Football
Nugent Aims for 2003
By Joe Weasel
What a difference a year makes.
The kicking game last spring was a big question mark
for the Buckeyes. Heading into the season last fall, sophomore Mike
Nugent was anything but a sure thing.
The Centerville native entered the 2001 season having
made a 33-yard field goal at Michigan and drilling all four of his
PATs in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina. He also connected
on a 35-yard field goal against Minnesota, which turned out to be
the difference in a 31-28 victory.
However, during the 2001 season he was anything but
automatic, and Nugent had his doubts about his own abilities.
"I think I'd say, my first year it (kicking)
was too mental," Nugent said
"I'd be like, how is my holder, how is the wind.
This past year I just went out there and said, 'You've been here
before, and just do exactly like you did on the last one you made.'
"
Little did the Buckeyes know last spring that Nugent
would become a major weapon for the team during their National Championship
season.
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Buckeye
kicker Mike Nugent kicks off against Washington State in 2002.
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Heading into the Miami game, Nugent was 24 of 26 on
field-goal attempts, and in the Fiesta Bowl Nugent nailed a 44-yard
field goal and two pressure-packed PATs in the overtime periods.
"I really wasn't that nervous when I had to
kick that game," Nugent said.
"I didn't think about what could happen, I thought
about what was going to happen."
During Ohio State's perfect 14-0 season, Nugent set
seven place-kicking records. But this year it's a new season, and
that means starting all over.
"I can't use last year as a motivator,"
he said. "I look at it as I've got to make the next one and
the next one after that, and try to make as many points as I can."
Next Friday the Buckeyes head into the Horseshoe
for a kicking scrimmage. It will be the second time in as many years
that Coach Jim Tressel has featured this unique addition to spring
practice. Adding to the flair is the fact that ESPN Game Day will
be on hand for the event.
"I'm really excited about next Friday. That's
one of those things that Coach Tressel does that's really great,"
Nugent said. "The whole thing is special teams, and you can't
say the offense didn't move the ball down the field or the defense
didn't stop the offense
"You can put everything on the special teams,
and that's good, because whoever loses has to walk home. This is
good because it puts all the pressure on the special teams, and
any time you can get that close to a game situation is good."
Nugent says that when the 2003 season begins, he'd
like to experience some more pressure -- like in the Fiesta Bowl.
"I haven't gotten a chance to kick a game winner.
But hopefully that will happen."
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