. People look at it that way, but every kick requires the proper operation, snap and hold.There is one stat that helps explain why these blocked extra point attempts stick out: five have been returned for 2-point conversions, the second-most through six games since 2004. The highest total for a full season is nine, set in 2012.The plays certainly are unusual to see, so when they are bunched together to start a season, they become more noticeable. Especially since they have involved two of the biggest-name programs in the nation.Perhaps the only bright spot for Notre Dame this season: The Irish have taken back two blocked extra point attempts for 2-point conversions, which leads the country; the Longhorns have had it done to them twice.We work on it, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. We work on scooping, scoring. We dont fall on the ball. You know, were trying to pick that thing up, so we have one thats assigned to scooping and the other assigned to blocking, and thats how its worked out in both cases.Oklahoma State and Texas lead the nation in blocked kicks; the Cowboys returned one of their blocks for a 2-point conversion against the Longhorns. Oklahoma State uses its defensive line starters on field goal teams, and practices blocking field goal attempts live twice a week during practice.During those special teams drills, linemen are taught to scoop the ball up and try to score. But during regular position drills, they are told to just fall on the ball if they see it on the ground. Conflicting messages, yes, but it goes to the heart of trying to score whenever possible -- even for players who rarely touch the ball.We led the nation and were near the top of the nation a couple years ago [in blocked kicks] and we fell back last year, so I think it was more of a challenge for the guys, defensive line coach Joe Bob Clements said. Theres pride in this. We need to get back to blocking kicks. We cant look at it as an opportunity to prevent a score -- its also an opportunity to score. We challenge the guys to produce. Weve had quite a few blocks, but weve had a lot of close ones also. Were inches away from having eight or nine this season.Texas is also tied with Old Dominion for the national lead (four) in its own kicks being blocked. Special teams problems have been ongoing since last year at Texas, dating to a loss to California when Nick Rose missed an extra point attempt that would have tied the score with 1:11 left. In that case, there was no block. He just missed.Weiler said he was at a kicking camp this summer with the Texas specialists, and felt for them.I reach out to different kickers and punters when I see something like that happen because my career has had its ups and downs, Weiler said. You know what theyre going through. Besides the ones youre playing against, you root for every punter and kicker. You hate to see our position impacted in a bad way.Old Dominion, meanwhile, has struggled with freshmen kickers learning how to go through their routine just a little bit faster. Special teams coach Charles Bankins wants attempts off between 1.2 and 1.25 seconds. On one blocked extra point attempt that was returned for two, the kick was attempted 1.4 seconds after the snap. The Monarchs have had two blocks returned for two points, though both came in victories.I know based on the youth of my guys, theres going to be some growing pains, Bankins said. Its the first time in my career this has happened. When it happens to you, you feel like its happening a million times. Ive been on the other side where weve returned it and scored and it was the difference in the ball game. I know it cant keep happening because it can cost you the game.Part of the sell job these coaches have to make to their players is to buy in to blocking for extra point attempts; while on the flip side, attempting to block the extra point and then trying to score. It is an ongoing conversation because extra point conversion rates are so high.Bankins said on the first extra point attempt that was blocked and returned for two against UMass this season, his players just stopped playing after the ball was kicked because they thought the play was over. As coaches, we know how important this is, but some of the kids have never seen it before, Bankins said. They think, Thats just coach talk. They know its important, but at the same time, they think That could never happen to us. You have to drill into your kids every play you have to play to the whistle.That is precisely why Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher opts to try to go after every kick, whether it is an extra point attempt or a field goal attempt. You should never take that -- its a play that has a point involved with it. Theres no play in a football game you should never not play, he said.Weiler said he knew the Seminoles were going to come after his extra point attempt two weeks ago, after the Tar Heels went up 34-28 with 2:40 left. So he rushed the kick and missed his first extra point since Nov. 1, 2014. When he got back to the sideline, coach Larry Fedora told him not to worry. There would be another opportunity to win the game.He took the field again with the extra point miss out of his mind, and made the game-winner.The following week, Florida State had its game come down to yet another kick. Only this time, the block worked. Nike Air Max 270 Free Shipping . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. Discount Nike Air Max 270 . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. http://www.cheapnikeairmax270.com/ . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Cheap Nike Air Max 270 China . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Cheap Nike Air Max 270 (STATS) -- Even veteran teams and coaches can learn from their mistakes.Richmond wasnt exactly in a New York state of mind -- or the right state of mind -- during the first road trip of its CAA Football schedule. A late arrival and early start time had the then-No. 2 Spiders out of whack throughout their Sept. 17 visit to Stony Brook, and the disorder was evident in a lethargic and mistake-filled performance that ended in a stunning 42-14 defeat.Having since regained their bearings with a pair of hard-earned wins over quality opponents, the sixth-ranked Spiders have a chance to leave the Empire State with a far more positive memory in Saturdays conference clash with No. 16 Albany (3:30 p.m. ET). Coach Danny Rocco insists his team will be better prepared for this Northeast sojourn, which carries considerably more weight than one might have initially expected following the events of the seasons opening five weeks.At Stony Brook, other than the fact that we got our butts kicked, we were on a tight window when we got there, he said. It was a noon kick, we didnt get there as early as we were supposed to get there. I will make sure I get my team into the locker room well in advance of the 2 1/2 hours prior to the kick.If that humbling outcome didnt get the 2015 FCS national semifinalists attention, the Great Danes impressive start surely has. Behind a resurgent rushing attack and a remarkably resourceful defense, upstart Albany (4-0, 1-0 CAA) stands as the leagues lone unbeaten team and owns the highest national ranking in program history.Coach Greg Gattuso attributes his young squads turnaround to its own lessons learned from last years visit to Richmond (4-1, 1-1). Down 38-10 early in the third quarter, the Great Danes scored 21 unanswered to put a considerable scare in the eventual CAA co-champions on Halloween.I thought we struggled with being resilient last year and got ourselves down when things when bad, he said. I saw a change last year, actually against Richmond when they got up big on us in the second half early. Instead of quit playing we started to fight back, and we started making progress from that point.That fortitude has shown up this season in the form of fourth-quarter comebacks against FBS member Buffalo and Saint Francis, in which the Great Danes -- picked 11th of 12 teams in the conferences preseeason poll -- outscored the Red Flash 20-0 after halftime in the preceding game to last weeks bye.dddddddddddd Albany has outscored its opponents 53-14 in the fourth quarter thus far.Richmond displayed some grit of its own in last weekends matchup with Towson. Down by seven early in the third quarter, the Spiders rallied for 10 straight points to pull out a 31-28 victory and avoid a potentially disastrous 0-2 start in CAA play.I think what is critical with this team is that when we need each other, were there to pick each other up, quarterback Kyle Lauletta said. When the offense has struggled to get in rhythm, the defense has picked us up. When the defense has needed us, weve been able to put a few drives together.The win was Richmonds school-record 10th straight at Robins Stadium, but it has lost its last three conference road games dating back to last November. Lauletta, the CAA preseason player of the year and league leader in passing yards (1,504) and touchdown passes (13), has thrown eight interceptions in those defeats.The junior will have to choose his spots carefully against Albanys highly opportunistic defense. The Great Danes lead the FCS with a plus-13 turnover margin and 2.25 interceptions per game.Albany hopes to use another strength to its advantage as it vies for its first league win over a Top 25 opponent. The Great Danes, 0-6 against ranked CAA members since joining in 2014, possess the conferences leading rusher in Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks, who piled up a career-high 202 yards in last seasons meeting with the Spiders.Richmond has struggled to defend the run in recent weeks, having surrendered 640 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground over its last three games.Gattuso also seeks a boost from an anticipated large Homecoming crowd in a game billed as Albanys biggest since entering the CAA.The reason this is a big game is because weve played well, he said. (The Spiders) are very good, theyve jumped out big on us the last two years and I think they kind of pulled off the gas a little bit. But hopefully this is a game where were going to show up and play a full four quarters and were going to give it our best shot.Its obviously a huge challenge, but were excited about it. ' ' '