Fresno State Athletics
Just Kicking It
12/14/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 14, 2001
By Kelly Walls, Fresno State Media Relations
In a typical football game, punters and kickers play for only a few seconds at a time. These few seconds, however, can make or break a game.
Junior placekicker Asen Asparuhov's playing time this season totals about a minute and a half. Nonetheless, he is still the 15th leading scorer in the nation and has 26 field goals.
Never as Asparuhov's value to the team more evident than against Colorado State on Oct. 13. With four seconds left on the clock and the Bulldogs trailing 22-19, Asparuhov nailed a career-long 48-yard attempt to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, he came through again, splitting the uprights with a 43-yarder to give Fresno State a dramatic 25-22 victory.
"I did the job that everyone was expecting me to do," Asparuhov said. "It was a lot of fun. I was confident and had no negative thoughts in my mind.
With the placekicking position being more mental than physical, positive thoughts are a huge part of success. This season has offered plenty about which to be positive. The Plovdiv, Bulgaria, native has made 19-of-25 attempts this year and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, presented annually to the nation's top placekicker.
While Asparuhov handles the field goal chores, sophomore Brett Visintainer is the kickoff artist. He said that the sound of the crowd cheering in the stadium gets him ready for the game.
"I love kickoffs," Visintainer said. When the game starts I get such an adrenaline rush."
It is this rush that has allowed Visintainer to improve his touchback totals to 14 this year, after kicking only four all of 2000.
Preparing for field goals and punts is not easy. In addition to battling nerves and hard-charging defenders, the Fresno State kicking crew must also adapt to weather elements that can wreak havoc with such a precise profession.
"I try to prepare the kickers and punters for every situation possible," special teams coach John Baxter said. "Most of the work I do takes place on the practice field. By the time the game comes, everything should be in order for them to execute."
To be ready for a game, elements need to be brought together such as timing, control, and coordination. For junior punter Jason Simpson, he said that he combines timing and rhythm to be successful on the field.
Simpson credits is power this season to the weightroom. He never lifted weights before he came to Fresno State and he admits that the program more demanding than at Fullerton Junior College. Simpson was happy with his technique last year but notices the strength that the weightroom has added to his performance this year.
"I try to adapt my fundamentals to my power," Simpson said. "The weight room has been a big advantage to me. It has helped me a lot this season."
Besides strength training, there are three fundamentals to kicking Baxter stresses to his players to make them successful on the field.
"I tell the guys there are three important facets to special teams: generate field position, generate momentum, and score." said Baxter.
Baxter compares a punter to a pitcher in baseball. He said a punter is an individual player in a team sport. He likes his players to be fresh for each game, much like a pitcher will play after a few days of rest. The difference, however, is that a punter could get tackled.
"But the difference," Baxter says, "is that a pitcher doesn't have eight or nine guys trying to block his pitch or have the stress of getting hit."
Teamwork is also an element to the game. There has to be good coverage to protect the placekicker and punter. There also has to be a good relationship between the punter and the long snapper, senior Kevin Murphy.
"Murph is the most important guy of all," Baxter said. "And yet he's the most taken for granted person on the team. We haven't had a single problem with a long snap since he's been here."
The team must form a bond in order to make all of the elements work. Visintainer, Simpson, Asparuhov and Murphy must all function in harmony for the special teams to be in synch.
"We call ourselves the KPS for kicker, punter, snapper," Simpson said. "We joke that our brief moments on the field are our 15 minutes of fame."
There is no competition between the players. The first string players are happy to help out the second string players. During practice, they all "commence on the hill" and work out with each other. The new players learn by watching the players before them.
"We work as a team," Asparuhov said. "When [back-up placekicker] Brandon [Esparza] kicks, I'll correct him or answer a question if he has one."
"We help each other out with everything," Esparza said. "The guys have taught me things to make my game better."
This connection between the players has helped improve their game. All of the kickers and punters have only been on the team for two seasons. Asparuhov is leading the team with XXXXXX points.
"Last year these guys were kickers and punters, this year they are threats," Baxter said. "And that's what you want out of your special teams players."
