Step-by-step series: Kicking field goals with Tanner Rinker
In sports, there are many repeatable processes and events that rely on preparation, repetition and focus where the opposing team has little to no impact on the process and outcome. Examples of such processes include free throws, field goals, serves and more.
In this step-by-step series, we’ll take a hands-on approach to those repetitive, ritualistic elements of athletics to see what makes athletes successful and just how repeatable their processes are.
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Utah State Football placekicker Tanner Rinker is 7-7 on field goal attempts this season and 27-28 on point-after-touchdown, or PAT, kicks prior to the home matchup against Nevada. Rinker has played a pivotal role all season for the Aggies, including in their homecoming win over San Jose State in October, where he went 6-6 on kicks while hitting three key field goals and three PATs.
“It was really cool,” Rinker said after the win over the Spartans. “I try to treat every kick like the same, so no matter the context of it, it’s got to go through. So that’s just my mentality.”
Head coach Bronco Mendenhall echoed the importance of Rinker’s performance in his press conference the following week.
“It changed the game,” Mendenhall said. “Just really fun to see someone go out and in the moments where they’re called on to do their job for the team, to have success.”
To kick off the first piece of this series, I met with Rinker after a USU Football practice to see just how difficult those kicks are and have Rinker teach me his ways.
Now, I consider myself to be an averagely athletic male in their early 20s, making me a decent proxy, in my opinion, for the average person wondering how hard it would be to kick a PAT.
Rinker begins his process by placing his kicking foot just in front of where the holder has identified the ball will be, with his non-kicking foot, or “plant foot,” just to the side. He then takes three steps back, with his kicking foot taking the first stride backwards, and lines up his kick.
“I just imagine the ball going from where it’s placed on the ground … going straight,” Rinker said.
He then takes two square steps to the left so that his path forms a 90-degree angle from where he first addressed the ball. He then takes several deep breaths while looking between where the ball will be and where he envisions his kick going.
Rinker gives the holder a nod, the ball is snapped and he takes one quick jab step with his left foot, followed by two long strides before he strikes the ball on the inner side of his foot, about a quarter of the way up the ball, hopefully putting it through the uprights.
This process is repeatable from anywhere on the field, as most field goals will come from one hash or the other and not directly straight on. The only difference in those cases is that the offensive line is parallel to the line of scrimmage, while Rinker addresses the ball and makes his 90-degree angle line up with the goalposts.
Rinker demonstrated the process for me on two different areas of the field, from PAT distance and a 35-yard, left-aligned field goal, before it was my turn to take a crack at it.
Doing my best to imitate Rinker’s process, I stepped up, copied his lineup of three steps back and two steps over and snuck the ball through the left upright for a converted PAT.
In this initial make, I had Alyssa Cook, The Utah Statesman photographer who accompanied me, stand to the side to capture my repetition of Rinker’s process. In an effort to make a more complete video component, I then had her stand behind me, thinking I would be able to connect again.
In my next six or seven attempts, I was unable to make any more, though two of the kicks did find the crossbar.
After these additional unsuccessful attempts and some light heckling from Rinker and the sports information director, who advised me to “not quit my day job,” I decided to end my quest for a second make.
Cook then followed with a successful try of her own, similarly repeating the process Rinker outlined.
Many collegiate and professional kickers have either rugby or soccer backgrounds, and Rinker is no different, as he played soccer growing up.
According to Rinker, having a background in soccer helps many with the form, kicking and power to be an effective placekicker. Cook, who also played soccer in high school, proved that to be accurate as well.
In the end, Rinker’s process proved to be repeatable as both Cook and I were able to squeeze our first attempts through the uprights. However, my subsequent tries were unsuccessful and, either through fatigue or urgency, decreased in quality the more I tried.
So, in the event that Pat McAfee and “College GameDay” come to Logan offering prize money to a student who can make a field goal, I’m confident many could convert with some prior instruction. However, I would advise them to put their best effort first because from my experience, it doesn’t get any better from there.