Senior fills special needs
UA’s Emrich thankful to go unnoticed
FAYETTEVILLE — Matt Emrich is going into his fourth consecutive season as a first-teamer for the Arkansas football team, but a lot of fans might not recognize his name.
That’s a sign Emrich has done his job well as the Razorbacks’ holder for field goal and extra-point attempts.
“I don’t want anybody to know who I am,” Emrich said. “That’s my goal every year.”
Emrich understands fans don’t watch the holder. So if they know him, it means he probably messed up.
The fifth-year senior from El Dorado hopes to continue to keep a low profile and keep his coaches happy.
“Matt’s a very valuable part of what we’re doing,” Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said. “He’s a very consistent holder. That’s a big deal.”
Emrich, a walk-on, is adding deep-snapping duties for punts this season. He’s replacing Drew Gorton, who was a senior last year.
Arkansas’ season opener against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 3 will be the first time Emrich has snapped in a game.
“Snapping is what I came here to do,” he said. “It’s going to be cool to finally get to do it.
“I’m ready to run down the field on punts and try to make some tackles.”
Emrich became the Razorbacks’ top holder by accident in the spring of 2013 when he was a redshirt freshman. He impressed kicker Zach Hocker with his sure hands while working on snaps with Gorton.
“Coach B had told Zach to figure out whoever he wanted to be his holder,” Emrich said. “Drew and me were just messing around, snapping field goals and holding for each other.
“Zach saw me hold for one of the field goals and he was like, ‘That was actually pretty good. Let’s do that a little bit more.’ So it just went from there.”
Arkansas assistant Rory Segrest, who coaches the specialists and defensive linemen, said Emrich is the first player he can remember being a team’s No. 1 holder and deep snapper.
“Matt’s a unique individual,” Segrest said. “I don’t know of anybody else holding and snapping in a game, but he’s a guy that for sure can handle it with his experience and maturity.
“He’s got all those games under his belt where he’s been holding, and I know he’s ready to give us some good snaps now as well.”
Emrich is working with his third snapper on field goal and extra-point attempts with Alan D’Appollonio followed by Gorton and now Bob Decker.
“The key is just getting in a lot of work in the offseason,” Emrich said. “You figure out each other’s tendencies and pick it up pretty quick.”
Emrich said he’s built a good rapport with Decker and Cole Hedlund, who is the Razorbacks’ No. 1 placekicker for the second year in a row.
“We’ve got a good chemistry,” Emrich said. “I’m confident I’m going to get a good snap from Bob, and Cole is confident in both of us. We trust each other.”
Emrich already has a lot of experience working with punter Toby Baker, another fifth-year senior, in practice.
“Matt’s great,” Baker said. “We’ve been here together for five years, so it’s nothing really anything different to me. He’s snapped to me for a long time.”
Emrich played wide receiver and snapped for El Dorado High School and starred in soccer. He set state records for most career goals (94 from 2009-12) and in a season (38 in 2012).
“I actually wanted to play soccer in college, but I sent some film to Arkansas of me snapping,” Emrich said. “As soon as Arkansas said I could come up here and be on the football team, that was it.
“As an Arkansas kid, you want to play for the Razorbacks.”
Emrich started snapping when he was in the seventh grade.
“We were practicing and putting in field goal for the first time,” Emrich said. “Nobody was doing anything right.
“I played soccer growing up, so I was kicking, and the snapper couldn’t get the ball back there. I was like, ‘Look, it’s not that hard.’
“I just walked in and snapped the ball back, and it was actually pretty decent. So ever since then, my coaches have had me snap.”
Emrich would prefer nobody recognizes him as the snapper this season, either.