ICRII) PROFII KI
Thompson adjusts to punting,
after starting as a placekicker
oy nooeri weoer
Emerald Sports Reporter
At first glance. Tommy
Thompson appears to be just
another freshman trying to get
used to college life, but this 5
foot-10. 160-pound freshman is
not your average college new
comer.
You see. Thompson not only
makes all of his classes, but he
has also found time to punt for
Oregon's football team. Head
ing into this weekend's game
against Arizona State. Thomp
son is ranked 15th nationally
with a 41.96-yard average.
Entering this season. Oregon
Coach Rich Brooks knew that,
once again, one of the team's
weak spots would be the punt
ing game. After using four
punters in the past four years.
Brooks was looking for some
body to step forward and fill
the large gap left by Marc
Penso's graduation.
"After Penso graduated last
year,” Brooks said, “we were
left with a large void. “Things
didn't look real good during
spring practices."
Senior Liam Hayes and soph
omore Ben Rough were expect
ed to be the top contenders for
the spot, but Thompson simply
outperformed them once he ar
rived on the scene and doesn't
look ready to give up his start
ing position.
"It was close the first two
weeks.” Brooks said, “but he
was consistently better than
Hayes.”
Thompson came to Oregon
with the idea of claiming the
punting job, but he knew he
would have to work hard over
the summer to prepare himself.
"When I came to Oregon I
knew that punting job was
open." Thompson said, "so I
spent the entire summer work
ing on my punting game.”
While at Lompoc High
School in Southern California,
Thompson set state records for
extra points with 63, and
points scored with 99. as a
placekicker. He was recruited
throughout California and all
over the West (’oast as a place
kicker but knew that he would
probably have to punt the first
year wherever he went.
"Placekicking is my first
love,” Thompson said. "The
only reason that 1 punted in
high school was because my
coach made me."
Thompson was recruited as a
placekicker after his senior sea
son and many California
I_
Hwto by Eric Evan*
Oregon punier Tommy Thompson has gone from someone
who haled punting to one of the best punters in college foot
ball.
schools showed some interest
in him. After thinking about
going to UCLA or USC.
Thompson reconsidered and
decided to accept a scholarship
to Oregon.
"I seriously thought about
going to UCLA because they
had no kickers or punters on
their depth chart,” Thompson
said, ' but UCLA and USC
don't offer scholarships to kick
ers until they earn the starting
spot. Even though I thought I
could win the job at UCLA. I
couldn’t take a chance, so I de
cided to come to Oregon and
try to win the punting job.”
In the past year, he has gone
from somebody who was being
forced to punt to being rankod
nationally and playing for a Pa
cific-10 school.
The Ducks have played in
some big games already this
year, putting a lot of pressure
on somebody who just nine
months ago was kicking field
goals in high school, but
Thompson says that he feels
more pressure in practice than
he does during the games
“Any punter has a lot of
pressure on them with Coach
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Brooks," Thompson said. "1
think there is more pressure in
practice than there is in a
game.
"In practice Coach Brooks is
always there by you and if the
punt isn't right then he's going
to get on you,” Thompson add
ed. "In the game he's not right
there next to you so I feel a lot
Turn to THOMPSON. Page 11
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