Football has been evolving since the 1960s when kickers were merely good athletes who volunteered to be kickers. Now, the modern day kickers are highly trained specialists.

This is due to a combination of more efficient training and better surfaces including more
indoor fields. Athletes are training to be kickers starting at an early age, something that people
didn’t do 10 to 20 years ago.

As kickers’ skills have continually been improving, the rules have also changed to compensate, but still not enough is being done.

The goal posts were moved back 10 yards to the rear of the end zone in 1974. While the farther distance was difficult, it created a better angle.

The hash marks were moved in closer to the goalposts causing a 2.4 percent increase in successful field goals. While the skewed success percentage is difficult to solve, moving the hash
marks farther apart is one way to add excitement and lose the dependability of field goals.

What influence does a dependable field goal have on the game?

1) It adds a sense of boredom

“With kicking, football is turning into professional bowling where
most every ball is a strike,” sports journalist Frank Deford said.

2) It gives the coaches too much power
“These coaches in other sports can change strategy, but only football coaches can actually change what’s going to happen,” Deford said.

This power causes coaches to often play it safe. They can keep possession
and go for the almost guaranteed three points, or they can take the risk of
losing possession. There shouldn’t be such a reward for consistently playing
it safe