The life of a kicker is simple, really: Make your kicks, convert your extra points, fly under the radar.
Miss a kick, shank an extra point, feel the wrath.
The same goes for a punter: Do your job, you won’t be noticed.
It’s not quite as simple when a player has to do both, as Arizona’s kicker/punter Josh Pollack has this season.
“It’s been pretty good,” Pollack said. “There’s been a couple bumps, but that happens with any kicker, punter.”
The field-goal kicking has been particularly fine: Pollack has converted 6 of 8 attempts, the lone misses coming from beyond 50 yards, and has made all 21 of his point-after attempts.
Pollack’s punting has been more of an adventure.
Pollack performed admirably against Washington and USC, but not so much against Utah and UCLA.
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He pinned the Huskies on their own 5, 6 and 20-yard lines. He limited USC’s Adoree’ Jackson to 1 punt return yard.
UCLA, however, was able to turn six Pollack punts into good field position. And he had just a 34.2 yards-per-punt average against the Utes.
Pollack’s struggles led to a meeting with special teams coach Charlie Ragle. Ragle showed him footage of Drew Riggleman from his sophomore season. Riggleman was a two-time All-Conference selection who graduated after last season.
Ragle showed Pollack two clips: one of a punt against Washington State, another against Arizona State.
Against Washington State, Arizona “skidded” a snap that Riggleman caught.
“I tell people it’s one of the worst plays in college football history. He drops the ball, but his leg doesn’t move and a half second later he gets blown up. It was Charlie Brown-esque.”
The Sun Devils kick was a shanked punt that flew over the fence and out of bounds, into the stands.
The message?
“You’ve got to keep it in perspective,” Ragle said. “I think all in all for where he’s at seven games in, I’m highly pleased with what he’s done and I think his future and upside is really, really bright.”
Added Pollack: “I mean, I have to keep a short-term memory is what everybody says. Every kicker has a bad kick or every punter has a bad punt, it’s how you bounce back. I’ve spent a lot of time fixing what went wrong, what I could’ve done better and look toward the next punt.”
