|
 |
Dan Carpenter
DAN CARPENTER
When training camp began back in July, Dan Carpenter was thought of
more as an acquisition brought in to push veteran kicker Jay Feely so
that Feely wouldn't become too complacent with his 21-for-23
performance in 2007. But as the 6-foot-2, 220-pound chemistry major
kept making field goal after field goal and driving his kickoffs
deeper and deeper into the end zone, Feely's job suddenly was at risk.
On Aug. 12, Carpenter was informed that he had won the job and that
Feely had been released. He proceeded to make his first six field
goals in the preseason, including a 4-for-4 performance at
Jacksonville in a 19-14 win. His only miss came in the preseason
finale at New Orleans.
Carpenter was a four-year letterman at the University of Montana and
converted 75 of 103 field goals (72.8 percent) and 182 of 188 PATs
for a total of 413 points. He holds school and NCAA Football
Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) career marks for
field goals made and points scored by a kicker and is tied for the
all-time lead in PATs. He also earned first-team FCS All-American
honors and first-team Big Sky Conference honors as a senior.
Carpenter discussed how he has made the transition from kicking for
a small college to kicking for one of the most storied franchises in
the NFL, his reaction to getting the starting job, and how he
actually became a placekicker, among other things, in this exclusive
one-on-one interview with Andy Kent for this installment of First-
and-10.
1. You go from kicking in Montana to being the placekicker for the
Miami Dolphins. Has this all been somewhat unreal for you?
It's definitely different for sure as far as coming from Montana.
Like I've always said, Montana has its four seasons and you come down
here to Florida and they've got two - it's like hurricane season and
then the rest of the weather. It's a little different with the
stadium, and getting to know new people is kind of the most different
part for me.
2. Coach Tony Sparano recently revealed that you are the backup
punter to Brandon Fields and he is your backup kicker. How much have
you two worked on each other's job and how good of a punter do you
think you are?
As far as it goes for me, I think it's a little easier for me as a
backup punter to step in in that situation. We have worked on it just
in case some kind of emergency did happen, but it's something that I
feel comfortable that I could step in and do if it came down to that.
I punted in high school and I also did for a year in college (his
junior year) because our punter actually did get hurt in college.
(Carpenter averaged 41.9 yards on 62 punts that year)
3. Do you remember your reaction when the Dolphins told you this job
was yours?
Yeah, actually my reaction was I was surprised, but at the same time
I knew that I'd have to keep competing with myself now instead of
someone else. I know, and I've said this before, I could be here in
one week and gone the next, so that's how it goes.
4. How do you deal with the pressure of being the difference in a
close game?
You've just got to treat every kick the same way, whether it be the
first kick in the first quarter on the first drive, or whether it be
the game-winner with two seconds left. You've got to be consistent
with what you do.
5. Assuming wind isn't a factor, what is your range and how would
you describe the strength of your leg?
That's a tough question, I guess. I mean, that's more of a question
for other people to answer, but I'd give it a range from 58 yards
maybe, but that's a hard question to ask me, especially with your leg
strength. You could ask someone else the question.
6. Tell us how you became a placekicker?
Playing soccer when I was younger and then I kind of just jumped
into football. I never started kicking actually until I was a
sophomore in high school. Actually, I was a holder for our kicker
some of my freshman year. I think we both kind of did it a little
bit, and he started the season and I ended the season.
7. Do you worry much about failure and how many placekickers find
themselves out of work?
You've got to come in every day, not only to games but in practice,
you've got to come in and compete like I said with yourself every
day. If you miss a kick you can't just say, 'Oh, it's just practice.'
You've got to pretend that could have been the kick to win the game.
You've got to treat every kick the same.
8. You see placekickers throw the ball or take off and run with it.
Are you athletic enough to accomplish those things?
I'd say in this league if you want me to make somebody miss that's
probably not going to happen, or to outrun anybody, I don't know
about that one either. I played a little wide receiver in high school
and some free safety, so if there was something that came up I'm sure
I could work at it to get it done.
9. Tell us a little bit about Dan Carpenter off the field?
Right now I like to go back to the room, hang out; maybe we'll catch
a movie if it's on or watch some football if that's on. I'm a sports
guy. I love watching and I've got a competitive edge even when I
leave here. I like to talk to my family back home and keep up with my
family. I'm pretty laid-back. Fishing is definitely something I would
like to look into doing here, but right now my focus is pure
football, so I'm just sticking with that.
10. What do you think the expectations are about kickoffs, and do
you mind being the one having to make the tackle?
I guess I'll start with that second part. I don't mind making an
attempt to make the tackle. These guys in this league, they get paid
to make other guys miss who practice tackling every day, so I don't
mind tackling if it comes up. I'll give it my best effort to get him
down. As for the first part, what the expectations are, we're trying
to work right now on directional, hang time and pinning them. A
perfect kick is 4 second-plus hang time, outside the numbers, the
goal line, maybe 1 or 2 yards deep even is fine, try to get them down
in the corner, left or right, and make our coverage team have to
cover less of the field.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
