ShowMeBear2
August 3rd, 2007, 06:31 PM
Nathan Stokes looked around an empty Plaster Sports Complex on Thursday and shook his head.
Could it be four years since Stokes, from nearby Ozark High School, proudly wore his Missouri State football uniform there for the first time?
It still feels like my freshman year," Stokes said during the Bears' media-day gathering. "It's crazy how things go by so fast.
"I'm looking forward to this year, though. I'm looking to go out with a big bang."
Stokes likely will play an important role in any success a predominantly young Missouri State team achieves.
An All-Gateway Conference punter last season, Stokes wants to add place-kicking honors as a senior.
It is, after all, his final chance. And 9-for-14 success on field goals a year ago is not up to snuff — by Stokes' standards or coach Terry Allen's.
"His consistency was average, at best," Allen said. "That's something we'll obviously strive for. He needs to get on a roll with it and we need him to be consistent."
Added Stokes: "We all saw last year that I had a few bad games and that kind of got me down. The kicking game is all mental and that kind of got in my head.
"When you miss them, it's like a golf shot. You have to get over it because you have another one coming."
That Stokes made his name for punting — he led the Gateway Conference with a 42.8-yard average — still strikes him as a bit odd.
Even though he won all-state honors in high school as a punter and not as a place-kicker, Stokes always thought place-kicking was his strength.
"But maybe not," he said.
Stokes has taken a personal approach to helping ensure his success. Deep snapper Adam Howey, a four-year starter, is gone, which was a cause for concern. During a special teams camp this summer in Las Vegas, Stokes met John Mayberry, a deep snapper from Oregon State who was seeking a new school.
Sure enough, Stokes gave a recruiting pitch and Mayberry, a sophomore from Vista, Calif., is at Missouri State.
"Nobody knows the importance of a deep snapper more than the kicker, about how critical that is," Allen said.
"We were fortunate to have Adam before and now we have someone with a little experience that will compete."
If everything clicks, Allen said Stokes is capable of joining the legacy of Missouri State kicking greats. Wayne Boyer, Travis Brawner and Jon Scifres all were Division I-AA all-Americans.
"I'm not sure how they've done it, but they've always had pretty good kickers and punters at Missouri State and we're trying to keep that tradition going," said Allen, beginning his second season.
Stokes, who spent two seasons backing up Scifres, said he often thinks about joining Missouri State's list of kicking standouts.
"My biggest goal is to win and you can't get any of those awards without winning," he said.
Could it be four years since Stokes, from nearby Ozark High School, proudly wore his Missouri State football uniform there for the first time?
It still feels like my freshman year," Stokes said during the Bears' media-day gathering. "It's crazy how things go by so fast.
"I'm looking forward to this year, though. I'm looking to go out with a big bang."
Stokes likely will play an important role in any success a predominantly young Missouri State team achieves.
An All-Gateway Conference punter last season, Stokes wants to add place-kicking honors as a senior.
It is, after all, his final chance. And 9-for-14 success on field goals a year ago is not up to snuff — by Stokes' standards or coach Terry Allen's.
"His consistency was average, at best," Allen said. "That's something we'll obviously strive for. He needs to get on a roll with it and we need him to be consistent."
Added Stokes: "We all saw last year that I had a few bad games and that kind of got me down. The kicking game is all mental and that kind of got in my head.
"When you miss them, it's like a golf shot. You have to get over it because you have another one coming."
That Stokes made his name for punting — he led the Gateway Conference with a 42.8-yard average — still strikes him as a bit odd.
Even though he won all-state honors in high school as a punter and not as a place-kicker, Stokes always thought place-kicking was his strength.
"But maybe not," he said.
Stokes has taken a personal approach to helping ensure his success. Deep snapper Adam Howey, a four-year starter, is gone, which was a cause for concern. During a special teams camp this summer in Las Vegas, Stokes met John Mayberry, a deep snapper from Oregon State who was seeking a new school.
Sure enough, Stokes gave a recruiting pitch and Mayberry, a sophomore from Vista, Calif., is at Missouri State.
"Nobody knows the importance of a deep snapper more than the kicker, about how critical that is," Allen said.
"We were fortunate to have Adam before and now we have someone with a little experience that will compete."
If everything clicks, Allen said Stokes is capable of joining the legacy of Missouri State kicking greats. Wayne Boyer, Travis Brawner and Jon Scifres all were Division I-AA all-Americans.
"I'm not sure how they've done it, but they've always had pretty good kickers and punters at Missouri State and we're trying to keep that tradition going," said Allen, beginning his second season.
Stokes, who spent two seasons backing up Scifres, said he often thinks about joining Missouri State's list of kicking standouts.
"My biggest goal is to win and you can't get any of those awards without winning," he said.