Football is a sport that one might assume, by its
namesake, would have a lot more feet involved in it than
it actually does. Any given game of football might only
see that namesake used as the primary component of a
play an average of 10 to
15 times. Sure feet are used on every play and
are a big part of the action. So it’s easy to understand that for plenty of
players kicking is an afterthought, or something you
occasionally do under the pile fighting for a fumble.
But even a champion, particularly Adam Vinatieri, can
attest to the fact that when it comes to pressure, drama
and winning, the kicking game matters more to the game
than being an afterthought.
In
this year’s draft,
Mike Nugent, kicker from The Ohio State University, is
no afterthought. And so far, Mike’s foot has certainly
positioned him for a rather promising career in the game
of football. But looking back now, that might not seem
surprising, to Mike Nugent or anyone else who’s known
him since his early childhood.
He's a normal kid from a normal town that likes to do
normal things. He loves his family. He has two sisters
and a brother, and he's an uncle. His brother is a
stand out soccer player for Ohio State, and being
brothers and competitors, they love to play video games
together always trying to out do the other. They’re a
close family and do things as a family, like hunting or
trap shooting.
Mike started playing football in the 6th grade in his
hometown of Centerville, Ohio. One might wonder what
the kids in Centerville are being fed. Lately, this
little town in Ohio seems to be producing NFL talent
almost as frequently as Mike Nugent wins games with his
foot. He’s just one of the names to add to that list of
talent. Mike knew even at an early age that kicking was
what he was all about. Sure he played other positions
including running back, and one year of quarterback in
high school, but kicking is where his heart was – "I
always knew since 6th grade that I could grow up to be a
kicker, but as my life went along, I started to realize
around my freshman year in high school that I could
maybe be a college kicker."
There is no maybe about it. Mike indeed was a college
kicker, and a very prolific one at that. Mike possesses
or at least shares 19 Ohio State school records. In
2004 he led the Buckeyes in scoring with 102 points and
surpassed the career totals set by Pete Johnson with 356
total points. Most of those types of numbers are
something to behold, no doubt, but there are a few
stunning numbers that are the ones that really get
people’s attention – such as the record he set for the
most 50-yard field goals in a season in 2004 (5). In
Mike’s senior season, 34 of his 55 kickoffs went for
touchbacks, he hit every single one of his 27 extra
point attempts (bringing his streak to 81) and was
successful on 20 of 23 field goals, but his biggest kick
of the year, and the one that will probably define
Mike’s career was a 55-yard boot with no time left on
the clock to beat Marshall 24-21.
Playing for Ohio State was a dream come true for Mike,
but one that was close to not having a happy ending.
Coming out of high school, Mike was only offered
scholarships from two schools – Bowling Green and
Central Michigan. Pitt called Mike and offered him a
walk-on opportunity that he was ready to jump at. So
ready, that he was as close as driving in the car with
his parents to meet with the Pitt coaches. But
apparently in the end, that trip wasn’t meant to be.
Ohio State offered Mike that elusive scholarship, and
despite Pitt originally telling Mike that a scholarship
wasn’t available, when Mike informed them of Ohio
State’s offer, Pitt magically pulled one out of their
hat. Silly Panthers…those tricks are for kids. It
would be too late, but there really was no decision;
Mike had wanted to go to Ohio State more than anything,
and that's exactly what he did.
Mike did it all at Ohio State, seeing some incredibly
wonderful years, with some trying times as well. But
certainly when asked about winning a national title,
Mike makes himself clear in his reply that being a
Buckeye was truly that dream come true, "I can't begin
to describe the feeling of winning a National
Championship and playing an important role on that
team. I wish everyone in the world could experience the
feeling I felt on that night. Words can't really
describe how much excitement was involved. Coming out
with a victory over Miami, was something that no one
thought we could accomplish. When it finally happened,
it turned out being the best experience I have ever been
a part of."
Mike says he really misses going to off-season workouts
with the guys and that feeling of being a Buckeye
teammate. He appreciates the opportunity he had in
being able to work with some of the best personnel and
coaches in the country, saying "I hope that someday I
can play with people like that again soon." Clearly,
that time is indeed coming soon for Mike Nugent. While
this Buckeye’s time playing at Ohio State has passed,
it’s now his time to move on to the NFL.
DraftBoardInsider.com’s John Clifford recently had the
chance to ask Mike a thing or two about kickers that a
lot of us in the mainstream may not know. It's not as
easy as it looks, and it takes a lot more than just
kicking a ball here and there in practice.
DraftBoardInsider.com:
It's more than apparent by now to anyone paying
attention that your family has been a strong and
positive influence over you as a player and a person.
You make it a point to credit your teammates and are
reluctant to do much celebrating over your own
accomplishments. How do you view the importance of
that team attitude and your character in continuing your
development as a player and your ability to perform on
the field?
Mike Nugent:
In the position that I play, it is all mental. How you
are off the field is the way you will be on the field.
I owe so much to my family, teammates, and coaches. I
was so spoiled at Ohio State just being able to work
with the people that I got to play football with
everyday. And when football was over for the day, I had
the luxury of having a great family who supports me so
much all of the time. It is great that my brother plays
soccer at OSU, so we can feed off of each other with our
experiences.
DBI:
In Ohio State's 24-21 win over Marshall last September,
you hit a 55-yarder to win the game and set the record
for longest field goal at Ohio Stadium. That kick, as
much as any kick could, seemed to encompass the mental
and physical challenges that a kicker faces. Your
comments concerning that kick emphasized that you can't
allow the distance to impact your ability to execute,
and your focus is on approaching a kick like that as
being as routine as an extra point. How much does
mental focus and unwavering confidence influence your
ability to execute the physical task with precision and
consistency?
MN:
My focus on and off the field seems to always take care
of itself. It is like second nature to me. I think
that I just automatically focus on whatever I am doing
because of my experience with football. Confidence is
everything. Everyone in the world can think that I
can't make a certain kick, but as long as I have the
confidence in myself, I feel like I can do anything. I
take tasks one at a time with all of the confidence in
the world.
DBI:
All football fans are certainly familiar with perhaps
the most cliché coaching move of them all in calling a
timeout to “ice” the kicker. I've actually heard former
NFL kicker Matt Bahr laugh at the idea of the opposing
coach giving him extra time to get loose, because that
kick is already made or not based on him being
physically ready, implying that he was always mentally
ready. How much does that actually affect you?
MN:
"Icing” the kicker is something that can affect many
people. If it affects you, you will probably not make
it to the NFL or even college. I think that no matter
what the situation, I should always be able to focus and
concentrate on what is going on no matter what happens.
I only get to do my job every so often, so when I am
called it is my job to hit it straight.
DBI:
In tying together the elements of the mental and
physical approach to the kicking game, can you talk
about your career at Ohio State? You came into the
program from high school and faced that same challenge
facing nearly all athletes during that transition, where
their relative success resets and they often face some
period of struggling -- you had your struggles during
your freshman year, but had an impressive rebound,
managing to continue on that track, hitting plenty of
big field goals, long ones, game-winners, to the point
of becoming the leading scorer in your school's
history. To what do you attribute that success? How
did you manage to find that track of playing at a high
level after struggling a bit?
MN:
I get asked that a lot. I don't really owe the
turnaround to one thing or group of things. I really
just worked my hardest in the off season, both
physically and mentally. I didn't change anything
physically. I only adjusted my mental approach to
kicking. My freshman year I was worried about the snap,
the hold, who was watching, how many people were
watching, and if I could do it or not. I took that
experience and told myself that I had seen the worst.
My freshman year was tough. I figured it couldn't get
any worse than that. I got my head on straight. I told
myself that from now on, every kick that I will attempt,
whether it be in practice or in a game, I have hit it
before. There is no spot on the field that I haven't
kicked a field goal from and made. So I used past
experiences and proved to myself that I could do it.
DBI:
I'm curious, since you talk about the importance of not
making any mental distinction between your approach to a
55-yard game-winner and an extra point, is that
something you choose to do or you're even able to do
when it comes to setting goals for yourself? In terms
of the next 6 or 12 months for you, are you looking at
the work ahead with the focus like it’s an extra point
rather than letting a long game-winner overwhelm you?
Do you even bring long-term goals for being a kicker in
the NFL into your thought process now -- or would that
be like thinking too much about the distance in a
record-breaking attempt? Where do you want to be 5 or
10 years from now...or even longer?
MN:
I kick every ball the same all the way up to about 55
yards. After that I need to put a little bit more on it
to get the distance that I need. That the biggest
advice I have ever gotten with kicking, keep everything
the same. How many times will I attempt a field goal
over 55 yards? Yes, it will happen, but just not very
often. To be consistent, you have to stay consistent.
The NFL is my only kicking thought process now. I am
doing everything that I can to be a tremendous asset to
an NFL team. That is my ultimate goal. I want to be
the old kicker that just never wants to leave the game,
and also I want the team to never want to lose me. I am
not saying that that is going to happen, it is just my
greatest long-term goal.
DBI:
Tell us how you feel in regards to winning the Lou Groza
award. There are so many kickers out there, and you've
been honored as the Best of the Best for 2004.
MN:
It was my number one goal when I started kicking in
sixth grade. I wanted to be the best. I liked the fact
that there was an award for the best kicker in college
football for the year. I was so determined to win the
Groza Award. When I was a runner-up my sophomore year,
I told everyone on the Groza Committee that I would be
back to see them again. I didn't get there my junior
year, but finally came through my senior year and it
felt good to accomplish such a goal.
DBI:
From your perspective, what do you consider a key
strength to your game or something you've worked on to
the point of seeing significant progress? Conversely,
what part of your game is something you plan on
targeting for extra attention as you prepare for playing
at the next level?
MN:
I think I will always be working on the physical aspects
of kicking, like leg strength, flexibility, etc... One
thing I will work the most on will be mental. Doing as
much competing as possible. I love competition. If I
win or if I lose, it always makes me stronger mentally.
DBI:
Since we have your expert opinion, I'm sure I'm asking
this silly question on behalf of every football fan that
ever had their fingers crossed during a comeback, but
what's the deal with the onside kick...is it the
football equivalent of knuckleball pitching, where some
guys just can't get a knuckleball to knuckle for
them? David Akers in Super Bowl XXXIX is a good
recent example -- here's a great kicker, but regardless
of being a player of his caliber and the ability to hit
long field goals at such a high percentage, is it the
nature of the onside kick that no one is ever gong to
come along and master the placement of an 11-yard
jump-ball?
MN:
Actually he is very good at hitting the high hopping
ball. It is tough to hit your best one if it it's the
only one you kick all day. You can't really practice it
on the sideline because you'll give it away. David
Akers is a great kicker and he didn't really hit too bad
of a ball on that onside in the Super Bowl. If you
watch it closely, the Patriots did an unbelievable job
of coverage to give their guy enough room to catch it.
That is the kind of onside kick that I do. It is tough,
but if it is done right, it is extremely effective.
DBI:
Mike, we were told you have had the opportunity to work
with an NFL kicker for a while now. Who is it, and how
has he helped you become the kicker that you are today?
MN:
Like I said earlier that I was very spoiled at Ohio
State with the people that I got to work with, I have
had the pleasure of being able to kick with and be
friends with Jeff Wilkins of the St. Louis Rams. Jeff
kicked at Youngstown State when Coach Tressel was the
coach there and I got to work a Youngstown State kicking
camp that Jeff and past YSU and NFL kicker Paul McFadden
were in charge of. From there Jeff gave me many great
stories of situations he has experienced and I try to
put myself in his shoes because he is in a position that
I would love to be in one day. Jeff is an amazing
kicker and the same goes with the kind of person he is.
I am very fortunate to be able to say that I am friends
with Jeff and also that I have had the opportunity to
work with him.
If Mike’s answers in our interview are an indication of
anything, it’s that Mike just goes out and gets it
done. It's really that simple and not very surprising
considering that Mike wants things to be perfect. It
shows in how he processes and articulates his thoughts,
just as it does in his actual kicking techniques.
That desire for perfection with Mike on the field stays
with him, even telling us "maybe the only weird thing
about me is that I try to stay clean. I try to keep my
car and apartment as clean as possible." Some might
consider that to be more obsessive compulsive than
weird, but it's what works for Mike – it might have
something to do with making a lot more than he misses.
For those readers that may be wondering since he likes
to hunt and calls the Midwest home, and his last name is
Nugent…No, he is not related to more famous, or perhaps
infamous, Nugent – the avid hunter and rock star, Ted
Nugent. It's just a fun thing for him to be constantly
asked about. I will say this for him though, he may not
be related to Ted Nugent, and he may never exude that
rock star persona, but I wouldn’t be surprised that his
name becomes the more famous Nugent. He'll be on TV
every Sunday, kicking off in front of tens of thousands
rabid fans, but most importantly, he’s talented enough
to win a lot of football games with that foot.
It's not very often that a kicker comes into the draft
and raises excitement. However, Mike is one of those
kickers. He's worked very hard to perfect his kicking
game – and has it ever paid off. He is relentless in
his habits to make himself better with the goal to make
any team he’s ever played for better…or any team he
will play for.
Mike will most likely be a first day selection. With
that, I can hear the fans now… Maniacal fans to be
sure, but mostly just pot-belly slobs sitting in their recliners
watching the draft with their trusty beer helmets,
sucking on the straw leading to an Old Milwaukee on
either side. With selecting any kicker, that group of
misfits will be jumping straight up out of their chairs
yelling at the television, cursing the front office, for
taking a kicker that early. Funny thing is, those same
drunken fools will be the first ones praising Mike
Nugent when he hits the first of many game-winning
50-yarders with no time left.
While some might question whether Mike Nugent or any
kicker is worth a first day pick, I don’t. In fact, I
love the fact that a kicker is getting so much attention
in the draft. Everyone makes fun of the kicker. Yet
when the game is on the line, and it means winning or
losing a game, much less a Super Bowl, isn't it funny
how all of a sudden the kicker is the most important guy
on the team? Mike Nugent wants to be that kicker,
because he wants to make his team better. He will not
disappoint, because he doesn’t disappoint. He's going
to make one NFL franchise better for a long time to
come.
