Walk-on kicker just doing his thing for UA

FAYETTEVILLE -- Adam McFain wasn't allowed to practice with the rest of the Arkansas football team when fall camp began in August.

NCAA rules limit teams to 105 players for practice before the start of the fall semester, and McFain didn't make that cut for the second year in a row after joining the team as a walk-on in 2012.

So, McFain practiced on his own at Fayetteville High School, attended summer school classes and worked a part-time job.

Now McFain, a redshirt sophomore from Greenwood, is the Razorbacks' top place-kicker going into their game at No. 1 Mississippi State on Saturday night.

"Dreams do come true," McFain said. "I'm just out there living it."

McFain has beaten out freshman Cole Hedlund, who is redshirting after being considered among the nation's top high school kickers last year at Argyle, Texas, and senior John Henson, who lost the job after having blocked extra-point attempts against Alabama and Georgia.

"Adam is a great story of perseverance," said Rick Jones, Greenwood High School's coach since 2004. "He walked on and didn't make the 105 at Arkansas, but he just kept working at it, kept getting better.

"I think he's shown a lot guts and intestinal fortitude to keep hanging in there, believing in his dream and pursuing it. He's in a position now that he can prove himself, and that's what it's all about."

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema turned to McFain against Georgia and he went 2 of 2 on extra-point attempts. McFain then went 6 of 6 on extra-point attempts against Alabama-Birmingham, but more impressively made a 49-yard field goal.

"You could hear the whole town of Greenwood screaming when he made the 49-yarder," Jones said. "We're all so proud of him."

The 49-yarder is McFain's only field-goal attempt for the Razorbacks.

"It was amazing," McFain said. "Just one of the best feelings ever."

McFain has provided a huge lift considering Henson hadn't made a field goal longer than 22 yards and had missed from 44 and 43 yards.

"I don't think Adam even feels pressure," Bielema said.

"Pressure's no problem," McFain said. "I just go out there and do my thing. I don't even really realize the crowd noise or anything. It's just me, the ball, my snapper and holder."

Arkansas receiver Drew Morgan said the 49-yard field goal reminded him of the 27-yarder McFain made on the last play to lift Greenwood to a 34-31 victory over Camden Fairview in the 2011 Class 5A playoffs.

"That's my boy," said Morgan, who was on that Greenwood team with McFain. "He's clutch."

Morgan said he's not surprised by McFain's sudden rise.

"He got his opportunities in practice these past couple of weeks, and he's been knocking them down," Morgan said.

McFain began handling kickoffs in the second game against Nicholls State, and as he continued to show a strong and accurate leg in practice Bielema decided to give him a chance at place-kicking with Henson's struggles.

Bielema said McFain was "erratic" at times earlier in the season but has settled down and been more consistent.

McFain said he's made field goals from 55 yards and from 60 with a wind at his back during practice this year. More important, Bielema said, McFain gets the ball up high quickly to avoid blocks.

"I just go out there and do what I do in practice," McFain said. "Just getting my leg through the ball and driving through it."

McFain remains a walk-on while Henson and Hedlund are on scholarship.

"If that time comes, then that time comes," he said of being on scholarship. "Right now I'm just here to kick, and I'm enjoying it."

Arkansas holder Matt Emrich said McFain has made steady improvement since joining the Razorbacks.

"He's always had a strong leg, but he's really pulling it together now," said Emrich, in his third season as the Hogs' holder. "He's kicking the ball as well as I have seen it kicked."

McFain starting playing soccer when he was 3 or 4 years old and continued to play at Greenwood. He first gave place-kicking a try in the eighth grade.

"The first time kicked a football, I hit a lineman in the back of the head," McFain said, explaining that he hit it like a penalty kick in soccer," McFain said. "From there, it was just taking baby steps."

McFain said he learned a lot from Austin Hartness, who was a senior kicker for Greenwood when McFain was a sophomore.

"He kind of taught me the ropes," McFain said.

McFain made 20 of 26 field-goal attempts and 131 of 136 extra-point attempts as a junior and senior for the Bulldogs.

"He's a kid that's good under pressure," Jones said. "That's what kickers are all about.

"They are a ton of people out there that could make a living if they got to kick all by themselves on a field with no crowd and nothing on the line. But there are a very select few guys out there that when you're in front of 90,000 people and all the pressure in the world is on you to win or lose the game can go out and execute."

McFain said he never considered playing soccer in college or seeking a football scholarship at a smaller school. He wanted to attend business school at Arkansas and try to kick for the Razorbacks.

"I came in the first day as a freshman and tried out," McFain said. "Since then I've just been working hard and trying to get the position.

"I had high hopes for myself and just tried to reach those goals."

Sports on 10/31/2014