Kicking it Forward

 

In 2012, Anthony Fera’s world started to spin out of control. When Fera — one of the nation’s best kickers as a sophomore — opted to leave Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child-molestation investigation, he returned home to Texas to be closer to his mother as she battles multiple sclerosis. [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] 

The Longhorns needed a kicker — Justin Tucker had finished his eligibility and moved on to the NFL — and Fera needed a place to kick. He arrived in Austin just in time for two-a-days and was barely on campus long enough to know the Texas Union from the Red McCombs Red Zone before he tore two groin muscles.

The injury occurred during his second day on the practice field. “I had pulled the groin earlier in the year when I was at Penn State, but I thought I was ready to go once I got here,” said Fera, who both punted and kicked in Happy Valley. “On the second kick of practice that day something popped in my leg. I tried to kick some after that but I always had pain.”

Fera returned to the field this season and quickly regained his status among the nation’s best. He made 20 of 22 field goal attempts this season (90.9 percent) and has made all 46 of his PATs. Fera’s two field goals against Texas Tech on Nov. 28 extended his streak to a school-record 15 straight, tying a mark set 16 years ago by Longhorns’ Pro Bowl kicker Phil Dawson.

As the Longhorns’ punter, Fera has averaged 41.7 yards per attempt, has booted 13 punts 50 yards or longer and has dropped 23 kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. He was one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, which is given annually to the best placekicker in the nation.

His efforts continue to help Texas win the field-possession battle. “It was a difficult transition for him last year with his injury and having to leave a team and a school that he cared about,” coach Mack Brown said. “We’re seeing the real Anthony Fera now.”

But some of the troubles from last year haven’t gone away. Hecklers, both in stadiums and in cyberspace, refuse to let Fera forget what he left behind at Penn State or his difficult 2012 season.

Standing next to the placeholder as he took practice kicks in the minutes preceding a gametying kick against West Virginia — a game the Longhorns eventually won in overtime — one would think Fera is considered public enemy No. 1.

“West Virginia’s fans were heckling me the whole game, and some of the things they were saying weren’t very appropriate,” Fera said. “Me? I just ignored it. Fans are going to be fans. So it was nice to shut them up.”

Recently, Fera got a bushel full of harsh tweets and Facebook messages when Penn State’s current placekicker, Sam Ficken, missed a field goal late in a game that cost the Nittany Lions the win. The hecklers blame Fera for not being there to try that kick. In the 16 months he’s been on the 40 Acres, he’s received a constant stream of insults and abusive threats.

Fortunately, Fera continues to shrug them off and refuses to second-guess his decision. “I didn’t want to leave Penn State. It was a difficult decision to make because I love my teammates and I made a lot of friends in the three and a half years I was there,” he said. “I went back to Happy Valley last January and it just felt weird. But the visit allowed me some closure and I was more comfortable with my decision to come home to Texas.”

Sidelined until the fifth game, Fera played in six contests in 2012 and went 2-of-4 on field goals before shutting down his season prior to Texas’ final three games. Surgery to repair the torn groin muscles was an option but would’ve cut down on his range of motion. Instead, Fera turned to treatments where his own platelet-rich plasma was injected into his hip to promote growth and healing. Similar procedures have helped golfer Tiger Woods and NBA star Kobe Bryant quickly return after facing injury.

He didn’t kick from November until May. During that time Fera worked with athletic trainer Kenny Boyd and strength and conditioning coach Bennie Wylie on core and groin exercises that strengthened the muscles around his injury. “There were times when I thought I was never going to kick again. I was scared at first,” Fera reflected.

During spring workouts, Fera worked on his punting instead of kicking because of the different motion, which didn’t affect his groin. In May, even though Fera kicked without pain, he didn’t rush things. He took time off between kicks while working to build back his stamina and confidence. He progressively kicked a few more times each week.

“He worked super hard to get healthy,” holder Cade McCrary said. “It was never a question of work ethic because there wasn’t much Anthony could do because he was hurt. All he could do was give it time and people were rushing him but he stayed calm. He had confidence in his own ability but he just knew it would take time for him to be back 100 percent.”

Fera’s parents have moved from Cypress (near Houston) to the tiny Austin community of Barton Creek. Fera spends as much time as he can with his family while his mother, Donna, has been in the stands for most of the Longhorns’ games this season. She stays for at least a quarter before returning to the parking lot to listen on the car radio.

Their bond has been strengthened by the time they’ve been able to spend together. “She’s doing a lot better,” Fera said of his mom, “but she doesn’t tell me all the bad things.”

Fera will earn degrees from both Penn State (Kinesiology in December 2013) and Texas (Physical Culture and Sport in May 2014). And there’s a good chance he’ll kick at the next level.

“From day one, everyone [at Texas] has been very welcoming,” Fera said. “I’ve created great relationships here and I’m going to leave with a lot of good relationships — I’ve had a good ride.”

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