4th time’s a charm Timeouts don’t impede walk-on’s kick for Dad
OXFORD, Miss. — Arkansas Razorbacks kicker Connor Limpert was thinking about his father before he attempted a field goal with seven seconds left against Ole Miss.
“Right before the kick, I pointed up into the air and looked at him pretty much,” Limpert said. “I think he’s very proud of me, and he’s so happy for me.”
Limpert, a sophomore walk-on, hit a 34-yard field goal to lift the Razorbacks to a 38-37 victory over the Rebels on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
“I’ve been through a lot,” Limpert said. “So in my mind, I wanted to hit it just like I do every kick and do it for my family.”
Limpert was a senior at Allen (Texas) High School when his father, Scott, suffered a heart attack and died while playing in a 50-and-older soccer league.
“He was the whole reason why I got here,” said Limpert, who wears No. 19 because his father did. “So hitting that field goal was a big moment for me.”
It was the first game-winning field goal by a Razorback in the final seconds since Alex Tejada hit a 37-yarder in overtime to beat East Carolina 20-17 in the 2010 Liberty Bowl.
“Connor’s a confident kid, a great walk-on story,” Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema said. “He’s got a lot of confidence. He kept saying, ‘I’ve got you, Coach.’ “
Bielema had some time to talk with his kicker before the game-winner because Limpert actually hit it four times in a row.
Ole Miss had three timeouts remaining when Limpert lined up to kick, and Rebels interim Coach Matt Luke used them all.
Limpert took the opportunity to practice and hit the ball through the uprights during each timeout before doing it again when it counted.
“I don’t know if he’s made four in a row in practice from the same hash since he’s been here,” Bielema said. “Just joking with him a little bit. He wanted to stroke it every time.”
Limpert said it was a plus to work on the kick — from the left hash mark — with snapper Robert Decker and holder Reid Miller.
“My thoughts are I might as well get some practice swings in,” Limpert said. “Get a feel for the sweet spot and just try to do the same thing over and over.
“Basically I just went over all the steps that I had to take to kick the field goal and just went out and did my thing.”
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville guard Hjalte Froholdt said he never doubted Limpert would make the kick.
“He did a great job of staying poised out there, and staying focused, but also relaxed,” Froholdt said. “He can’t be too uptight when he’s the kicker in the most critical situation in the whole game.
“They kept calling timeouts, but Connor kept making field goals. So I was superconfident in him.”
Limpert, who is left-footed, missed a 45-yard attempt in the first half from the right hash mark. He said he’s more accurate from the left hash mark, and the Razorbacks set up a running play on a 10-yard gain by David Williams to put Limpert on the left side.
“I’m not really a nervous guy,” Limpert said. “So that helps a lot.”
Limpert got an embrace and game ball from Bielema.
“He just gave me a big old hug and said, ‘Thank you. We needed that,’ ” Limpert said. “Then in the locker room he gave me the ball I kicked.
“It means the world to me. I’m definitely putting that somewhere nice and special in my room. I’m going to remember that moment for the rest of my life.”
Limpert also got postgame congratulations from Ole Miss defensive back Jaylon Jones and offensive lineman Greg Little — his teammates at Allen High School — for hitting the game winner.
“They were proud of me,” Limpert said. “They were happy for me and said they were glad it was me and not someone else.”
Jones, who returned six of Limpert’s kickoffs for 110 yards, joked with him before the second half started.
“I was literally lining up about to hit a field goal, and he was talking trash to me, and I said, ‘Watch, I’m going to hit a field goal right here and beat y’all,’ ” Limpert said. “He came up to me after the game and said, ‘You said it.’ ”