Reluctant kicker thrives

Highlights for the Eastern Washington University football team have been few and far between this year, as a 2-6 record would indicate.

Except when senior Brett Bergstrom is involved.

Bergstrom has been on the field 51 times and only once has the result been a total failure.

Bergstrom is the Eagles’ first-year kicker and his results have been remarkable. He has made 11 of 12 field goals, including a pair longer than 50 yards, and all 11 extra-point attempts. Thirteen of his 28 kickoffs have been touchbacks. His only miss was a 36-yarder two weeks ago.

To put that in perspective, the 11 field goals are tied for eighth on the school single-season list with three games remaining, including Saturday’s homecoming matchup with Northern Arizona at Woodward Field. The fewest misses by kickers who made between 12 and the school-record 15 field goals is six. Only one had two field goals longer than 50 yards – in different seasons.

“He surprised me, but after watching him work at it I’m not surprised,” EWU special teams coach Keith Murphy said. “He’s a guy that can put the ball where he wants to. He had to work on consistency.”

Bergstrom was also a reluctant participant.

“He didn’t want to be a kicker – he wanted to be a … football player,” Murphy said. “There’s something more glorious to that. In that sense, the competitor comes out. He doesn’t want to be looked at as a kicker only.”

An all-league defensive back and receiver at Mount Si in North Bend, Wash., Bergstrom came to Eastern from Shasta Junior College in California in 2004 as a safety, a position where the Eagles were well stocked. He redshirted and then moved to wide receiver. With Eastern’s outstanding senior receivers in front of him, Bergstrom never caught a pass, so last spring the coaches decided to make the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder into a speed rushing defensive end.

There was speculation entering this season that Bergstrom could be a pleasant surprise – but not at end. Aware he was also an all-league kicker in high school, the coaches had him kickoff last year and he had 23 touchbacks. But when he tried place-kicking in practice, his low line drives were often blocked. When he got the ball over the line, his accuracy was lacking.

Even during fall camp he was still inconsistent, competing against incumbent Sheldon Weddle, who made 11 of 17 field goals and 47 extra points to earn honorable mention all-Big Sky Conference last year.

“Toward the tail end of camp he showed flashes, but as coaches we wanted to see him do it in a game,” Murphy said. “As soon as he kicked that first field goal, all of a sudden that 50 percent became 90, 95 percent during game week.”

“On game day I’m a little more focused,” Bergstrom said. “In practice I can be a little lackadaisical.”

It also helped that he attended summer kicking camps.

“I didn’t really have any technique,” Bergstrom said. “That’s the main thing I wanted to get down to help my consistency.”

“Whatever they did worked wonders for him,” punter and holder Ryan Donckers said. “Now he gets the ball up (over the line) without sacrificing distance.”

The first field goal was a 39-yarder at Oregon State and his 25-yarder was the only scoring the next week at West Virginia.

“I was very nervous for the first one. I didn’t know how I would do,” Bergstrom said. “After I made that, I was a little more confident. Against West Virginia I was really nervous, too. Now I know what is expected.”

Bergstrom never asked the coaches if he could try kicking because he really wants to be in on the action.

“You can’t really call him a typical kicker,” Donckers said. “He’s really energetic. It took him a while to get adjusted to the kicker lifestyle. I know he misses hitting people. On kickoffs he’s always down early mixing it up with guys.”

Everyone associated with Eastern has seen Bergstrom boom 65-yarders in practice. His 56-yarder at Northern Colorado, a yard short of Ed Stein’s school record, would have easily cleared from 60.

“He’s got an unbelievable leg,” Donckers said. “It’s gotten to the point what used to be a sky (punt) for us – 38, 39 yards – is now a makable field goal.”

On field goals, the holder sets up 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. With the goal posts 10 yards beyond the goal line, if the line of scrimmage is the 38, a field-goal attempt is going to be from 55 yards.

Last week against Portland State, Bergstrom thought he might get a crack at a 62-yarder until the quarterback was sacked.

“I was ready,” he said, “I was very ready.”

The important thing, he said, is confidence.

“I try to be confident when the coach puts me in, whether it’s 60 yards or 30 yards,” he said. “If you’re confident, you’re one step ahead.”

He also has a unique approach.

“Mentally, he doesn’t worry about the hold, the snap,” Murphy said. “His attitude is ‘I don’t care what is presented to me, I’m going to make the points.’ “

Bergstrom has become one of the best in the Big Sky Conference. Only one other kicker is perfect on PATs and no other kicker has missed less than two field goals.

“I’ve actually grown to love it. I appreciate it a lot more,” he said. “You don’t really notice how big a part of the game it is until you’re doing it. Three field goals are more than a touchdown.”

Unfortunately, with the Eagles struggling on offense, Bergstrom has as many field goals as extra points.

“Losing games sucks,” he said. “Winning is the most important thing. I’m not too excited about a field goal at any range if we’re losing games.”

The good thing is Bergstrom may not be finished as a kicker when the season is over. Murphy said he has an NFL leg.

“I just push (such talk) to the side,” Bergstrom said. “I have to finish this year well to even get a chance.”