Twinsburg's Weller Hopes to Kick Ohio Bobcats Into Overdrive

Every kicker's dream? Making a field goal at the end of a game. Every kicker's nightmare? Missing one.

Matt Weller, a Twinsburg graduate and now a junior kicker for Ohio University, has experienced both emotions in the past three seasons. As a freshman, Weller connected on a game-winning 47-yard field goal against Buffalo. Last week, with the Bobcats needing a field goal to tie Ball State with just seconds remaining in the final quarter, he missed.

After a miss, kickers must cope with their own thoughts and come out the following week as if nothing had happened the previous game. All players face some sort of pressure, kickers deal with more than most.

"It doesn't matter what the game situation is, I expect to make a kick like that," said Weller. "I was pretty upset about it. I'm a lot harder on myself than anyone else is."

Weller is a perfect example that even the best kickers can misfire at times. As a red-shirt freshman at Ohio U, he set a new school single season record with 21 field goals. His performance earned him All-Mid-American Conference First Team honors even though he was just barely out of high school.

In addition to the game-winner against Buffalo that season, Weller booted a personal best 52-yard field goal against Ball State. Last season, Weller made good on 11 of 13 field goal tries and 40 of 44 extra points to account for 73 points on the season. His best effort was a 51-yarder against Kent State.

The 2011 season has already been memorable for Weller, who has been named MAC East Player of the Week three times. His latest honor came after kicking field goals of 27, 46 and 33 yards in a narrow loss to Buffalo.

Bobcats head coach Frank Solich had no qualms about sending out Weller for his attempt in the final seconds Saturday afternoon.

"He was coming off a great game against Buffalo and he was doing very well in practice, so he was our best shot at the end of the game," said Solich. "When you have a kicker that is as good as it gets in the MAC, that is an opportunity that you give him."

Weller specialized in place-kicking and punting at Twinsburg, where he was named Northeast Ohio Conference Kicker of the Year and received Division I All-Ohio Second Team honors as a senior. "Kicking was my niche," he says. He made an immediate impression with his stellar freshman season at Ohio U but kickers are still under the radar...until they are called on in key situations of a game.

"We're off on our own a lot of the time in practice," said Weller. "But when it comes to the weight room, we train just like everyone else."

The Bobcats were touted as one of the favorites to win the MAC prior to the start of the season but the narrow losses to Buffalo and Ball State had them sitting at 4-3 overall heading into Saturday's game against Akron, where his leg helped Ohio win 37-20. Weller kicked three field goals and four extra points.

"We never thought we would be 5-3 right now," he said. "We've got to keep our foot on the pedal for the rest of the season."

One foot in particular will be counted on - Weller's.