Clayton Hatfield's presence among all the blue-chip recruits at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl did little to stir up recruiting interest in the kicker from Boerne Champion.
So much the better for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders got him to walk on two years ago and reaped the benefits last season when Hatfield made 14 of 16 field goals as a redshirt freshman.
He wound up with a scholarship to boot.
"I couldn't ask for anything better," Hatfield said this week. "It was more than I expected, for sure. Going into the season, with the competition and (Michael) Barden starting off first, I had no idea what to expect.
"It ended up more than what I could ask for, ending at UT getting a scholarship and game ball. It was just an unbelievable season. Hopefully, better things to come."
Hatfield took over at the start of Big 12 play for Barden, who's now settled in as the Tech punter. Twelve of Hatfield's 14 made field goals came in the last seven games.
He wound up first in the Big 12 and seventh in the FBS for accuracy, and after Hatfield made 51- and 38-yarders in a 48-45 victory at Texas, Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury picked a dramatic moment to put him on scholarship — before a roomful of jubilant teammates in a post-game celebration.
"I was not expecting it at all," Hatfield said, "and when he called my name, it was just unbelievable. Afterwards, I started crying on the phone with my dad because this is what I dreamed for. As a kicker, it's hard to get scholarships and stuff like that, and it's a dream come true."
Two elements have changed since last season. David Brenner, who did deep snaps and short snaps the last three years, graduated. Junior Kyle Heffron and senior Tyler Scalzi are the leading candidates for that duty.
Special teams coach Darrin Chiaverini left for a job at his alma mater, Colorado, and Kingsbury hired veteran special teams coach Joe Robinson from South Carolina to replace him.
Robinson said he took a look at Hatfield's numbers and decided to take a hands-off approach.
"I think one of my charges is not to mess Hatfield up," Robinson said. "He's got a pretty good percentage coming in — as strong a percentage as anybody in the country. Great confidence. He's very smart. He understands his craft. I hope he can continue exactly what he did. We're confident in him."
The media who cover the Big 12 feel much the same. They made Hatfield the preseason all-Big 12 kicker.
Hatfield originally planned to attend Texas — his family members went to school there, and it's 85 miles from where he grew up. Texas State offered Hatfield a scholarship, the summer before Hatfield's senior year and with a one-week deadline to make a decision.
Hatfield balked at that, and eventually clicked with Tech.
"It was the coaching staff — coach Kingsbury and how everyone greeted me when I came to town," he said. "I had no idea they even knew who I was. I was going to come up here for a one-day camp and compete. I thought that would be a chance to introduce myself, but they already knew about me."
Hatfield made four field goals his sophomore year in high school, then eight each of his last two seasons. After a redshirt year, he fell into a groove the second half of last season. He made three field goals against Kansas and two apiece against Oklahoma, West Virginia and Texas, all in a six-game span.
"Each game, one after another, it just kept getting better and better and better," he said. "I felt like I progressed each game, each week, as a kicker. Hopefully I can do the same this year.
"I feel like this summer I've gotten a lot better and this fall camp, hopefully it all comes together with the holder and snapper."
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Source: Strong debut puts Tech kicker Hatfield on radar
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