Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Senior Kickers
10/28/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 28, 2008
By Todd Merriett, Bucknell Athletic Communications
One is 5'10", 178 pounds and looks even smaller. The other is 6'4" and a solid 207 pounds.
One is sure of his future as an officer in the Marines. The other doesn't know if he will be living the life of luxury in the National Football League or sitting behind a desk in an office near Philadelphia at this time next year.
One kicks with his right foot. The other lofts the ball high into the air with his left foot.
Even with those differences, Bucknell's two senior kickers - Will Carney and Phil Azarik - have plenty of similarities. The two have been four-year starters at placekicker and punter, respectively, and will be listed among the best in Bison annals at their positions. Additionally, each has dealt with an injury in his career and both are now embracing the role of mentor to a younger teammate.
Will Carney
Carney, a native of Voorhees, N.J., broke into the Bucknell lineup in the fifth game of the 2005 campaign and has held down the position ever since. During that span he has set the school record for consecutive extra points (64) and appears among the top scorers in program history, converting 22 field goals and 75 extra points.
In addition to his success on the gridiron, Carney is a key member of the bullpen corps on Bucknell's baseball team that won the Patriot League title last season.
Even though he has football and baseball on his plate to keep him so busy he has a tough time watching his beloved Philadelphia Phillies' postseason games, Carney is also involved with a program where he will become an officer in the Marines shortly after graduation next spring.
Each of the last two summers Carney has spent six weeks training in Quantico, Va. Following graduation he will have a four-year military commitment to fulfill. Two tours of duty overseas, most likely in Afghanistan, are on the horizon for the busy college athlete who has managed to land on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll twice despite being pulled in so many directions.
"The military is something I always wanted to do and I couldn`t be happier. No job out there will give me a bigger sense of honor," explains Carney. "My parents support me now, but it was not their most desired choice for their son."
One decision Carney's parents can not complain about is his choice to attend Bucknell. Interestingly, he was recruited only for football, but after one season on the Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium turf, Depew Field came calling.
"I love football to death, but I have to say I really love baseball," smiles Carney, who was unable to make the trip with the Bison baseball squad to last year's NCAA Tournament due to obligations with his Marines training. "It is a sport I have been playing forever and I wasn't ready to give it up."
Following his freshman year when he converted 5 of 7 field goals and 10 of 11 extra points, Carney talked to (Bucknell football coach) Tim Landis and (Bucknell baseball coach) Gene Depew about the possibility of playing both sports. Both coaches were flexible and Carney joined the baseball squad as a sophomore and went 1-0 with nine strikeouts in 15.0 innings of work.
Unfortunately, Carney has been plagued by injuries the last year. It all started last spring when he allowed 19 earned runs in 8.2 innings before being sidelined with a shoulder injury.
The injuries have continued this fall where Carney has been hampered by a right leg injury that has caused him to see limited placekicking duties the last three games.
"It (the injury) is a very unfortunate circumstance," says Carney. "I played through Robert Morris and Cornell with it and had tremendous pain both games. At Robert Morris I kicked the 49-yard field goal and then had to kick a 44-yarder right after it and then kicked off. It was just excruciating pain.
"I don't feel like I have as much power as I had before, but I feel like I can go out there and get the job done. A good analogy would be like trying to pitch on two days' rest. Your arm is a little sore and unflexible, but you can still do it."
Freshman kicker Drew Orth has filled in admirably for Carney while the veteran has recovered, something that would not have happened last year when Carney and Azarik were the only kickers on the roster. That duo has endured a pair of difficult seasons during their careers, including a 1-10 campaign as freshmen. However, Carney can sense a difference in this year's team that is off to its best start since 2001.
"I couldn't be happier right now," comments Carney about the atmosphere around the team. "We joke around a lot more and there is an upbeat spirit. Instead of sitting in the locker room waiting for the clock to tick off before practice, guys are outside throwing the football around and having fun. Winning is always good. It's what makes sports fun and hopefully we can keep that going during the Patriot League schedule."
Bison football fans are hoping Carney and another injury might be the good luck charm as the Bison aim for their first Patriot League title since 1996. Luckily Marines training would not get in the way of the late fall postseason contest Carney craves.
Phil Azarik
While Carney knows he will be preparing for his first overseas tour one year from now, Azarik's future is up in the air. He is hoping he will follow in the footsteps of 2006 Bucknell graduate Sean Conover, who is currently a member of the Atlanta Falcons practice squad after two years on the Tennessee Titans' active roster, and make it in the NFL.
Plenty of NFL teams are aware of Azarik's impressive talent. He has drawn interest from the Colts, Broncos, Eagles, Jets, Raiders and Packers, but is still waiting for a call from the Giants, his favorite team and the one his father has season tickets for.
Bucknell's single-season (41.1 yards per punt) and career (40.0 yards per punt) punting record holder, Azarik has put in the work to become one of the premier punters in the Patriot League. In high school he started regular sessions with Joe D'Angelo, a renowned kicking coach who works with the Philadelphia Eagles' David Akers and Penn State's Kevin Kelly, among others.
Thanks to the tutoring from D'Angelo, Azarik gladly gave up soccer and trying to play tight end to focus on kicking. That decision paid off when Landis showed up unannounced at Germantown Academy and pulled Azarik out of Spanish class on a recruiting trip.
"Coach Landis told me all the great things about Bucknell and that I would have the chance to start as a freshman," recalls Azarik, whose aunt also attended Bucknell. "I don't think I ever sent a tape, so it was kind of interesting how it all worked out. It's (choosing Bucknell) the best decision I ever made."
With the NFL possibly looming on the horizon, the loyal Bison followers who make their way out to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium to watch practice will see Azarik working out with strength and conditioning coach John Field rather than standing and observing like the stereotypical kicker.
"We actually do a lot more than people think," explains Azarik, who has been known to push the blocking sled during practice sessions. "Coach (Steve) Vashel has a certain regimen he wants us to do. We do a certain number of kicks. We do tackling everyday with the safeties. For about 30 or 40 minutes every practice we will work with Coach Field, whether it is lifting, band stretching or abs. Then we will do the team conditioning at the end. We can't go out and kick 100 balls a day or our legs will fall off."
Even though Azarik is focusing on the final five games of his senior campaign, he already has plans for continuing many of the workouts during the postseason to prepare for auditions with NFL teams. Over winter break he and freshman punter/kicker Andrew Bell will log plenty of hours inside the dome at Rutgers kicking balls and working out.
Those workouts will continue next spring when most football seniors settle into life as a normal college student. Azarik will not have that luxury as he plans to continue regular sessions with Field, who has already drawn up a special routine to help the powerful Azarik make sure he stays in top physical shape.
While Azarik tries to stay in top shape, like Carney, he has battled an injury. Last year he missed two games with leg problems, but still ranked 25th nationally in punting.
This year Azarik has had another solid season, punting 26 times for a 39.9 average, which is actually slightly below his impressive career mark. Of course, being the team player he is, he just wants to win and has enjoyed the 4-2 start to the season.
Thanks to the performances of the two senior kickers, that number in the wins column is sure to grow as the season winds down. Now, Bison fans will just have to keep tabs on the two humble kickers as they move on to their other endeavors. Despite their differences, both are sure to be successful.
