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[quote author=terry link=topic=14012.msg147433#msg147433 date=1449814254]
Fairbairn didn't tackle McCaffrey. McCaffrey beat Fairbairn (#15) and was tackled by another guy (#18). You can see the play here -- it's highlight #9: http://www.stanforddaily.com/2015/12/10/...15-season/

That was going to be my post until I saw you already did it.
Fairbairn did make a good effort for a kicker, but only in "hey - nice try kid" kind of way.

I am not quite sure whether Fairbairn really was the best kicker, but mostly because I haven't paid all that much attention to kickers and it's not completely clear to me how one should judge them. Fairbairn does have a decent mixture of kicking a high percentage on FGs, kicking quite a few FGs, also handling kickoffs and putting a lot of those for touchbacks. He's not the best in any of those, but may be the best blend.
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He kicked a 60-yarder at the end of a half, right? That's plus being decent at the other things is what wins these sort of awards when there's not one obvious candidate. (Like that Utah punter who is so good that he'll probably be drafted, he's an obvious pick, and dear god am I glad we don't have to play him again, as weird as that is to say about a freaking punter.)

[stupac2]

[quote author=terry link=topic=14012.msg147433#msg147433 date=1449814254]
Fairbairn didn't tackle McCaffrey. McCaffrey beat Fairbairn (#15) and was tackled by another guy (#18). You can see the play here -- it's highlight #9: http://www.stanforddaily.com/2015/12/10/...15-season/

That was going to be my post until I saw you already did it.
Fairbairn did make a good effort for a kicker, but only in "hey - nice try kid" kind of way.

I am not quite sure whether Fairbairn really was the best kicker, but mostly because I haven't paid all that much attention to kickers and it's not completely clear to me how one should judge them. Fairbairn does have a decent mixture of kicking a high percentage on FGs, kicking quite a few FGs, also handling kickoffs and putting a lot of those for touchbacks. He's not the best in any of those, but may be the best blend.
[/quote]

He kicked a 60-yarder at the end of a half, right? That's plus being decent at the other things is what wins these sort of awards when there's not one obvious candidate. (Like that Utah punter who is so good that he'll probably be drafted, he's an obvious pick, and dear god am I glad we don't have to play him again, as weird as that is to say about a freaking punter.)