Tennessee Vols kicker Max Gilbert catches a stray from Pat McAfee on College Gameday after student drills a field goal
Life as a kicker in college football is a thankless one, despite it being one of the toughest jobs in sports. Wins and losses in crucial games consistently come down to the foot and the steely nerve of a college kicker. They’re the hero and also the villain at times. Unfortunately for the Tennessee Vols, […]
Life as a kicker in college football is a thankless one, despite it being one of the toughest jobs in sports. Wins and losses in crucial games consistently come down to the foot and the steely nerve of a college kicker. They’re the hero and also the villain at times.
Unfortunately for the Tennessee Vols, two weeks ago against the Georgia Bulldogs, Tennessee’s Max Gilbert became the latter. With seven seconds left, he pushed a game-winning, 43-yard field goal wide right, and the Bulldogs won in overtime 44-41 in a game that even Kirby Smart admitted Tennessee deserved to win.
It’s surely been tough enough for Gilbert after that miss as far as criticism, but the hits didn’t stop after the game. On College Gameday on Saturday morning, a Penn State student blasted a field goal for $300,000, which was done in an impressive fashion.
Later in the show, Pat McAfee had a quip at Gilbert’s expense.
Pat McAfee takes a dig at Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert after Penn State student makes field goal on College Gameday
“Just a quick note, I have people from the University of Tennessee telling me that that kid needs to be kicking for the Volunteers,” McAfee said to the laughter of his set mates.
That’s a bit heavy-handed and harsh for a single miss in a crucial and extremely high-pressure situation that many kickers would miss themselves – and surely every regular college student would as well. Gilbert has been solid as the Vols’ kicker. He’s 79/79 in career extra points and 20/26 on field goals with six of seven made this season.
Unfortunately, that one miss will continue to be stapled to his reputation, particularly if the Vols come close and barely miss the College Football Playoff in December. That’s not fair with the numerous opportunities that Tennessee’s offense and defense had to close out the game against the Bulldogs.
But such is the life of a kicker.
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