Football: Baer shines with chance to start

Bruce Brown • bbrown@theadvertiser.com • November 4, 2010

Brett Baer is a kicker for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a page from a world champion’s playbook.

Much like the New Orleans Saints in last year’s Super Bowl, the UL Ragin’ Cajuns opened the second half at Ohio with a successful onsides kick Saturday.

Sophomore kicker Brett Baer pounced on the recovery himself, helping the Cajuns to maintain a lead through three quarters.

Then, late in the game, a different onsides kick enabled the Cajuns to keep the ball again.

UL lost a 38-31 shootout, but Baer’s ability to execute both kicks helped him earn a share of Special Teams Player of the Week honors in the Sun Belt Conference.

"You always keep an onsides kick in the back of your head," Baer said. "They don’t tell you until it’s time for you to actually do it. It was a surprise, and we executed it well.

"We work on it in practice. The key is to make it go 10 yards. If it bounces right, you’ve got a good chance. I’ve never done something like that. It’s probably the biggest impact I’ve had so far. You could tell on the sidelines that the whole team was lifted."

"Our two onsides kicks were perfectly executed," coach Rickey Bustle said. "You try to do things to win the game, and the kicks worked just liked we had worked on.

"We knew they would have the wind at their backs in the third quarter, so we wanted to keep the ball and shorten their time with it. The first one was a surprise, something we put in last Tuesday. Our two 5’s (next to the kicker) go straight and knock out their guys. We practice it against ourselves all the time. If they sit back, we’ve got a chance.

"The other one was our high popper. Brett had been working on it, then two weeks ago he said, ‘I’ve got it.’ He got it up so high, and Daylon McCoy was the first one to touch it."

"They knew the second one was coming, so we went with the high hopper," Baer said. "We’ve been working on that one a lot."

"The second onsides kick was huge," said quarterback Brad McGuire. "After that, we felt they couldn’t stop us."

Baer has also made both field goals he has tried, with a long of 42 yards, and is steadily gaining a foothold on the position.

"It has a lot to do with confidence," he said. "You have to keep that confidence at a high level. I think the team has confidence in me."

"Kicking is such a mental game," McGuire said. "It’s not easy for a young kid to step in and do a good job. But Brett has kept working hard, and it says a lot about him that when his number was called he was ready for the opportunity."

"I try to focus on the ball," Baer said of his field goal routine. "That’s really all you can do. I pick out where to aim it, then focus on the ball as much as possible. For some reason, I can’t hear the crowd noise. I never notice it."

Baer said the Cajuns aim to get the kick away in 1.2 seconds. Time is crucial, as 1.26 or 1.27 is deemed too slow. The special teams unit is timed in practice to keep that number low. On game days, Bustle will ask his kicker at what distance he feels comfortable kicking, as well as a preferred hashmark for key kicks at the end of the game.

Then, Baer waits.

"When the other team has the ball, I’m on the sidelines supporting my teammates," he said. "When we get the ball, I start to loosen my leg. When we cross midfield, I start (practice) kicking and work on getting in the right mind-set."

Baer, who also played soccer and baseball in his native Mississippi, is eagerly anticipating Saturday’s Cajun invasion of Ole Miss. He’ll have plenty of family and friends on hand.

"I have a bunch of friends at Mississippi State, and they’re off this week so they’re coming in," Baer said. "It will be a good game for me, to be able to see them. And, of course, my mom and dad never miss a game. They’ll be there with their friends. It will be fun. I’m excited."