Offensive lineman gets a kick out of kicking

While no records are kept for the largest placekicker in football, University of Arkansas offensive line commitment Luke Brown would surely be a candidate.

Brown, 6-6, 315 pounds, of Paris (Tenn.) Henry County has been dominating defenders this season with 118 pancake blocks going into Friday’s game, but he also added place-kicking duties in last week’s a 47-0 victory over Portland.

He drilled his only extra-point attempt in the runaway win.

“Our kicking coach, Coach [Dylan] Phillips, had told me I could kick at some point this season to try and get on the stat sheet,” Brown said. “I practiced kicking here and there with our kicker for fun. When he couldn’t play last Friday and we got up big I knew I was going to get my shot.”

Once the ball went through the uprights, Brown was mobbed by his teammates in celebration.

“My teammates and I had talked about it for a while and we’re waiting for it to happen,” Brown said. “Those guys are my brothers and I wouldn’t have wanted to celebrate any other way.”

Brown believes his range is much further than an extra point.

“I made a 35-yard kick on my first try and didn’t test any further,” Brown said. “I’m pretty sure the one last Friday would’ve been good from 40 though.”

Others agree with his his assessment.

“People saying, ‘I thought you could only block,’ and people talking about how it looked as if I barely swung my leg, but it went further than our actual kicker’s kicks,” Brown said.

The ESPN 4-star prospect chose the Razorbacks over more than 25 other scholarship offers from schools like Georgia, Auburn, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Florida State, Tennessee and Mississippi State in April and hasn’t shied away from his pledge since.

ESPN also rates him the No. 22 offensive tackle and No. 250 overall prospect in the nation. He has the option of graduating in December and enrolling at Arkansas in January if he chooses.

He was a celebrity while walking the hallways of the school this week.

“I received words from students, teachers, and even lunch ladies,” Brown said. “Nobody seemed to think I would’ve made it. But they all had good things to say in the end.”

Arkansas offensive line coach Cody Kennedy jokingly talked about alerting special teams coordinator Scott Fountain about Brown’s feat.

“Coach Kennedy said I was an athlete and that he was texting Coach Fountain about it,” said Brown. “He said Cam Little should watch out and that he’s ready for me to get back on campus.”

Brown is hoping to make it back to Fayetteville for the Ole Miss game on Nov.18.

Brown is content to see his kicking career end while on top.

“I’m 100% on my career, so I think I’m going to leave it at that,” Brown said.

Brown