Sticking Point All Fall, Kickers Come Alive in Hogs Scrimmage

Three-way kicking battle for Razorbacks reaching boiling point in first real look for coaches

Arkansas Razorbacks special teams coach Scott Fountain during practice on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The lost art of special teams is something that Arkansas has not had to worry about for the past three years, largely due to one person, Cam Little. He cemented himself as one of the best kickers in school history with the second most points in school history (288).

Little is now in Jacksonville, Fla., having seemingly won an NFL starting job with the Jaguars. The Razorbacks are left to pick up the pieces in his absence. The kicking situation became shaky, and coach Sam Pittman opted to get a second kicker out of the portal in the spring window, Kyle Ramsey to fortify the position.

A three-way kicking battle ensues with still no clear frontrunner. Hawaii transfer Matthew Shipley struggled in the spring kicking inside the stadium because of the wind and other factors, according to special teams coordinator Scott Fountain.

"It was really windy," Fountain said about the spring game. "I never make excuses. It's what we talk about. That's an imposter. We block imposters out. Don't don't pay any attention to them, right? But obviously you’ve got to play around that, and I think in the spring game they were both trying to overcorrect the wind too much is what I felt."

However, in the first closed scrimmage after the first week of fall camp, the kickers seemed to have rebounded. According to stats provided by Arkansas Athletics, the two kickers, Shipley and Ramsey only missed one kick. The third kicker, Vito Calvaruso did not participate due to a groin injury.

Shipley was responsible for the only miss of the day from 42 yards, but also was good from 43, 48, and then made the longest kick of the day, a 51-yarder in two minute.

Meanwhile, Ramsey was good from 38 and 46 yards out.

There may be light at the end of the tunnel for Arkansas' kicking battles and there needs to be soon. It would be a Shakespearean tragedy if the Razorbacks figured out the offense and defense, but their special teams fell to pieces.

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