Midway through my first year, I found myself number two on the depth chart for kickoffs. I was happy to be recognized by the coaching staff and liked seeing my name on the travel depth chart. Traveling to away games was novel and it had some 'perks.'
We received a per diem for meals and I got to check out the other campuses and stadiums of the other schools in the ACC. I enjoyed traveling and kept thinking about all of the good things to come over the next few years. Not playing in the games allowed for me to relax during the trips and absorb the experience of college football.
The starting kicker at the time was Mark Inderlied. He was a 5th year senior and probably the coolest guy that I had met at UVA. He was like a big brother to me my first year. We looked somewhat similar that if he would have given me his old ID, I could have used it to get in the bars at the ripe age of 18. But, I would never use a fake ID; now would I?
Learning from Mark was beneficial to my kicking career. If anything, he taught me that it wasn’t about your competition with others, but the competition with yourself. He was always nice to all of the kickers on the team regardless of the fact that they would love to have his job. I have known many kickers and punters -and other players at other positions- to be jerks just because someone else played the same position.
My philosophy soon became, "it doesn’t matter who the competition is, as long as I make all of my kicks, because that is all that I can control and worry about."
As we neared the end of my first year, I was under the impression that I would be red shirted, thus allowing for me to have four full years to kick after my first year at UVA. However, as we entered the last week of the season, Mark had “tweaked” his groin. He was able to kick field goals, but his status for kickoffs was up in the air.
Being number “2” on the depth chart meant that if he could go, I would have to play and kickoff. And what this meant was that I would be jeopardizing a year of eligibility over a few kickoffs.
If that is what I had to do, then so be it, but it was not my ideal scenario.
A few of the coaches spoke to me and let me know that they were aware of the situation and that they would talk with our head coach, George Welsh. Some coaches had the philosophy that if I was the best “kickoff guy,” then I should be kicking. However, others realized that we were not going to a bowl game that year and why would they want to waste a year of my eligibility.
Mark was telling me that he felt that he would be healthy enough to kickoff, but I was still concerned. So I continued to prepare to be ready to kickoff if needed.
As we entered game day, Mark came off the field after warm ups and told me that he was 'good to go' and that he told Coach Welsh that he could handle the kickoffs. Whew. All though I was ready to kick and help our team out, I was relieved that I was able to preserve my eligibility.
On a funny side note, during pre-game, and as I was warming up, the UVA mascot, the Cavailer, and the Maryland mascot, a Terrapin, started to have a pretend shoving match to get the crowed stirred up.
Well, one thing led to another and the pushing started getting more intense. Then they started grappling with each other. All of a sudden, the UVA mascot picked up the Maryland mascot and body slammed him on the Astro Turf (yes, it was that long ago.). The turtle was on his back and couldn’t get up.
As it turned out, the Maryland mascot had broke his arm when being slammed to the ground by the UVA mascot.
We ended up winning our last game of the season against the University of Maryland to finish 7-4 on the season. Four losses. That was the total number of losses that I had in my three years playing in high school.
College football was going to be different.
Tomorrow: more on college years.
--------------------------------------------------------------
For more on Michael Husted go to www.HustedKicking.com
We received a per diem for meals and I got to check out the other campuses and stadiums of the other schools in the ACC. I enjoyed traveling and kept thinking about all of the good things to come over the next few years. Not playing in the games allowed for me to relax during the trips and absorb the experience of college football.
The starting kicker at the time was Mark Inderlied. He was a 5th year senior and probably the coolest guy that I had met at UVA. He was like a big brother to me my first year. We looked somewhat similar that if he would have given me his old ID, I could have used it to get in the bars at the ripe age of 18. But, I would never use a fake ID; now would I?
Learning from Mark was beneficial to my kicking career. If anything, he taught me that it wasn’t about your competition with others, but the competition with yourself. He was always nice to all of the kickers on the team regardless of the fact that they would love to have his job. I have known many kickers and punters -and other players at other positions- to be jerks just because someone else played the same position.
My philosophy soon became, "it doesn’t matter who the competition is, as long as I make all of my kicks, because that is all that I can control and worry about."
As we neared the end of my first year, I was under the impression that I would be red shirted, thus allowing for me to have four full years to kick after my first year at UVA. However, as we entered the last week of the season, Mark had “tweaked” his groin. He was able to kick field goals, but his status for kickoffs was up in the air.
Being number “2” on the depth chart meant that if he could go, I would have to play and kickoff. And what this meant was that I would be jeopardizing a year of eligibility over a few kickoffs.
If that is what I had to do, then so be it, but it was not my ideal scenario.
A few of the coaches spoke to me and let me know that they were aware of the situation and that they would talk with our head coach, George Welsh. Some coaches had the philosophy that if I was the best “kickoff guy,” then I should be kicking. However, others realized that we were not going to a bowl game that year and why would they want to waste a year of my eligibility.
Mark was telling me that he felt that he would be healthy enough to kickoff, but I was still concerned. So I continued to prepare to be ready to kickoff if needed.
As we entered game day, Mark came off the field after warm ups and told me that he was 'good to go' and that he told Coach Welsh that he could handle the kickoffs. Whew. All though I was ready to kick and help our team out, I was relieved that I was able to preserve my eligibility.
On a funny side note, during pre-game, and as I was warming up, the UVA mascot, the Cavailer, and the Maryland mascot, a Terrapin, started to have a pretend shoving match to get the crowed stirred up.
Well, one thing led to another and the pushing started getting more intense. Then they started grappling with each other. All of a sudden, the UVA mascot picked up the Maryland mascot and body slammed him on the Astro Turf (yes, it was that long ago.). The turtle was on his back and couldn’t get up.
We ended up winning our last game of the season against the University of Maryland to finish 7-4 on the season. Four losses. That was the total number of losses that I had in my three years playing in high school.
College football was going to be different.
Tomorrow: more on college years.
--------------------------------------------------------------
For more on Michael Husted go to www.HustedKicking.com
