Inside the Huddle: Gaglianone’s goal is simply to make more kicks
December 29, 2015 | Football, Mike Lucas
Placekicker has sights set on converting field goals at a higher level
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
SAN DIEGO — Rafael Gaglianone felt bad about the missed field goal. And it wasn't even his miss.
"Being a kicker," he said, "you don't ever want to see that happen to anybody."
In last year's Outback Bowl, Gaglianone went 2-for-2 on the money kicks against Auburn. His 29-yard field goal with seven seconds left in regulation tied the game. His 25-yard field goal in overtime ended up beating the Tigers, 34-31.
Auburn placekicker Daniel Carlson had a much different fate.
Carlson missed a 44-yard field goal in the third quarter and, then, missed a 45-yarder in overtime that would have extended the game.
"It's one of those tough moments," Gaglianone said, "where you wish the game would go down in a different way. It's just tough looking back on that.
"I know how happy I was and I saw his face and I knew how sad he was."
Gaglianone and Carlson are friends. They met at a summer kicking camp in high school.
"He has been able to bounce back," Gagalianone said. "He has done well this year."
Carlson, a redshirt sophomore from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was one of three finalists for the 2015 Lou Groza Award that went to UCLA's Ka'imi Fairbairn. Carlson has made 22 of 26 field goals.
"I'm happy," Gaglianone said, "for all the things that he's been able to accomplish."
But he knew what Carlson was going through after that miss in Tampa last January.
"I know what it feels like," he said, "to miss that potential game-winner at Nebraska."
That miss from 39 yards came with 1:26 remaining in the fourth quarter.
"Walking back to the sidelines, you obviously don't feel happy," said Gaglianone. "But it was crazy because they gave me a second chance to redeem myself that same day."
And this time he delivered by making a 46-yard field goal with four seconds left.
Gaglianone's clutch kick lifted the Badgers to a 23-21 win over the Huskers in Lincoln.
"I couldn't be more thankful for my teammates," he said of the game-winning drive orchestrated by quarterback Joel Stave. "I didn't have to lose sleep over it (the miss)."
But there have been a lot more misses this season than his freshman season. In 2014, Gaglianone made 19 of 22 field goal attempts. This year, he's 15-of-24.
"I have to start doing my part," said Gaglianone, a sophomore from Sao Paulo, Brazil. "I feel like I haven't done my job this year. And it's time that I start doing it."
• • • •
Gaglianone and T.J. Edwards have been roommates for two years. Yes, it's an odd couple.
Odd because of position: Gaglianone is a kicker and Edwards is a linebacker. Odd because of geography: Edwards is from Lake Villa, Illinois, which is 5,265 miles from Sao Paulo.
"He's probably the best friend I have here," Edwards said. "Funny how it all worked out."
Former UW assistant Jeff Genyk was the lead recruiter on Gaglianone and Edwards. The latter was more of a project because he had to make the conversion from quarterback to linebacker.
After redshirting last season, Edwards stepped into the starting lineup against Alabama and he has been fixture ever since with 80 tackles, the most on the defense (four more than Joe Schobert).
Bama was quite the baptism.
"I was just kind of uncertain in that first game," Edwards said, "not knowing what I could do."
But if someone broke down the film from Game 1 and Game 12, what would they see?
"That he looks like he's running with no concerns," Edwards said. "He's running to the ball faster. He knows exactly what he's supposed to be doing. He's surer of himself as a player.
"Now, it feels second-nature to me, especially with the leadership in the backend."
He was alluding to the three senior starters in the secondary: Darius Hillary, Michael Caputo and Tanner McEvoy. Junior cornerback Sojourn Shelton has been a constant, too, with 36 career starts.
"They make sure," Edwards said, "that they've got my back."
Over the course of this season, he feels like he has picked up some things from the vets. Play with confidence. Don't dwell on the last play. Follow your leaders and be a leader.
"It's a step-by-step thing," he said.
At 235 pounds, Edwards is heavier than last season but still lighter than Gaglianone (240).
Strength has been the biggest difference from one year to the next.
"Coach Ross (Kolodziej)," Edwards said of UW's head strength and conditioning coach, "has us maxing out in the weight room. We're all getting stronger and that's a positive."
Another positive, he said, is living with Gaglianone.
"Raffy, that's my guy," Edwards beamed. "With his personality and charisma, he can talk with anybody. When my parents come for the weekend, he's talking to them more than I am."
Because of their friendship, Edwards would like to travel someday to Brazil.
"Maybe surf a little bit," said a grinning Edwards.
Gaglianone's dad, Eduardo, was a professional surfer.
Edwards will defer to Gaglianone on futbol — "I played a little soccer when I was younger" — but he's fairly inflexible when the topic is his favorite football team, the Chicago Bears.
"I'm proud to say I'm a Bears fan," he emphasized.
That led to an animated discussion with his roomie a few weeks ago. After Bears placekicker Robbie Gould missed some makeable field goals — especially for someone of his kicking stature — Edwards voiced his displeasure. Gaglianone didn't want to hear it.
"He got on me pretty hard," Edwards said. "But you lose (tight) games, you have to blame someone. That's how it always goes. Raf took a heavy heart to that (criticism) with his kicker's pride."
As such, Gaglianone didn't hesitate to defend his fraternity brother.
"He (Gould) has a lot of respect in the kicking world," he said. "And it's amazing because he's kicking in Chicago (a cold weather city without a domed stadium).
"I was telling him (Edwards) that fans will never know how tough it is playing in the conditions that we do. But that's why he (Gould) gets paid the big bucks.
"And that's why I got the opportunity to come here — because we're able to make those kicks. And now I've got to start making them. That's all that it comes down to. Making them."
Truth is, Edwards has a healthy respect for placekickers.
"I'd probably say it's the third-hardest position to play in football," he said. "It's right behind quarterback and cornerback. He (Gaglianone) has a tough job. But he can do it."
Gaglianone's misses have come, in order, from the 34, 52, 51, 42, 43, 39, 35, 42 and 50.
"I know what the situations are, I know the kicks that I've missed," he said of the longer attempts (three from 50 or more). "But they are still misses that could have helped the team."
Gaglianone doesn't want to make any excuses. Nonetheless, he has one. He missed spring practice because of a back injury and it impacted his overall offseason training.
"We can control only what we can control," said Gaglianone, sounding truly Americanized. "I don't want to rely on that (his back) for why something happened the way it did.
"I've got to better in every way. I just want to make kicks — that's what my position is. I'm making more kicks in practice and I'm feeling good. It's time to start giving back to my teammates."
He feels like he still owes them for Nebraska.
