Sept. 22, 2012
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — There was no celebration, but Saturday was a record-setting afternoon for University of Iowa kicker Mike Meyer.
Meyer, a junior from Dubuque (Iowa) Wahlert High School, established a school record with 63 consecutive made point-after kicks, bettering the old mark of 60 by Nate Kaeding from 2001-02.
Kaeding, an All-Pro for the San Diego Chargers, is the most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League.
“It’s hard to put myself on (Kaeding’s) level,” Meyer said. “He is on such a different level than everybody else. I have a long way to go to be mentioned with his name. Hopefully I can work up to it.”
Meyer tied the consecutive PAT record on Iowa’s opening series of the game — a five-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback James Vandenberg to wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley. It would have been impossible to jinx Meyer on the PAT, since he was oblivious to the mark.
“I didn’t know that,” Meyer said in a postgame interview. “It’s good. I guess I’m doing something right.”
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Meyer tied the consecutive PAT record on Iowa’s opening series of the game — a five-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback James Vandenberg to wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley. It would have been impossible to jinx Meyer on the PAT, since he was oblivious to the mark.
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Meyer has been doing something right 64 consecutive times following a UI touchdown.
“For extra points, it has a lot to do with consistency,” Meyer said.
Meyer broke the record following a 34-yard touchdown run by Mark Weisman. No. 62 followed a 5-yard touchdown run by Weisman, and No. 63 came after a 12-yard run by Weisman.
Meyer was 4-for-4 on extra points against Central Michigan, but his most impressive boot came in the form of a 46-yard field goal — into the wind — in the fourth quarter. That gave the Hawkeyes a 24-23 lead with eight minutes to play.
“I couldn’t tell you how far it was over, but I knew if I kept my head down, kicked, and had a good leg swing, it would go in,” Meyer said.
By scoring seven points Saturday, Meyer crept past Tim Dwight into ninth place on the UI all-time scoring chart with 193. He has made 37-of-47 field goals (including 9-of-10 this season), and 82-of-84 on PATs.
The all-time scoring leader at the UI is Kaeding, with 373. Meyer says he talks with Kaeding whenever he has the chance.
“We talk every now and then. We talk about small things, like the mindset and mentality (of being a kicker),” Meyer said. “Whenever (Kaeding) is around, I pick his mind.”
The Hawkeyes scored a season-high 31 points Saturday, but were defeated, 32-31. Central Michigan’s David Harmon connected on a wind-aided 47-yard field goal with three seconds remaining.
Meyer has scored 34 points this season, second on the UI team behind Weisman, who has scored three touchdowns on back-to-back weekends for 36.
The Hawkeyes open Big Ten play Sept. 29 against Minnesota, with an 11 a.m. (CT) kickoff inside Kinnick Stadium. The Floyd of Rosedale traveling trophy is on the line; the Golden Gophers have retained the bronze pig for the past two seasons.