Interview with Indiana 5-Star Kicker/Punter Jared Smolar
Written by Ryan Wright
Every year roughly a handful or slightly more of high school football players across the nation are deemed worthy of being ranked as a 5-star recruit. Some players earn the award for being a skilled athlete able to play multiple positions but few are truly as uniquely talented at multiple positions as Valparaiso High School’s Jared Smolar.
Smolar enters his senior season as a Chris Sailer rated 5-star recruit as a kicker and punter. Sailer rates Smolar as the nation’s No. 11 punter and the nation’s No. 8 kicker.
The 5’11”, 200 pound, athlete has a wall filling list of trophies and awards after attending various kicking camps that include:
2014 Underclassmen Event Punt Competition Champion
2014 FBU Ohio Day 1 Punt Champion
2015 Vegas XXV Punt Finalist
2015 IL Spring Camp Field Goal Champion
2015 IL Spring Camp Punt Champion
2015 Vegas XXVI Punt Finalist
The honors and accolades are not left to just one person’s opinion. Smolar also earned Indiana 6A first-team All-State Punter honors as a junior along with first-team All-Conference honors. The Valparaiso area native covered some 1,849 yards with his punts a year ago downing 14-of-51 punts inside the 20-yard line. Punting the ball well has been a consistent job for Smolar earning first-team All-Conference honors as a punter during his sophomore season as well.
On kicking duties in 2014 he forced 22 touchbacks on 30 kickoffs, which included a few called short kicks. He also handled PAT and field goal duties for the Vikings hitting 11-of-11 PATs and went 7-of-10 on field goals with a long of 47. The explanation of the three missed field goals is coming up.
Several top colleges have shown interest in Smolar but the recruiting process for special teams players is different than every other position on the field. Most colleges ride a punter or kicker for three or four years before extending a scholarship to the next high school talent. No other position on the field gets an upgrade every three or four years. Even a new quarterback is typically brought onto a collegiate roster every year or at least every other year.
In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview I caught up with Jared the night before the Vikings open the 2015 season against Penn. We covered his kicking process, his accolades as a kicker and punter, and I got a recruiting update.
Interview
Jared, few players can handle kickoffs, field goal/PAT duties, and punt consistently well, especially at a Division-I level. Looking back on last year how well did you handle punting duties?
“As a punter I did fairly well. I didn’t meet my average of 40 yards per punt that I wanted. For field goals I had one rough game where I missed three field goals in that game, but I came back, recuperated and did not miss another kick the rest of the season.”
What happened with the three missed field goals? Was there something with your technique, stiff wind, or a kick out of your range?
“My first miss I just didn’t finish my swing and missed wide-high and right by a few feet. My second one, my holder actually blocked it with his hand when he was moving his fingers with the hold. The third kick, I didn’t know it had hit his hand (on previous kick), so I tried to fix everything that has ever been wrong with my swing to try to make up for that miss and I just hit it a little left.”
I’m glad you figured it out and got your swing back right away. What was your longest field goal hit in a game last year?
“47 (yards).”
What is the longest you’ve hit at a camp or in practice?
“60 yards. I haven’t tried past 60 yet. I feel that 60 is a mark to be good from.”
Do you practice hitting from 60 yards on a regular basis or did you just hit from 60 yards one time and you were like I’m good with that, no need to try it again?
“It depends on the day. Sometimes if I’m moving quickly throughout my session I’ll hit a couple of times in a row. If it’s at the end of my session and I’m winding down I’ll just hit it once and be done.”
So you’re consistent from that mark?
“Yes sir.”
Valparaiso is on the verge of a big opening game, how does the team look heading into the season?
“We had a lot of injuries in 2014. We had to fill in positions with sophomores and juniors. Now all the players that are coming back are so much better this year, it’s tremendous. I think we’ll have a great year. We should either beat Penn or it should be a very close game. They’re a top team in the state and I think we’re right there to compete with them due to all of the experience from last year.”
What is the strength of this year’s football team?
“I think all three facets will be strong. We’re running a new offense that has not been seen in the area for a long time. It is really fast pace, no-huddle, different formations, different plays at a very rapid pace. I think we’ll be able to catch everyone off guard and score a lot. Our defense only lost a few key players but I feel like we have juniors that have stepped up and filled those roles greatly. Our special teams, we’re pretty solid there.”
I would hope so Mr. Kicker and Punter.
– Laughs
What makes you a strong punter?
“My consistency, my drop, and swing. Before I was a little inconsistent with my drop and swing it over and to my left instead of straight up. I’ve been working on that a lot since January with Chris Nendick, he’s Chris Sailer’s coach for Midwest area. I’ve been working a lot with him getting my punting consistent. I’ve done well with that. I’d say it has helped a lot with my average, I’m averaging 40-45 yards per punt with like a 4.2 hang; which is the least amount of hand that I’d like. Even when I’m not hitting it solid the way that I want my balls are going at least 35-40 yards with a 4.2 hang.”
What about with field goals? What makes you a good field goal kicker?
“It’s my consistency with height and distance for each ball. I take the same approach with a PAT or a 60-yard field goal. There is no change in my swing. If I don’t have the leg for it I’m going to miss down the middle and short. Usually we don’t kick past 60 so I don’t need to worry about that. It’s more about my consistent swing and my consistent pace to the ball. I’m not trying to run at the ball to kick it harder and farther. I’m just slow, calm, and methodical.”
Talking about kickoffs is not a sexy part of the game but if you can bang it into the back of the end zone each time making at team go 80-yards for a score coaches love that. How is your game there?
“Last year I was 22-of-30 on touchbacks. A few that were not touchbacks were called squibs or there was a strong wind in my face. I have no excuse for it; they all should have been touchbacks. I keep a slow steady pace towards the ball. I’m not running at it and sprinting. When I make contact I am focusing on hurdling up and over. I’m pretending there is a hurdle that I am hurdling over when I make my follow through. I’m trying to land at least two yards down field before my kicking leg lands again.”
What are your goals for the 2015 football season? I understand you want to be perfect on all your kicks and carry a 40-45 yard punt average, but aside from that what are you hoping to achieve during your senior year?
“I’m just trying to contribute as much to the team to win so we have a good season, a winning season. It’s my last year and personally I want to make it all the way to state. I’d like for us to be known and remembered as the underdog who came out and won state.”
You’re in the state that has produced “Rudy” and “Hoosiers”, we’re ready for another underdog story. I’m cheering for you.
– Laughs
I’m going to jump right into recruiting. Which schools are or have shown interest in you so far?
“Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue, UCLA, USC, and Wisconsin have shown interest. With UCLA, I was in Top 2 for an offer. They ended up offering Bailey Rayburn over me. He’s a tremendous punter. No hurt feelings there.
I suffered from insomnia and depression. I went to my doctor and he recommended the drug – diazepamshops.com. When I started taking these pills, their effect was quite good.
“USC, they don’t know if they’re going to offer anyone this year because they have a 6’6” Australian punter. Minnesota and Purdue are two big schools that I’m looking at. Nebraska, I went to their camp did well but I never really heard much back from them. I don’t think they’re going to scholarship anyone this year. Wisconsin, I did not perform my best at their camp and they ended up offering another punter.”
What other camps did you go to over the offseason?
“Minnesota, I went there and did very well. I’ve been talking to Coach (Jay) Nunez (special teams coach) a lot, at least a couple times a week keeping in touch with him. I just got in touch, again, with Purdue with Coach (Zach) Opsal (graduate assistant) and Coach (Jafar) Williams (running backs coach). I’m going on a visit to Purdue this Saturday for their scrimmage. I’m not sure what will come out of that. Hopefully it is something good. Those are the main schools that I’m looking into and been in contact with over this process.”
When you’ve talked to the various coaches what type of feedback have you received from these colleges about your skill set? What are they telling you they like?
“They like that I am a big time combo kicker and they know that I can do all three phases at a D-I level. In case someone got hurt they can use me as a collegiate level back up. They would have 100 percent confidence in my abilities.”
What do you want to major in when you go to college?
“I want to major in business. I’d like to get my MBA. I’d like to get my Med school prerequisites done as well.”
Why a business degree and then Med-school?
“In case I do not get accepted into a medical school for some reason.”
What is your favorite part of playing football?
“My favorite part is the brotherhood, the friendships, and the family atmosphere you create with your teammates. Going out and knowing that every single person that is on your team has your back no matter what happens.”
Good luck against Penn tomorrow night.
“Thank you.”
Photo credit: ChrisSailer.com; Jared performing at a Chris Sailer camp.
Photo credit: Valparaiso High School; Jared kicks one through for the Vikings.