Three deep in the trenches of the `Field Goal Spot War'

Bryan Arguello isn't your typical kicker.

He played three positions on the high school gridiron -- and they weren't just placekicker, punter or kickoff man. It looks like he's spent as much time in the weight room working on his arms as his legs.

And when he takes to the practice field for the Penn football team, he wears a blue mesh jersey.

Penn's kickers, you see, wear yellow tops to practice. Quarterbacks wear red; the offense wears white. It's only the members of the Red and Blue defense who wear blue.

And that's what has kicker Roman Galas seething about Arguello, a multi-taskman who is by all accounts the leading candidate for tomorrow's start against Lafayette at the vital placekicking position.

"He plays another position" -- defensive back, specifically -- "so he's not even one of us, really," said Galas, a pure yellow-jersey man. "It's kind of like an outsider coming in and being in the lead for the lead spot. And you don't really take well to that."

Welcome to what Galas has dubbed the "Field Goal Spot War" --a battle that involves few, but one that could determine the future home of the Ivy League title.

*

When it comes to field goals and extra points, Penn coach Al Bagnoli admits he's had it easy over his past nine years on Franklin Field.

"We've been spoiled," Bagnoli said while thinking back to Andy Glockner, a starter from 1992-94 who had range from 49 yards out; Jeremiah Greathouse, who took over from 1995-1997 and once split the uprights from 50 yards out; and most recently Jason Feinberg, who graduated last year as the Penn and Ivy League recordholder in career points scored, with 218 -- all by foot.

"We've had the All-league kid here for a long time, and not just [Feinberg] but before [him] and before him."

Things have changed, though.

Feinberg had no apprentice -- as he himself had been as a freshman under Greathouse -- and for the first time in the Bagnoli era there is no sure heir to the placekicking throne.

This is a legitimate worry for the coach, who witnessed Harvard's fall from Ivy-title challenger to middle-of-the-pack finisher last season due in part to the Crimson's inexperience at the placekicker position.

The Quakers themselves benefited from that inexperience in last year's Homecoming game. Penn walked off Franklin Field on Nov. 11 with a 36-35, come-from-behind victory, knowing full well its win could have been thwarted had Harvard freshman Robbie Wright's 33-yard field goal attempt not sailed left in the final seconds.

"That's a difficult situation... if you're a senior," Bagnoli said. "Obviously, it's difficult if you're a freshman."

And it could come back to nip the Red and Blue this year, perhaps even badly enough to dash their hopes for an Ancient Eight title like it did to Harvard's chances last year.

"This league has so much parity," Bagnoli said. "You don't need a lot to miss in this league. So yeah, that concerns us."

*

The war began in late August.

When Galas -- who already had a lock on kickoff specialist after last season's solid performance at that position -- reported to the Quakers' preseason camp on Aug. 23, he knew exactly what stood in his way of earning the placekicking start.

"I see four freshmen coming in, I know what they're here for," he said. "They're here trying to take that spot. I don't want them to have that spot."

In addition to those four newcomers, his competition included two veteran kickers vying for Feinberg's vacancy: sophomores Alex Bush and Peter Veldman.

"We told [all of them] that it's nobody's job -- the kid who's had it for three years is gone," Bagnoli said.

A total of seven players, then, were thrown into the fray, all with varying levels of experience but none who had aimed for the uprights in collegiate play.

"We had to get some answers," Bagnoli said.

The coach ran all seven through what he called a "kicking derby" -- charting all of their makes and misses from various ranges on the field.

"I think [Bagnoli] was trying a shotgun approach -- get a lot of people and see who panned out," said Veldman, who had not seen action his freshman year.

"The first couple of days it was really, really crowded," Galas said. "[Bagnoli] was letting three kick one day, three the next day, so there were some days when you didn't even get a rep. It was pretty crazy."

That routine of hardcore kicking followed by a day of passive observation may have done a number on Galas closer to the helmet than the cleats.

The junior said he entered camp fresh off a "solid" round of spring practices followed by a healthy amount of placekicking work over the summer in his hometown of Cinnaminson, N.J.

But he said his performance during the tryout was "disastrous."

"I have a D-I foot but a D-III head, so that's kind of my problem," he said.

The player best known for booting the longball had trouble from routine field goal distances, and "a guy like me, when I start missing, I start beating myself up over it."

Before long, Bush had left the team for personal reasons, and just one out of the four freshmen remained in contention with the struggling Galas and Veldman.

Much to Galas' dismay, that lasting newcomer had not only vaulted into the lead for the starting spot, but was also the one wearing the blue jersey.

"Bryan, when the smoke cleared, did the best," Bagnoli said.

*

Bryan Arguello, above all, is a team player. He wants to do what's best for his squad, especially when there is a championship on the line.

And if that means a guy who wears a blue jersey during practices taking field goals and extra points in games, so be it.

"I'm fully committed on the kicking spot because it's such an important part, you know, [it] can decide games," he said. "And especially with this team so set on accomplishing great things, it takes everyone committed to that one goal."

So when he hears that some may not approve of his rise into the lead for the placekicking position because of his other roles, he defers to the decision of the top goal-maker himself, Bagnoli.

"It's all about just producing, and that goes for all positions and every player," Arguello said. "[Bagnoli's] established that just by the people that are in."

The coach himself stands by his choice of Arguello after going through weeks of practice and evaluation with the final three contenders.

"It's Bryan's job until he can't do it anymore, so this may last for four years or may last for four weeks," Bagnoli said. "I've got confidence in the kid. He's mentally tough, [and] he's done a nice job under pressure in front of the team.

"So we're cautiously optimistic."

That caution stems from the lack of experience Arguello -- as well as the other two in contention -- has. They'll all be trying to kick on a Saturday with 11 college athletes set on blocking their attempts.

But Arguello, for one, isn't worried about that.

"Obviously I feel a little pressure," he said. "But more than anything it's comforting knowing I have the confidence not only of my teammates but of my coaches as well."

Plus, if Arguello does get the starting nod tomorrow, Bagnoli isn't going to be expecting feats like he's seen over the past nine years.

"I don't think we're going to ask him to kick 50-yarders," the coach said. "But I think if he can consistently hit them inside [the] 35, [the] 38, I think we'll be fine."

Which, in a sense, is good news for Galas. Although he's been passed up at least temporarily for the starting job, his strong leg may be called upon in times of big need.

"If we wind up getting in a situation where we want to go [for it on] a 48-yard kick or something, it's probably too much to ask Bryan," Bagnoli said, "But Roman, that will be his role."

Of course, looking back at Harvard and the problems it had last season with inexperience at the position, Bagnoli would prefer nothing more than to keep his young placekickers on the sidelines while his veteran offense takes care of any deficits on the field.

"We're going to try like heck to keep it from being the game decided by one play at the end."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.