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Clemson Football: BT Potter is ready to win the kicker position

By Andrew Boardwine

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Isaiah Simmons #11 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Clemson defeated Notre Dame 30-3. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Isaiah Simmons #11 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Clemson defeated Notre Dame 30-3. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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Clemson football sophomore BT Potter will be looking to win the starting job at kicker. Is he ready for the pressure that comes with the position?

Clemson football sophomore BT Potter spent his true-freshman season handling kickoff duties.

Potter became one of the best kickoff specialists in the country over the course of the season and really was an asset for the defense, basically allowing the unit to bank on the fact that it would be starting the possession at the opponent’s 25-yard line.

Now, Greg Huegel and Alex Spence are gone.

That leaves just Potter, possibly freshman Aidan Swanson and a couple of walk-ons to compete for the position.

Is he ready? The Tigers certainly need him to be.

The art of kicking…

Potter is the clear-cut favorite to win the position heading into the 2019 Clemson football season. The Tigers will be relying on him to ‘sure-up’ his game and play at a high level.

It’s clear that he has the leg power, but does he have the accuracy?

Potter is capable of kicking 60-yard field goals. He did it in high school. But, is he capable of kicking the ball through the uprights on a consistent basis from short-range, mid-range and long-range?

I think he has the potential to be one of the best kickers in Clemson football history, but that will all hinge on a couple of things:

  1. Can he save his leg through the course of the season?
  2. Can he handle the pressure that comes with kicking?

I think Potter began to out-kick his leg as the 2018 season progressed. That led to it wearing down a bit as we got into late-October and November. He has to act as a veteran and know how to rehab his leg and maintain his muscles through the season.

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Just as important- if not more important- is how he handles pressure. You’re going to have to kick some field goals at key situations during the course of the season. For Potter to have success as a place-kicker, he has to be able to make those kicks consistently and handle pressure.

I think he’s ready, but only time will tell.

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