Let's face it, we've all said it before. When a kicker, whether it be college or NFL, misses a kick we say he had one job, and he couldn't even do that right. We are all guilty of it because somewhere along the line of your fandom, a kicker has been at the fault of some trauma you have. But, truthfully, being a kicker is hard, just ask former Oklahoma Sooners kicker Michael Hunnicutt.
Now, it feels like the Sooners finally have a great kicker. The fan base rejoiced on Twitter when they saw Tyler Keltner kick a 50-yard field goal and absolutely nail it. They hadn't seen a kicker look so good, hit a 50-yarder, and go three for three on-field goals in a while. Or at least it feels like it.
And, the biggest reason the job of a kicker is harder than fans make it seem, is because of the pressure. Imagine the pressure of the home crowd that Keltner had on his shoulders against Temple, even in a game they were bound to win by 40 regardless of those kicks. The pressure is still there for those kickers. It's not an easy job at all, even in a 51-3 win over the Temple Owls, a very bad team.
But when Keltner was asked if he gets nervous, he had the best quote you will hear from one of the hardest jobs in the country in terms of football.
#Sooners kicker Tyler Keltner says he doesn’t get nervous when kicking.
— George Stoia III (@GeorgeStoia) September 3, 2024
“It’s pure bliss when I’m out there.” pic.twitter.com/ZHZzDxvBNj
“It’s pure bliss when I’m out there," Keltner said recently at practice.
And, he made it look that way. A lot of fans were in awe of how good he looked. The kicker position is one that usually wins the fans over or loses the fans. They either really love you or really hate you, and I think with the way Keltner was kicking, he will end the season as a fan favorite.
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