STARKVILLE — Westin Graves has a different look in his eye this fall camp.
After missing his one attempt as a freshman, the Mississippi State football kicker entered last fall camp with an opportunity to become the regular field goal kicker. He eventually won the job and performed well for the most part.
His biggest struggle was distance and there were times when football coach Dan Mullen relied on another kicker, punted it or just decided to go for it. But this season, Mullen may call on Graves’ number more. The biggest question for the special teams: can Graves make the clutch kicks?
“I’d be ready to go,” Graves answered immediately. “If coach Mullen puts me in that position, that gives me the confidence and I don’t worry about anything. He’s not going to put me in a situation where he thinks I could fail.”
Last season, Graves was passed over for a 52-yard field goal with seconds remaining in game two. MSU trailed LSU by two and Mullen elected to go with senior Devon Bell. Bell missed and MSU suffered its first loss. After the game, Mullen said it was beyond Graves’ distance.
Mullen described Graves’ demeanor as a “nervous nelly.” He and the coaching staff had confidence in him, but didn’t feel like Graves had confidence in himself. That has changed.
“He’s a much more confident player and I think confident in his role on the team,” Mullen said. “I think that makes it easier for him to preform at a high level. In how he carries himself, he has confidence in himself, but he knows the team has confidence in him and I think that just carries on to who he is at practice.
“I think just being out there on the field and having to preform in games, it’s a much different mind-set when you’ve done it on the big stage. Now you understand what that big stage is about and I’m going to prepare the right way before it.”
In 13 games last season, Graves was 15 of 18 with a long of 44 yards. He was even better from within 45 yards, where he made 15 of 16. His three misses came from 26, 49 and 50 yards. His maximum distance was around 43 yards. This season Graves feels like he can make anything from 50-55 yards.
A big reason has been the addition of special teams quality control staff member Chris Boniol. Boniol spent six seasons in the NFL, including stints with the Dallas Cowboys (1994-96), the Philadelphia Eagles (1997-98) and the Chicago Bears (1999). He has five years of NFL coaching experience.
The 6-foot, 163-pound Graves said Boniol makes him and freshmen Jace Christman and Brad Wall attempt long field goals every day.
“I would say I’m more confident,” Graves said. “You always have that in the back of your mind, regardless if you’re a starter or not, you want to preform. I’d say it definitely helps not being near as nervous and I’ve done it.”
A civil engineering major, Graves spent his summer splitting time between football and school. He hopes to graduate next December and after looking at what he needed to achieve that, he knew he needed to complete an internship and classes this summer. He interned with Ergon, Inc. in Jackson.
He worked in Jackson on Monday and Tuesday and left for Starkville after work on Tuesday afternoon. He went to class Wednesday morning and then worked out at the Leo Seal Football Complex. He usually returned to Jackson on Wednesday night and worked out at his alma mater, Jackson Preparatory School, on Thursdays and Fridays around his work schedule.
Becoming mentally strong was a big challenge for Graves. He eventually figured out that thinking too much affected his performance.
“I try not to over-analyze things,” Graves said. “Every kick is high pressured. I really just do the same thing, make sure my line’s straight, make sure I’m where I feel like I need to be and once I do that, I try not to think about literally anything. I’m looking at my holder’s hand.”
The junior has the coaching staff and team behind him. With a boost of self-confidence, Graves could be exactly what the Bulldogs need on special teams.
“(Mullen’s) not going to put me at some distance that he doesn’t think I can’t make. If he’s telling me to go out, ‘Let’s go, I’m ready, I want to kick it,'” Graves said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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