How Clemson’s BT Potter shook off early-season struggles to regain his kicking form
If Monday’s national championship game comes down to a last-second field goal, Clemson kicker BT Potter is up for the challenge.
“I told coach [Dabo] Swinney before the last drive (against Ohio State) I was ready to kick the last one,” Potter said. “So hopefully, I might get that chance against LSU.”
Potter’s confidence in his kicking and his technique is back. That might not have been the case a few months ago when the sophomore temporarily lost his job as the Tigers’ kicker.
Potter was one of the top kickers in the country coming out of high school in Rock Hill, where he was part of four state title teams at South Pointe. He handled kickoff duties as a Clemson freshman and was a backup on field goals to Blythewood’s Greg Huegel.
But Potter went through a rough patch this year as the Tigers’ starter, missing a 40-yard field goal against North Carolina on Sept. 2 and a 24-yarder the following week against Florida State.
After the miss against FSU, Potter received a tongue-lashing by coach Dabo Swinney that was caught on TV. He was replaced by Steven Sawicki.
“It was tough, and I knew that it is part of it when I signed up for it,” Potter said Monday at the team’s on-campus media day. “I wouldn’t say I was ready for it, but I knew what I would fall back on when it happened. It was something to get through. I knew there would be better days.”
Potter’s benching didn’t last long. The following week against Louisville he booted a 51-yarder on the Tigers’ opening drive. He hasn’t given up the hold on his kicking job since.
“Finding a process I could trust in. Just trust the process and that would lead to made kicks,” Potter said. “It was pretty hard. I was scared to get up for the next kick but I thought, ‘Nothing good is going to come from that.’”
Part of Potter’s process included a few trips to the Charlotte area to train with kicking coach Dan Orner, who has worked with high school, college and NFL kickers over the past decade. Potter began working with Orner in high school and the two spoke this week.
Orner said the biggest thing he worked on with Potter was his extension, which caused him to swipe or hook the ball during his kicks.
“He had to get more disciplined,” Orner said. “Sometimes it takes time. It is just like a golfer and their putting. Make sure to get confident and create a checklist of things he needs to do on a kick.
“BT has aspirations in order to be top-level guy and play in the NFL. He needed to technically fix two or three things. He got lashed a couple times but he is a great spot right now.”
Potter is 7-of-11 on field goals since the benching and has converted on all of his school-record 77 extra-point attempts. He leads the nation in kickoff-yard average with 69 of his 90 kickoffs going for touchbacks.
Potter had eight touchbacks in last year’s national title game against Alabama.
“It was one of those things where he had to go back to work after you miss a few,” said Will Swinney, who holds for Potter on extra points and field goals. “We just encouraged him, ‘You are going to get another opportunity. Just stay ready,’ and he did. He has confidence in his abilities. He came here as one of the top kickers in the country. It is just about doing the same process you do in practice in the game.
“He went on a run at the end of the year and he’s ready to have a great game in the national championship game.”
When does Clemson play LSU?
Who: Clemson vs. LSU
When: 8 p.m. Monday
Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans
TV channel: ESPN
Betting line: LSU by 5.5
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 5:34 AM.
