Being a place kicker at the collegiate level is not for the less confident. There is a direct spotlight on you every time your name is called. If the kick is made, you’re the hero of the game. If it is missed, it is best to stay off social media for a couple of days.
Junior Arizona kicker Michael Salgado-Medina is aware of what comes with being the guy whose name is called when the game is on the line and is just fine with it. Last season was a rocky one that saw him make 19-of-31 field goals.
Although that may seem like a high number of field goals missed, Salgado-Medina still showed flashes of being an accurate kicker with a ton of power. It is his first season as the starting kicker, as he was the punter in 2024.
Salgado-Medina’s Rigorous Season
While he did seem to struggle at times, he always returned to the field with the same confidence as before. From kicks between 50 and 59 yards, he was 3-for-5. From kicks between 40 and 49 yards, he was 5-for-12. That is the kind of leg power the Wildcats value in their kicker.
Overall, for Salgado-Medina, it was a season that was filled with “Up and downs. I didn’t make a lot, didn’t miss a lot. Just ups and downs. Just learning from the downs and learning from the ups,” he said.
Despite the misses, Salgado-Medina demonstrated the power and accuracy of his leg, which has kept the coaching staff’s belief in him.
Brennan’s Belief In Money Mike
It is a completely different season now, and the coaching staff still trusts Salgado-Medina to make tough kicks when the pressure is on him. It is how he earned the nickname “Money Mike,” as head coach Brent Brennan calls him.
Last season, Brennan expressed his strong belief in his kicker, which is why Salgado-Medina was always trusted to jog out to the field and hit big-time field goals. Having a coach who believes in him despite the ups and downs is “A great feeling” to Salgado-Medina. He added, “Having a coach that’s always there for you and just never lost faith in you, always has faith in you. It’s a big thing. I love it.”
Salgado-Medina’s Goals for Spring Practice
This is Medina’s third time participating in spring camp, and the goal remains the same, just as it had been in the previous ones. Salgado-Medina took what he learned last season and is making sure to correct the mistakes and build on the achievements.
Salgado-Medina is taking the time this spring to “Accept what happened last season and look forward to what I got to do.” He continued,” I wouldn’t say start from ground zero, but just reassess my whole process and work from the ground up from there.”
Salgado-Medina Improving in Spring
Salgado-Medina has taken huge steps in spring practice to improve himself as a kicker, and his teammates are helping in that process. When he lines up to kick a field goal, the other players surround him and simulate the sounds of a game.
The noises his teammates make are simply just that, noise to him. He likes to block it off and “Treat it as if each kick is the same.” He added, “Just taking the guys around me, it’s cool, but I don’t notice it. So, it’s just one kick at a time, same kick.”
Once spring practice concludes this month, the Wildcats will take a brief break before the start of summer training camp. That gives Salgado-Medina plenty of time to hone his skills even further in preparation for the upcoming season.
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