One of the state’s elite kickers is ready for a prime time opportunity.
Just hours after attending the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football awards banquet in Nashville, where he was a finalist for the state’s overall Kicker of the Year, McCallie School senior Elliott Arnold announced his commitment to the University of Colorado, coached by Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders.
“I visited the campus for their game against Utah (Nov. 16) and really liked everything about it,” Arnold said shortly after making his commitment public. “They made the offer last week and I decided that would be the best fit for me. Looking at their kicker situation and just how much I liked the staff and the school, it felt like the right time to go ahead and commit.”
Buffaloes kicker Alejandro Mata, who followed Sanders from Jackson State, will be a senior next season. The job of kickoff specialist will also be open, and Arnold said his plan is to compete for that role, while working to take over place kicking duties once Mata graduates.
Arnold — a Times Free Press Dynamite Dozen preseason selection who was also being recruited by Michigan, Tennessee, TCU and Tulane — is rated by most recruiting services as Tennessee’s top overall in-state kicker.
This season he connected on 13 of 16 field goals, including 5-of-7 from 40-plus yards, with a long of 51. He also had 49 of 57 kickoffs go for touchbacks and made 35 of 37 extra-point attempts.
He was a Mr. Football finalist along with Boyd Buchanan’s Ethan Lane and Baylor’s Philippe Laforge, who won the award.
“I was in the locker room after the Utah game and Coach Prime was awesome to talk to,” Arnold said. “He’s exactly the same guy in person as he seems on camera. You can tell he really cares about the kickers and special teams guys and all of his players.
“Kicking in cold weather will be an adjustment, but the higher altitude should help with the distance kicks, so that all kind of evens out. This is a really good opportunity for me and I’m excited to get out there and get started.”
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com.
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ McCallie senior Elliott Arnold, a Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Kicker of the Year finalist, has committed to the University of Colorado.