Place-kicker sets two visits
D-I schools are beginning to take seriously the importance of having stellar special teams. That is why D-I college programs, more than ever, are offering scholarships to kickers. It used to be the prevailing wisdom to make a kicker first walk on and then earn a scholarship.
One kicker who has two visits on his agenda and a possible two more is Andrew Aguila (6-1, 170, 4.7) from Bellflower (Calif.) Saint John Bosco.
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"Andrew will visit Louisville and Michigan State," Saint John Bosco Coach Kiki Mendoza said. "He has a date with Louisville but I can't remember the date. The date hasn't been set for Michigan State."
"Cal is looking at three kickers and Andrew is one of them," Mendoza said. "Oregon is looking at offering him a gray shirt."
"One thing I know for sure is, Andrew is legit," Mendoza said. "His long is 54 yards, but he has multiple 50-plus yard kicks over his career."
"Besides Andrew's terrific leg strength, he's very accurate," Mendoza said. "He hasn't missed an extra point in two years."
"Most kickers kick their field goals off a two-inch block," Mendoza said. "Andrew only uses a quarter-inch block to get himself ready for the next level."
"Most of his kickoffs land in the end zone," Mendoza said. "I think there may have been three kickoffs that didn't reach the end zone and two of them were pooch kicks."
"While conversing with one former high school coach who is now coaching the D-I level," Mendoza said. "My friend told me if he ever came took the high school level he make sure he has a kicker and excellent special teams."
It is exactly that type of thinking that has colleges offering kickers at a higher rate.