The new guy
The good, the bad and the ugly: a tale of Nebraska kicking
Whoever said that a kicker doesn’t matter in football, obviously didn’t watch Nebraska Football in 2019.
Usually a staple of the Nebraska program has been the tremendous kickers that the Cornhuskers have been able to produce. Names like Nate Brown, Kris Brown, and Alex Henry still resonate in diehard Nebraska fans today.
Not often that a school can say they have had one let alone four kickers get drafted to the NFL in their history (Paul Rodgers 1971, Nate Brown 1999, Kris Brown 2003, and Alex Henry 2011).
I will still never forget when Henry broke the school record with a 57-yard field goal in 2008. For someone who doesn’t remember Nebraska being a national contender, this is a fond memory that I do have. Especially because it was against our dreaded rivals the Colorado Buffalo.
Last year was definitely not a picture out of the history books for the Huskers kicking the ball, as we had a revolving door of five different kickers. Who can forget the near extra point field goals the Huskers missed time and time again on the season.
Matt Waldoch was one of the only bright spots on Nebraska’s kicking staff in 2019. He was four for four and a perfect nine for nine on extra points during the regular season.
Waldoch will not be returning in 2020 and is electing to join the club soccer team at the school. He joined the football squad midway through last year as injuries continued to pile up at the position.
Another kicker with experience deciding to step away from football is Barret Pickering.
He was the starter for the Huskers in 2018 and went 14 for 18 on field goals. Last season injuries derailed his season and he made three of five field goals down the stretch for Nebraska.
He is also leaving the football program and is electing to just be a student at Nebraska.
This leaves the Huskers with a completely clean slate in 2020, with not one player who has ever attempted a field goal or extra point on the roster.
These kickers include Chase Contreraz, Tyler Crawford, and Gabe Heins.
Contreraz a native of Missouri Valley, Iowa joins the Huskers after one season at Iowa Western Community College. There he made 15 of 16 field goals and 44 of 46 extra points. He also had a season-long field goal of 47 yards.
Tyler Crawford is a true freshman for Nebraska out of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. As junior he only attempted one field goal and as a senior made four out of seven with a long of 39 yards.
The lone Cornhusker state native on the depth chart is Gabe Heins out of Kearney, Nebraska. In high school, he had impressive stats as a senior making 46 of 52 PATs and eight of eleven field goals. He also made a 44-yard field, which helped him earn honorable mention all-state in the Journal Star and the World-Herald as a senior.
I believe in the end, this battle will come down to Conteraz or Heins for the starting position on the field. Both have proven in their careers they can take care of making the long field goals.
Consistency is something the Huskers will need to strive for at the position as well. I imagine if Nebraska has any shot at being successful they will need to win some close games down the stretch, that may come down to a game-winning field goal.
It could also be the difference between the Huskers getting off to a good start in a game. So many times the demoralizing missed field goals on the first possession can be a factor in getting the offense off to a good start.
I believe the Nebraska kicking tradition makes a comeback in 2020. There is too much history at the position to see them slip by the wayside. We have seen a lot of traditions fade away with the Nebraska football program and this is one that I don’t want to see go away.