Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1276571
THE LONG GAME Strong-legged specialist Jordan Stout is set to assume an even more expansive role in PSU's kicking game N o kicker in Penn State history had ever hit a 57-yard field goal, but Jordan Stout wasn't fazed by the dis- tance when he trotted onto the field just before half- time against Pitt last Sep- tember. During his short tenure with the Nittany Lions, the Virginia Tech transfer had repeatedly begged coach James Franklin to let him attempt seemingly impossible kicks. So when Franklin re- lented this time, sending him into the game after the offense had stalled out at the Panthers' 39-yard line, Stout didn't think twice about whether it was the right decision. Of course it was the right decision. "He knew I could do it, I | have to worry about the long stuff, just get really, really, really good at being pinpoint accurate at the tight stuff, which is almost always what happens. But kicking is a mental game. I really think that was part of his development and improvement, as it allowed him to just focus. Oh, this is the easy stuff, man. I got this. Well, that mentality, he went from 68 percent to 92 percent. But again, Jordan could kick tight ones, and Jake could kick long ones. I'm really confident with both of them. BWI Is there a decision to make if there are three seconds on the clock and the ball is at the 32-yard line and Jake has had four makes and Jordan hasn't kicked one during the game? LORIG Yeah, 32 and in is Pinegar. BWI How about the 32-and-a-half? LORIG Yeah, 32-and-a-half and out is Stout. BWI Even if the game is on the line? LORIG We agree on it beforehand. It's a funny question, but what if that situa- tion does come up? We meet every Sat- urday morning before the game, and that's one of the things that Coach Franklin does. Every position goes around, but he'll say, OK, Coach Lorig, tell me exactly what are the parameters of our kickers? I know we're joking, and I'm with you, but literally, if it was on the 32-and-a- half, well, we've made that decision be- fore all the pressure came up. I want to win as bad as anybody around, believe me. And that's why you rely on the data that you've had going into that, so at the end of it, whether it's a make or a miss, it's not a random decision that was made at the last second based on all the junk that's going on. It's based on the data. And if the data over a year and a half shows us that out- side the 32-yard line we got a half a per- centage point more with Jordan, then that's who we're going with. If it's a 10th of a percentage point more with Jake, then that's who we're going with. It's not an emotional decision at that point. It's already been made by the data, and then you can live with the results. ■ DEEP THINKER Stout kicked off 83 times for Penn State last season, and 66 of those attempts were too deep to be re- turned. Photo by Steve Manuel