ATHENS, Ga. – Whether it’s the accuracy of sophomore quarterback Jake Fromm, the speed of junior receiver Mecole Hardman or the monstrous mass of his offensive line, third-year Georgia football coach Kirby Smart has much to admire on the 2018 Bulldogs roster.
That includes the athletic ability and power of redshirt junior kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.
After a 12-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Justin Fields early in the third quarter of last Saturday’s 38-12 win over Tennessee, holder Jake Camarda bobbled the snap on the extra-point attempt, all but assuring the Bulldogs of leading 23-0 instead of 24-0. Blankenship already had begun his approach and stopped in his tracks, but Camarda placed the ball on the ground and Blankenship kicked it over the crossbar for the 114th consecutive make of his college career.
“It was pretty special for him to do that in front of that many people and not panic or have a poor reaction,” Smart said. “He did a really good job of keeping his composure and his cool and drove it through there. It is a warm-up ritual that a lot of kickers do, and a lot of guys can kick it from much farther than there.
“The good thing is he’s had practice doing it. The hopeful thing is that he doesn’t have to do it again.”