Arkansas kickers in battle

Arkansas kicker Adam McFain kicks the ball during practice Saturday, April 11, 2015, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas kicker Adam McFain kicks the ball during practice Saturday, April 11, 2015, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The long-distance kicking battle that culminated in Cole Hedlund's 59-yard field goal on the final play of Arkansas' scrimmage last Saturday was no aberration.

The team's kickers have pushed themselves into a new performance level this spring.

Returning starter Adam McFain made a 55-yard try moments before Hedlund, a redshirt freshman, matched him from that distance. McFain's 59-yard kick fell just short of the crossbar, and when Hedlund connected to cap the practice, a group of teammates lifted him on their shoulders as if he'd just made a game-winning kick.

"Yeah, that was pretty awesome," Hedlund said. "That was probably the best moment ever, making the kick, just being lifted up by my teammates knowing they were supportive of me."

Assistant coach Rory Segrest, who oversees the kickers, is ecstatic about the competition taking place between McFain, Hedlund and sophomore Lane Saling.

"A high percentage for kickers is usually about 80 percent, if you look at college or even at the NFL for that matter," Segrest said. "Heck, all of our guys right now are 85 to 86 percent, and that includes those longer kicks.

"We've got some great competition. It's a good position to be in and I'm excited about those guys continuing to battle it out this spring."

McFain, a junior from Greenwood, connected on field goals from 50 and 52 yards inside the Walker Pavilion on Tuesday, and Hedlund matched him with a successful 52-yard try after both were perfect from shorter distances.

"It's back and forth, back and forth," McFain said. "I think all the kickers are sitting around 85, 86, 88 percent, somewhere around there. We're all up there trying to get better."

A year after a shaky start in the kicking game proved costly, the Razorbacks might be in position for it to be a position of strength.

Hedlund, a Parade All-American in 2013 from Argyle, Texas, signed with Arkansas last year with the thought he could become the next four-year standout at the spot just vacated by Arkansas' all-time leading scorer Zach Hocker. Instead, senior John Henson won the place-kicker duties and Hedlund headed for a redshirt season.

Henson made only 2 of 4 field goals in the first five games. His stint included a 44-yard miss in Cowboys Stadium that would have given Arkansas a 10-point lead over Texas A&M with 2:58 left in a game the Aggies eventually won 35-28 in overtime.

The walk-on McFain took the job the next week and went 7 of 10 on field goals, with a long of 49 yards against Alabama-Birmingham, the rest of the way.

McFain entered spring with a leg up, but the competition has tightened.

"I would say McFain until today had been hitting it with the most consistency, especially from distance, but Cole and Lane have continued to really be impressive," Coach Bret Bielema said Saturday. "I think we got some good height on the ball.

"Last year we had a couple of those blocked early and it was really because of lack of height across the line of scrimmage. I asked those guys to work on getting it up quicker and they did that."

Bielema said he envisioned the competition lasting through fall camp, and he's not opposed to a travel roster with multiple kickers.

"If I've got to travel two kickers, a short range and a long range, I'll do that," Bielema said. "If I've got to travel a kicker because one is better from the left hash and one is better from the right hash, I'll do that, too. I just want points."

The three are in competition for both place-kicker and kickoff duties. McFain handled 45 of the Razorbacks' 77 kickoffs last season, averaging 60.3 yards per kickoff, with 10 touchbacks. Saling, of Owasso, Okla., also averaged 60.3 yards on three kickoffs.

McFain said he's been averaging just more than 4 seconds of hang time on kickoffs and putting them on average 2 to 4 yards deep in the end zone.

"I think that's what they're looking for," he said. "If I can get them a little deeper, that would be awesome."

Hedlund, who is listed at 5-10, 170 pounds, has tried adding some bulk.

"I know I've been working really hard in the weight room trying to get my power where it needs to be an the same with my consistency," Hedlund said.

Hedlund, who made a 57-yard field goal as a high school senior, holds national records with 56 career field goals and 25 in one season. He said redshirting in 2014 was difficult.

"It was tough, just because I wish I was out there," Hedlund said. "But there were some things I needed to work on and I think now I feel I'm really confident with my kicking."

McFain said a half-season as the place-kicker played out big for him.

"I'm a lot more comfortable," he said. "Last year ... I kind of got thrown into it in the middle of the season. Right now, I'm just doing my thing.

"The competition is going to be heated all the way until the last day. We've got a lot of good kickers here."

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Sports on 04/16/2015

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