Blue White Illustrated

ickers are people, too. If you haven't heard that phrase be- fore, it's a lighthearted jab at the most specialized position in football. Even though they sometimes impact games more than the star wide receiver, the media attention that kickers get is more comparable to the backup right guard. But whether they get the attention they deserve or not, their rise to the pinnacle of college football, and the story sur- rounding it, can o>en rival the :ve-star linebacker we all trip over to interview. Take Sander Sahaydak, for example. Back in 2017, the Bethlehem, Pa., resident was the only freshman to earn a spot on Liberty's varsity soccer team. It was an accomplishment that made him and his family members – a few of whom played soccer collegiately – feel proud of his work. But little did he know at the time that it also caught the attention of head football coach John Truby, who was look- ing for a new kicker who could stick with the team for a handful of seasons. "I never originally wanted to play foot- ball," Sahaydak said. "I didn't come into high school thinking I wanted to kick for the high school team. I wanted to come in and play soccer and run track. … My mom is friends with the wife of one of the [football] coaches, so it was always a joke about me playing on the football team. It ended up not being a joke at all." Three days before Liberty's season opener, Sahaydak kicked some balls for Truby and his sta<, and he ultimately agreed to join the team. He said he played football to "meet new people" more than anything else, and he also wasn't going to give up soccer, even though it, too, is a fall sport. "There were times where I was playing a soccer game on Friday [a>ernoon] and then going straight to the football :eld," Sahaydak said. "But through all of that, soccer was the priority." That remained the case until the sum- mer of 2019, when Sahaydak traveled to a few camps up and down the East Coast to test himself against other kickers. But even then, he didn't go into it with the mindset that he would eventually end up kicking at the highest level. "I didn't know if I was good enough to play at a place like Penn State or if I was going to play Division II or Division III or any level at all," he said. "I just wanted to see where I stacked up." Ultimately, he ended up performing well at Duke, Penn State and Virginia, as well as a few smaller local schools like Lehigh. A>er that, he decided to test himself again, attending a Kohl's Kicking regional camp in Pittsburgh in the fall of 2019. Even though he admittedly didn't perform his best, Sahaydak earned an in- vitation to the National Underclassman Combine in Orlando, which took place Jan. 20. That's when everything changed. WHAT HE DID Sahaydak showed both range and accuracy at Liberty. He began to ;ash his potential early, hitting four :eld goals and 40 extra points in his :rst two varsity seasons. Then, as a junior, he enjoyed a breakthrough year, converting 10 of 12 :eld goal attempts, including a 53-yarder, the longest make in the history of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. He hit a 52-yarder this past season, one of :ve makes on the year. Sahaydak also let- tered in soccer and track, competing in the triple jump, long jump and 400- meter relay. WHAT HE WON Sahaydak was rated the No. 8 kicker in the Class of 2021 by Kohl's Professional Camps. A>er watching him compete at the Underclassman Challenge Penn State Athletics SANDER SAHAYDAK RIVALS ★★★ | POS PK | HT 6-0 | WT 159 | HOME Bethlehem, Pa. | SCHOOL Liberty >> Specialist kicks up Penn State's recruiting class U P C L O S E & P E R S O N A L | K CLICK HERE to see video of Sahaydak in action.

• Cover