Threesome boosts Ducks’ kicking game
By Dennis Kaiser
Of the Emerald
When graduation took kicker Paul
Schwabe and punter Kevin Hicks from
the Ducks last season, Oregon coach
Rich Brooks knew he had some big holes
to fill.
Fortunately, Brooks found a trio that
has filled those gaps quite nicely.
In fact, the trio of punter Mike
Preacher, place-kicker Matt MacLeod
and kickoff man Dean Otto have given
Oregon a triple-threat kicking attack
which has given the Ducks the up
perhand against the opposition.
All three have been key contributors in
the Ducks’ 4-1 start.
Preacher is one of the top punters in
the Pac-10 this year with a 44.2 average.
MacLeod has given stability to the place
kicking duties by hitting 5 of 7 field
goals and 15 extra points. Otto’s deep
kickoffs have kept the opposition from
Photo by Travis Johnson
Dean Otto
_
returning the ball most of the time.
It’s no wonder why Oregon’s kickers
have done well, with Oregon coach Rich
Brooks, a former professional special
teams coach with the Los Angeles Rams
and San Francisco 49ers, around with
advice.
Preacher, a junior, transferred to
Oregon from Cerritos Junior College in
California because of Brooks’ coaching.
“It’s nice to have a coach who knows
more about punting than I do because
past coaches didn’t,’’ says Preacher. “He
(Brooks) knows what he’s talking about,
so if something goes wrong Brooks will
let you know.”
So tar, Preacher
hasn’t done much
wrong in keeping
the opposition
penned deep in
their own territory
with his punting
expertise.
Preacher has a
56-yard punt to his
credit, but is
capable of hitting
deeper ones.
Brooks thinks
Preacher could be
one of the best in
the conference.
“Mike’s got a
tremendous
amount of talent
and a great future
ahead of .him.,’’
says Brooks. “He’s
still not close to
his potential
because he isn’t
consistent.”
Oregon’s other
two kickers.
MacLeod and Otto, have interesting
backgrounds before their arrival on the
team.
Both are from foreign countries;
MacLeod hails from Vancouver, British
Columbia, and Otto is a native of South
Africa.
MacLeod, a sophomore, entered
school last January upon his father’s ad
vice that Oregon would be a good place
to get an education. Though MacLeod
had never played competitive football,
he wanted to try out for the Ducks.
Suprisingly, he made the squad after an
impressive performance in spring drills.
Brooks invited him back for fall and the
rest has been history.
The pressures of kicking doesn’t
bother MacLeod who hit three field goals
against the University of the Pacific in
the Ducks’ 30-14 victory.
“If I make or miss it, I forget about it
and go on to the next one,” says
IVldtLCUU, WUU 11*13
hit some timely
field goals for the
Ducks this year in
eluding a
47-yarder against
the University of
California.
Meanwhile,
Otto’s story of
kicking for the
Ducks is simply a
miracle in itself.
Otto was in
Eugene visiting
relatives this sum
mer when Duck of
fensive guard
Craig Kaylor notic
ed him kicking a
rugby ball at
Autzen Stadium.
Kaylor suggested
he put his foot to
work for the
Ducks.
Within one
week, Otto was ad
mitted to the
university and donned the pads for the
Ducks. He had never played football
before and had only seen five minutes of
the Super Bowl.
“I didn’t know where to put the
things,” says Otto of his pads. "I didn’t
know the rules. I knew nothing of
Photo by Travis Johnson
Matt MacLeod
Photo by Michael Clapp
Mike Preacher
football.”
But Otto’s kicking ability was more
than enough to convince Brooks to let
him handle the kickoff chores for the
Ducks. Otto's kicks usually end in the
end zone without a return.
“I was so nervous before the game,”
says Otto of initial debut against Long
Beach State University. “Not about kick
ing. but that I would do something
wrong — against the rules.”
Brooks is glad Otto came in the nick of
time.
“He (Otto) came along when we really
needed someone,” says Brooks. "Dean
is a raw talent, and he has the potential
to be a good place-kicker. He has the leg
to kick long.”
Duck fans should see the three kicking
Oregon to higher plateaus in the future.
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