99 Virginia Football Thoughts Before Kickoff

By: Chris Horne |

Earlier this week, Sabre poster uva123 asked if there were any updates on Virginia football’s field goal kicking situation. On Friday (August 19), head coach Bronco Mendenhall provided some insight – not much, but some — into how things are faring at the position.

“Really like the way that A.J. Mejia has been kicking the football,” Mendenhall said.

Mejia, a walk-on, served as Virginia’s place-kicker last season. He finished 8-for-12 on field goals, a quality performance that was certainly an improvement over the subpar 5-of-10 showing UVA’s field goal kickers collectively had the previous year. It wasn’t perfect, however, as the Fairfax (VA) native missed his final two field goal attempts of 2017 (a 41-yarder against Virginia Tech; a 48-yarder against Navy) and missed every attempt of 40 yards and up. As Kris Wright discussed in an earlier “99 Thoughts”, Virginia has yet to make a field goal of 40 yards or more in the Mendenhall era.

From start to finish, Mejia had Mendenhall’s confidence throughout the 2017 season. Through 13 Fall Camp practices, it appears he has the head coach’s confidence once again in 2018. But how does Mejia feel about things heading into his sophomore year? I spoke with him following the August 19 practice to find out.

99 Virginia Football Thoughts Before Kickoff: No. 17 – Is Mejia The Answer Virginia Needs At Place-Kicker?

While light on volume, the field goal unit’s work during Friday morning’s practice was intense, as Virginia simulated kicking field goals with time expiring.

“Hit some decent balls, but it’s challenging trying to run back on and off the field, trying to kick,” Mejia said. “It was a decent day. An improvement. Trying to get better every single day.”

This was my first time speaking with Mejia, whose laid-back nature is evident. But there is also a confidence, which helped him rise as a true freshman walk-on to snag the starting place-kicker position for the Cavaliers last season.

“Last year I just wanted to make the travel squad,” Mejia recalled with a smile. “I trusted my preparation. I came in and I kicked well during fall camp, obviously earning the job. It was an awesome learning experience, to get that experience as a true freshman. Especially in my position. I wasn’t expected to even be playing college football, much less on the ACC level. It was really cool.”

The 2017 season experience “definitely” has helped heading into 2018, Mejia said. He added: “I think it’s also nice having competition, with Hunter coming in. It’s inspiring.”

Virginia brought in a scholarship kicker in 2017 in Brian Delaney, who wound up being the Cavaliers’ primary kickoff specialist. Mendenhall brought in another scholarship kicker in 2018 in South Carolina native Hunter Pearson, who was ranked the No. 5 place-kicker in his class by Kohl’s Kicking. While Delaney’s strengths may lie in punting (he was Kohl’s Kicking’s top punting prospect and no. 18 place-kicking prospect in the 2017 Class), Pearson is a sure-fire placekicker.

“He’s a good kicker,” Mejia said of Pearson, who made 8-of-10 field goals, including a 49-yard attempt, as a senior at Seneca High School last year. “I’ve got to treat every day like it’s my last. Any profession you do in life, someone’s going to be coming at you. Competition breeds clarity. I know coach always says it. Makes me better. Makes him better. Makes everyone better. Helps us – the team – get better.”

Mejia’s offseason focus was improved leg strength, and the “various things” he did have yielded results. Last season, the mark from which Coach Mendenhall was comfortable allowing Mejia to kick from was the 25-yard line. Mejia noted that the mark on Friday was the 30.

“I’m hitting a better ball than I was last year. More confident,” Mejia said. “Feels good. I’m definitely 10, 15 yards stronger than last year. Getting more height, too.”

The field goal unit is performing at a higher level as well, Mejia notes.

“I’m hitting the ball really well,” Mejia said. “Just trying to hit everything cleaner. The timing is a lot better than it was last year. Spaz (Joe Spaziani) is snapping really well. Working every day to try and be as clean as possible.”

Virginia needs to find the solution when it comes to field goals. It needs consistency and accuracy from more than just 40 yards and in. Mejia has done all the right things in the offseason and is saying the right things in the preseason, but the answer will come in the performance

“My only goal for the year is I can’t be thinking about making X amount of kicks,” Mejia said. “My only goal is thinking, ‘I need to make this kick.’ That’s where my mindset has been this camp. I’m not really thinking about anything else.”

The “99 Virginia Football Thoughts Before Kickoff” series has discussed much more. The previous articles are below. Click away.