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CHERUBINI CHIMES IN
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One-on-One with the
Pirates
Saturday,
August 18, 2010
By Ron Cherubini |
Q&A with
Warren Harvey
By
Ron Cherubini
©2012 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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With the graduation of Michael Barbour, from the outside it looked as if
East Carolina would be unsettled at the place kicking position. But inside
the program, apparently, the heir apparent was already known. Seemingly out
of nowhere, Warren Harvey boomed his way to the position with a strong leg,
great accuracy and a confidence that kickers always need, but all too often
don’t have.
A big-legged local product, Harvey kicked for J.H. Rose High School where he
was part of a state championship squad and then was an invited-walk-on to
the hometown ECU team. In the spring, Harvey locked up the place-kicking job
by showing that he was not only reliable, but also has very good range.
Simply, he looked like a veteran kicker on the field for the Pirates.
It's one less worry for new special teams coordinator Kirk Doll, who
expressed that Harvey had a great spring and was atop the depth chart.
That's important with an offense used to having a kicker who can step in and
ensure points on the rare occasions that the offense does not find the end
zone. Bottom line: Harvey is a welcome and relieving find.
Warren was kind enough to sit down for a chat with Bonesville to share his
insights on the upcoming season.
Warren Harvey in action
(ECU SID photo)
One-on-One with Warren Harvey
Q: So, how does a kicker in an
offense that considers it a failure to have to send
on the kicker for three points see the job as being
placekicker? Do you cherish the opportunities?
A: Of course, in our offense, we
always want touchdowns. We want the six points and
you hope the offense does that all the time. I am
hoping, if I win the job, that I will have a lot of
extra points. But it makes the times when we need to
go for a field goal that much more important and I
want to be sure that every opportunity results in
points for us. Those opportunities are very
important and that is how I approach it.
Q: How big a deal? How much does
it mean to you to play in your hometown for college?
A: For me, it has always been a
(dream), growing up in Greenville, to play for the
Pirates. Growing up, the whole town lives and
breathes the Pirates and you see that all the time,
so it is a dream for me to have an opportunity to
play here.
Q: Talk about the holder and
snapper and how important they are to your ability
to do your job?
A: It is definitely a special
relationship with the holder and snapper — they are
my lifeline. It’s not just the kick, it is three
things: a snap, a hold, and then the kick. The line
also is huge, but in regards to the snapper and
holder, these are the guys I practice with, that I
spend all the time with out here. So we work
together and trust one another.
Q: Are you surprised at how
quickly you have gone from on the roster to looking
like the No. 1 placekicker for the Pirates?
A: I guess it is one of those
things where you just come out and work hard and
give it your all every day and hope that you are
successful. It is a battle and if I end up with the
job, I know that it will never be locked in. Have to
do it every day, every opportunity. But, if I am the
kicker, I will feel very fortunate.
Q: What player on this team do
you most respect and why?
A: Trent Tignor, my holder. We
are very good friends and he is a great all-around
person. He’s a good kicker, too.
Q: Will you also handle kickoffs?
A: Right now, we are all kind of
working at it while we figure who will be doing
what. I did kickoffs all throughout high school and
I m comfortable with the form and technique needed
to do the job.
Q: What would you say is your
comfortable range for field goals? Outer limits?
A: To me, everything from 40
yards in should not be a miss. If I miss that, it is
totally on me — I didn’t execute my technique. Outer
limits, I would say, I feel confident that I am
capable from 55-56 yards and in.
Q: What has it been like working
with Coach (Kirk) Doll? Do you get a sense that the
special teams could truly be special this year?
A: Coach Doll is so knowledgeable
and you can see a huge difference in our special
teams in practice. We are all excited and expect to
be very good at what we do this season.
Q: Describe your thoughts about
your first kick in Dowdy-Ficklen.
A: You know, I have played that
moment in my head 500 times… more than that. I know
I will be very excited, but the kick should be
nothing more than what it is every day in practice.
I have been practicing all year for that kick. It
will be exciting though.
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