1) How did your last college game go? (playing, sub, sideline, stands) Tell about your perspective and what’s going through your head. My last game was a National Quaterfinal Playoff game against Wartburg College in Iowa. I played as a punter and split kickoffs. I had a “chip shot” kickoff to the sideline that we converted and got the ball back! I was really focused on staying focused on doing my job the best I could to try and help my team the best I could. We went up early, ended up down my 3 late in the game and missed a short field goal to tie it. I was the holder. It was a tough situation and one and I know me and the kicker wish we could have back. But that’s football!! 2) What’s the difference between college and high school football? (Again, from your perspective) The difference between college and high school for me really was commitment and dedication to understanding the game. I felt like I did not understand the game very well in high school, I was just told where to kick and when to kick it (simply put). But when I got into college I had to start understanding special teams play and why we do what we do and there was a much larger time commitment to be a part of a team at that level. Something I was more than willing to do but you need to be prepared for the commitment that comes with college sports! 3) Do kickers get the crappy gear or the good stuff? Did you get the number you wanted? :-) My freshman year I would say I got “the crappy gear.” And I did not get the number I wanted. But after that year I earned some respect through hard work and I got my number and nice gear which was reserved for me for the rest of my college career. 4) How are you adapting to being away from home, campus life, schoolwork? I missed home at first, but really if you buy into the team and creating a bond with your brothers, it becomes and will become some of your most fond memories. I made sure to stay active outside of football, becoming friends with people from classes and other organizations that were important to me. It’s important to remember that football is not your identity and you should prioritize who you want to be as a person while you are in such a great environment to grow! School was hard at first. It takes time to realize a path that suits you sometimes. But my biggest suggestion would be to respect and build a relationship with your professors. You don’t have to be a teachers pet! But build a relationship with them, they will be way more willing to work with you in difficult situations, as well as help you out so that you can succeed. They know a lot of people and a lot of valuable information. Definitely worth the investment and time.

One of the reasons why I chose to launch this Kicking Skool community was because being active positively within the group is "gamified". Meaning, you get points for good posts, commenting on posts, game reviews, accomplishments, assistance to others, photos, videos, etc. — then, you get ranked on the LEADERBOARD. Right now, Nate Custer is our leader at +3. There's still time for anyone to win August with 3 days left! At the end of this month (this Saturday), the winner will get a Mike Farley's Kickers Camp t-shirt of their choosing (grey, blue, white or red - $20 value). For the month of September, the winner will receive a Mike Farley's kickers camp football ($120 value). If we are to grow into the group that can help hundreds, if not thousands of kickers around the country, I want and NEED your help — participate! Get active and I promise to do my part to help instruct, advise and improve each and every one of you.

For many high school kickers and punters, they've been "the guy" all of their lives. They were the best at kicking and won the job at their school because there really wasn't much competition back in grade school. Now, heading into college, for the first time, there is REAL competition in a program that offers you no favors. This can be very daunting challenge. Are you up for it? What has been your experience in competing for your starting spot?

I'm Coach Mike Farley and the admin of this site, as well as the guy who runs summer kicking camps in the Midwest to help you become your school's Friday Night Kicker or Punter. I played 3-sports in high school (football, basketball, baseball) and 2-sports in college (football, baseball) at the D3 level. I got signed to a pro contract with the Green Bay Packers (back when dinosaurs ruled the earth)! I've got a unique background being the starting kicker, punter AND quarterback in college. I had a lot of fun and have been sharing what I've learned with young specialists ever since.