Palmer keeps getting better

The YSU junior kicker had help this year from a sports psychologist.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Placekickers are a special breed at just about any level of football.

Youngstown State junior Brian Palmer is no exception.

Palmer, a graduate of Mineral Ridge High, is in his third season with the Penguins and has shown vast improvement every season.

This summer Palmer attended a kicking camp in Wisconsin where he was introduced to a sports psychologist for the first time and he felt that he really learned a lot.

“The main thing that he stressed to us at the camp was to relax out there on the field,” Palmer said. “Too many times a kicker will come onto the field and he’ll be thinking about too many things like the snap from center and the hold and even the line blocking.

“What he stressed to us it that the only thing we should have on our mind when we get out there is kicking the football and nothing else,” Palmer added.

“It really helped us and I’ve tried to just relax and worry only about kicking the ball now,” he said.

Off to good start

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Palmer is 2-for-2 in field goals this season. He converted a 21-yard field goal in the season opener against Ohio State and made one from 38 yards against South Dakota State.

He is 8-of-9 in extra points, missing his final attempt against South Dakota State.

“It was one of the those instances where I just didn’t keep my head down and I apologized to my teammates after the game, because if they [South Dakota State] had come back and scored at the end it might have cost us the game,” he said.

In his YSU career, Palmer has made 98-of-105 PATs — both third-best in school history — and 21-of-29 field-goal attempts.

His best season was last year when he made 12-of-15 field goal attempts and was 50-of-54 on extra points.

Palmer has worked hard to improve his technique.

“I’ve learned that you just have to come in and kick the ball like you know how and not try an overkick or muscle the ball. That’s when the problems start,” he said.

Lauds holder Todd Rowan

He feels blessed to have a holder like sophomore Todd Rowan.

“Todd’s … maybe the best holder in all of college football as far as I’m concerned,” Palmer said.

For the past two season that’s all Rowan had done is hold since he’s been hampered by leg injuries.

“We kid him all the time about his injuries, but he says that he’s really not in any pain and that it doesn’t bother him to hold,” Palmer said.

The Penguins (2-1) play host to Lock Haven (0-3) Saturday at 4 p.m.

mollica@vindy.com