Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu is the Rams new secret weapon

[CGI_Ram]

Would have figured the Bears or even Dallas might have been looking this guy over one would think

Tennessee couldn’t buy a FG last season.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Tennessee couldn’t buy a FG last season.

Well there’s that

forgot about them, perhaps Minny too

 

[den-the-coach]

Not so sure 7-9 from 40-49 is acceptable, fair to middling perhaps, GZ was nails throughout (tho he did cost us dearly in Seattle) tho apparently he’s been having issues staying 100%

just as the dark horse candidate does, albeit xfl

FWIW Zuerlein is 46-60 for careeer form 40-49 yards, albeit last season he missed 6 so before last season 40-54 from that distance.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

FWIW Zuerlein is 46-60 for careeer form 40-49 yards, albeit last season he missed 6 so before last season 40-54 from that distance.

Ok so that’s 74% before last year, so Is approximately 7-9 in CFB

Fair to Middling it is then

As memory recalls, wasnt you the one banging the table for Aguayo...let’s hope you get this one right

 

[den-the-coach]

As memory recalls, wasnt you the one banging the table for Aguayo...let’s hope you get this one right

Bad memory, never wanted Aquayo, never!

 

[XXXIVwin]

Yes, it's very hard to breakdown Lirim's actual kicking stats. In my research, I came across probably the same database the article used showing him being 9 for 9 between 40-49 yards. In other databases, he's in the mid 80% last year with an overall success rate career-wise of in the mid 80 percentile range each year. That beats Zuerline who only exceeded 80% once or twice in his career.

You also must take into effect that he's playing in cold weather outside so the ball is hard and heavy. NFL kickers stats are inflated because of all the warm weather and stadium games they play each year. Zuerlein's crucial misses last year weren't in particularly poor weather. Also, you must remember the differences in the Canadian field. The closer the kick the worse the angle because the goalposts are right on the goal line with a wider field creating difficult angles.

Lirim has proven to be a far more consistent kicker than Zuerlein in more difficult conditions and under pressure closer to what he will face in the NFL than some rookie from the NCAA. The college game and the NFL are two different animals and consistency and precision is the name of the game which is why more than ever rookie college kicking prospects are training at academies specific to kicking. That doesn't ensure success, but it points out the differences in the collegiate game and the NFL.

In 2019 he was 10/10 at 50+ yards with a career playoff success percentage of 87% which included a game-winner in the Grey Cup game. His technique is similar to that used by successful NFL kickers. Bonamego is well versed in judging kickers by the way. The bottom line is Lirim's success rate under more difficult conditions over multiple years can't be ignored. Now add in multiple pressure kicks and his consistent technique and IMO the Rams would make a huge mistake if they went with Sloman over Lirim. I think Sloman is destined for the protected Practice Squad status this year and Lirim will be the starter.

Got the above stats from a poster named @Stats Junkie.

Lirim presents an interesting stats story. From 50+, he is absolutely phenomenal. 10 for 10 combined, the last 2 years. From shorter ranges (anything 39 yards or less), he is excellent.

The problem for Lirim is in that crucial 40-49 range. IMHO that’s the most important range, where good kickers are separated from great ones. From 40-49, Lirim is over his career only 54-83, a troubling conversion rate of only 65%. He hasn’t shown improvement over time in this area, either...last year he was only 9 for 15 from 40-49 range.

When a Rams kicker trots out to attempt a 43yarder, I want to have a good degree of confidence that he’ll probably make it. But over Lirim’s career, he misses more than 1 out of 3 times from that range.

Hey, I’m just rooting for the best guy to win at K. Just pointing out that Lirim has some flaws in his game. Could he show improvement kicking in LA vs. the harsh winter in Canada? Yeah, for sure, and if he wins the competition I’d be rooting for him 100%.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Bad memory, never wanted Aquayo, never!

Well then, I apologize for such a treacherous accusation

It may have been the other Vermeil sometimes it’s hard to keep up

 

[oldnotdead]

That's interesting XXXIVwin because I've seen 2 or 3 other stat sheets that say differently. But each one of them don't correlate with each other either. Bottom line is I think you simply have to go by his official career completion stats and they are all impressive. His completion percentage has only dropped below 80% once and that was years ago. Zuerlein only broke 80% once in his career.

All kickers miss kicks occasionally. That IMO isn't the point. What Bonamego is going to look at is technique consistency. Lirim's career success percentage says he has a professional level of consistency in his technique. Sloman's percentages show the exact opposite. I keep saying it because it's true of all positions, that the NFL is technique heavy to be successful at this level. Also, there is no data to show how good or not Sloman is between 40-49 yards.

That completion percentage is more impressive when you factor in there is only one indoor stadium in the CFL so that percentage was made kicking outdoors in Canadian winters. Distance aside, the environmental factors make his accuracy impressive considering the closer kicks are far more difficult than in the NFL due to the increased angle.

Overall Lirim's career success percentage is far better than Sloman's who only broke 80% in one of his 4 years. Sloman needs to prove consistency before I bet the farm on him. He had one great year and two good ones, and one bad one in his 4 years. His best was his last year so you don't know if it was a fluke or has he really improved that much. Are the Rams willing to bet it wasn't a fluke and he won't revert, when NFL history says he probably will? They would be foolish in the extreme to bet on one college year. Any other position you have backups if a guy simply doesn't perform, but not at PK. Sorry I still take the professional veteran over the college rookie.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

no kicker with a horrible fgm percentage between 40-49 yards should be on a nfl roster. i guess that's why he's been stuck in canada.

.

 

[den-the-coach]

Overall Lirim's career success percentage is far better than Sloman's who only broke 80% in one of his 4 years. Sloman needs to prove consistency before I bet the farm on him. He had one great year and two good ones, and one bad one in his 4 years. His best was his last year so you don't know if it was a fluke or has he really improved that much. Are the Rams willing to bet it wasn't a fluke and he won't revert, when NFL history says he probably will? They would be foolish in the extreme to bet on one college year. Any other position you have backups if a guy simply doesn't perform, but not at PK. Sorry I still take the professional veteran over the college rookie.

Well, one could debate that Sloman at 22 is just hitting his stride and last year had one of the best kicking percentages collegiality. I know you trust the veteran more, that's fine, I like the kid from Miami of Ohio, let's see how it plays out. Hell the last man standing might actually be Austin MacGinnis.

 

[dieterbrock]

CFL isn’t the NFL. It’s not even D1 Ncaa.
I’ll root for the dude if he’s our kicker but I’ll tap the breaks on him until he gets to show the coaches something.
Dont they kick off a tee in Canada?

 

[Ram65]

Lirim Hajrullahu Football Statistics | The Football Database

View the most current football statistics for Lirim Hajrullahu, Kicker, for the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats at The Football Database

www.footballdb.com

This link doesn't copy well for some unknown reason. It shows LH as being very good in the past four years.

 

[Ram65]

CFL isn’t the NFL. It’s not even D1 Ncaa.
I’ll root for the dude if he’s our kicker but I’ll tap the breaks on him until he gets to show the coaches something.
Dont they kick off a tee in Canada?

I was corrected by a Canadain member who stated they can kick off tees but, they don't if you look at the videos. That was in the first thread when he was signed.


From memory they have to kick from a wider angle has lines which is more difficult.

They now use the same ball as the NFl

Goalposts are the same distance apart.

All outdoors except for BC with a retractable roof.

I tried looking up the wind today with limited success but, believe it does get windier in Canada. They play uptil US Thanksgiving time.

It seems possibly harder than NFl conditions.

Let the competition begin.


2020 CFL season
Sports league season




Description
Description
The 2020 CFL season is scheduled to be the 63rd season of the Canadian Football League. It was originally scheduled to begin on June 11, 2020, although due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the beginning of the regular season has been postponed until September at the earliest. Wikipedia
Dates: Thu, Jun 11, 2020 – Mon, Nov 23, 2020

 

[dieterbrock]

I was corrected by a Canadain member who stated they can kick off tees but, they don't if you look at the videos. That was in the first thread when he was signed.


From memory they have to kick from a wider angle has lines which is more difficult.

They now use the same ball as the NFl

Goalposts are the same distance apart.

All outdoors except for BC with a retractable roof.

I tried looking up the wind today with limited success but, believe it does get windier in Canada. They play uptil US Thanksgiving time.

It seems possibly harder than NFl conditions.

Let the competition begin.


2020 CFL season
Sports league season

View attachment 37937


Description
Description
The 2020 CFL season is scheduled to be the 63rd season of the Canadian Football League. It was originally scheduled to begin on June 11, 2020, although due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the beginning of the regular season has been postponed until September at the earliest. Wikipedia
Dates: Thu, Jun 11, 2020 – Mon, Nov 23, 2020

It’s not NFL competition, not even XFL
I think the weather is over rated and if they can use a tee I’m sure they do when the weather gets tough. We’ll see what happens but there’s a reason CFL players don’t migrate to the NFL

 

[Snaz]

So, why did he play 6 years in the CFL? The NFL is usually the place the best end up.

I can't find it but there was a reason listed, something about being under contract with the CFL and couldn't try out without losing a contract and still be able to play in the CFL.

 

[Memento]

I think Sloman wins the job. I don't trust the misses from 40-49 of Hajrullahu. Not sure about MacGinnis (sp?).

 

[baconandbread]

It’s not NFL competition, not even XFL
I think the weather is over rated and if they can use a tee I’m sure they do when the weather gets tough. We’ll see what happens but there’s a reason CFL players don’t migrate to the NFL

CFL players mostly come from the US college system...the same ones NFL teams draft. Have you watched a CFL game? Tee's haven't been used since the modifications to mimic the NFL goalposts. I'm sorry that Dieter Brock traumatized you, but here's a short list of some of the successful CFL players that did well in the NFL

Best NFL Players That Played In The CFL

www.americanfootballinternational.com

 

[dieterbrock]

CFL players mostly come from the US college system...the same ones NFL teams draft. Have you watched a CFL game? Tee's haven't been used since the modifications to mimic the NFL goalposts. I'm sorry that Dieter Brock traumatized you, but here's a short list of some of the successful CFL players that did well in the NFL

Best NFL Players That Played In The CFL

www.americanfootballinternational.com

I'm quite familiar with the CFL, and the list emphasizes how rare it is that a player makes the jump. If conditions in CFL were comparable, why then arent we seeing many kickers make the transition??
This guy may win the job, but it will be due to his ability to win the job in pre-season, all the CFL experience did was get him a shot