Kicker Eddy Pineiro has provided the Gators with solid support midway into his first season. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Pineiro Has Proven Distance Not an Issue
Monday, October 24, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter
Gators kicker among national leaders for long makes.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Compared to where he was a few weeks ago, Gators kicker Eddy Pineiro is now a sage veteran.
Pineiro has made 9 of 12 field goals, or nine more field goals and 12 more attempts in his life than prior to the season opener against UMass.
A redshirt sophomore, the former South Florida soccer standout's unlikely journey from Miami to UF's starting kicker is one of the Gators' most interesting stories.
The stories continue to pile up for Pineiro.
Florida head coach Jim McElwain shared one after the season opener about Pineiro being so excited after a field goal that he forgot which side of the field he should be on for the ensuing kickoff.
McElwain told another good one after Florida's 40-14 homecoming win over Missouri.
"This will be part of the book,'' McElwain quipped.
Pineiro broke a scoreless tie with a 53-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Once again, adrenaline rushed through Pineiro's body.
"I did forget to go out for kickoff,'' he said.
Pineiro felt the need to do more than put points on the board in front of a crowd best-described as "sleepy" at that point.
"That's why after I kicked my 53, I was trying to hype up my teammates, hit them in the helmet, 'let's go, let's go.' Next thing you know I'm forgetting to kick off," Pineiro said.
"We had to go grab him from over there where all those [specialists] stand,'' McElwain said. "How about that."
In a season of firsts for Pineiro, next up is his first Florida-Georgia game on Saturday in Jacksonville. Florida's kicking game caused McElwain some concerns in his first Gators-Bulldogs showdown a year ago.
Austin Hardin missed a 45-yard kick in the first quarter and then had an extra-point blocked after Nick Washington recovered a fumbled punt return for a touchdown on the final play of the quarter.
What could have been a 10-0 lead was 6-0 and stayed that way until Treon Harris connected with Antonio Callaway for a 66-yard scoring strike late in the second quarter to give the Gators some breathing room.
Six games into his career, Pineiro already has more field goals than the Gators (7 of 17) did in 14 games last year.
"Basically, that's how I envisioned this,'' he said. "Before the season started, I wanted to make as many kicks as I possibly can, put up as many points as I possibly can for Florida, which is what they struggled in last year. I'm just trying to get my job done."
So far, so good for the enthusiastic Pineiro.
The crowd has shown its support by chanting his name on several occasions at the Swamp.
Especially on those long ones. Pineiro is one of five kickers among FBS and FCS players to have at least six field goals of 40 or more yards that includes at least one from 50-plus yards (chart below).
Source: StatsPass
If he adds another one against Georgia on Saturday, only half of EverBank Field will be chanting.
McElwain probably won't even hear the chants. He'll be busy looking to make sure Pineiro is on the field for the kickoff.
Pineiro has made 9 of 12 field goals, or nine more field goals and 12 more attempts in his life than prior to the season opener against UMass.
A redshirt sophomore, the former South Florida soccer standout's unlikely journey from Miami to UF's starting kicker is one of the Gators' most interesting stories.
The stories continue to pile up for Pineiro.Florida head coach Jim McElwain shared one after the season opener about Pineiro being so excited after a field goal that he forgot which side of the field he should be on for the ensuing kickoff.
McElwain told another good one after Florida's 40-14 homecoming win over Missouri.
"This will be part of the book,'' McElwain quipped.
Pineiro broke a scoreless tie with a 53-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Once again, adrenaline rushed through Pineiro's body.
"I did forget to go out for kickoff,'' he said.
Pineiro felt the need to do more than put points on the board in front of a crowd best-described as "sleepy" at that point.
"That's why after I kicked my 53, I was trying to hype up my teammates, hit them in the helmet, 'let's go, let's go.' Next thing you know I'm forgetting to kick off," Pineiro said.
"We had to go grab him from over there where all those [specialists] stand,'' McElwain said. "How about that."
In a season of firsts for Pineiro, next up is his first Florida-Georgia game on Saturday in Jacksonville. Florida's kicking game caused McElwain some concerns in his first Gators-Bulldogs showdown a year ago.
Austin Hardin missed a 45-yard kick in the first quarter and then had an extra-point blocked after Nick Washington recovered a fumbled punt return for a touchdown on the final play of the quarter.
What could have been a 10-0 lead was 6-0 and stayed that way until Treon Harris connected with Antonio Callaway for a 66-yard scoring strike late in the second quarter to give the Gators some breathing room.
Six games into his career, Pineiro already has more field goals than the Gators (7 of 17) did in 14 games last year.
"Basically, that's how I envisioned this,'' he said. "Before the season started, I wanted to make as many kicks as I possibly can, put up as many points as I possibly can for Florida, which is what they struggled in last year. I'm just trying to get my job done."
So far, so good for the enthusiastic Pineiro.
The crowd has shown its support by chanting his name on several occasions at the Swamp.
Especially on those long ones. Pineiro is one of five kickers among FBS and FCS players to have at least six field goals of 40 or more yards that includes at least one from 50-plus yards (chart below).
| Player | School | 40-49 | 50+ | Long | Overall |
| Zane Gonzalez | Arizona State | 6-6 | 6-7 | 59 | 20-21 |
| Jonathan Barnes | Louisiana Tech | 6-6 | 1-2 | 54 | 13-15 |
| Jake Elliott | Memphis | 5-6 | 2-2 | 50 | 10-13 |
| Eddy Pineiro | Florida | 4-6 | 2-2 | 54 | 9-12 |
| Alex Probert | Liberty | 4-4 | 2-2 | 51 | 9-12 |
Source: StatsPass
If he adds another one against Georgia on Saturday, only half of EverBank Field will be chanting.
McElwain probably won't even hear the chants. He'll be busy looking to make sure Pineiro is on the field for the kickoff.
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