Hard work paying off for Hartley OU football Standout season puts Sooners' kicker in running for Lou Groza Award, which will be presented tonight
By John Helsley
Published: December 7, 2006
Garrett Hartley defines his success this season by the bulk, not by the moments.
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Not his two 46-yard field goals. Not the three-pointer at Texas A&M that proved to be the difference in Oklahoma's 17-16 win.
For Hartley, it's his 17 field goals in 18 attempts, 42 of 43 extra points made and a solid percentage of kickoffs sent soaring to the end zone for touchbacks that packaged together make this a breakthrough season for the Sooner junior.
Marked by inconsistency a year ago, Hartley became a reliable weapon for Oklahoma this fall and is a finalist for the Lou Groza Award recognizing the nation's top kicker, to be presented tonight during the ESPNHome Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Fla.
"Honestly, I'm not sure if there really is just one highlight," Hartley said via cell phone from Orlando. "Just trying to be consistent throughout the year and putting up points when needed is the most important thing to take place this year."
Maybe the highlight will come tonight, with Hartley joining Auburn's John Vaughn and Louisville's Arthur Carmody as the three finalists for the Groza Award, now in its 15th year.
Hartley had his moments in 2005, including a career-best 52-yard field goal at Texas Tech, as well as a 50-yarder at Nebraska.
But his overall numbers — 14 of 22 field goals made — were a little too erratic for himself and OU coach Bob Stoops.
This season, Hartley's field-goal percentage of .944 is tied for first nationally among kickers with at least 10 successful kicks. He also ranks 34th in scoring, averaging 7.38 points a game.
At OU, Hartley ranks No. 8 in kick scoring for a season (93 points) and No. 4 in field goals for a season. For his career, Hartley is No. 8 in kick scoring (187) and No. 7 in field goals made (32).
"Garrett has been tremendous for us this year," Stoops said. "Coaches want a kicker who is reliable, and Garrett has been that for us.
"We have confidence in him every time we send him out there, and he has earned that by making such a high percentage of his kicks."
For any kicker, such trust is the ultimate compliment.
"If we can get to a certain yard line, I like to tell my coach, ‘If we get there, hopefully I can guarantee you three points,'" Hartley said.
Ironically, it's the one miss — a blocked 44-yarder in the final seconds at Oregon — that people ask Hartley about most.
If good, that field goal would have righted botched calls by officials that remain in consciousness of Sooner fans still.
Instead, Oregon escaped with a 34-33 win.
"They ask me if it came off my foot good," Hartley said. "Then they tell me, ‘Hey don't worry about it — it was blocked.'
"Personally, I take it upon myself. I guess I could have got it up higher, I don't know. It wasn't a line drive. I thought I hit it pretty well. But the opportunity was there and I should have been able to put it through."
Often forgotten about that game: Hartley hit a career-high four field goals before his fateful final attempt.
After last season, Hartley went to work tweaking his mechanics, focusing mainly on a more consistent follow-through.
"I came into this season setting my goals pretty high, trying to be perfect inside 45 yards," Hartley said. "All but one kick, it's been that way.
"It's a really good feeling, knowing how much hard work you've put in it, to be recognized in the top three."
Oklahoma kicker Garrett Hartley, a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, made 17 field goals in 18 attempts and finished 42 of 43 on extra points this season for the Sooners. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
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