Kicker Scott Starzyk 'in a good place' going into freshman season
Arkansas freshman kicker Scott Starzyk probably understands that he is naturally going to draw comparisons to Cam Little, who left Fayetteville following the 2023 season as the program’s all-time most accurate kicker and now starts in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Like Little, Starzyk arrived in Fayetteville as one of the consensus top-rated kickers in the country and sixth-year special teams coordinator Scott Fountain mentioned on Sunday when he spoke with the media following practice three of fall camp that Little and Starzyk also have a similar personality.
“When we first had the opportunity to get Scott that was one of the first things that drew me to him,” Fountain said. “He is a player’s guy that kids are going to love in the locker room and I also think he is a guy who can handle a little attention.”
Starzyk, who hails from The Woodlands (Texas), was a five-star prospect and the top kicker in the 2025 class per Kohl’s Kicking.
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Early expectations for Scott Starzyk
When asked if Starzyk is going to be “The Guy” to handle the kicking duties for Arkansas in 2025, Fountain was clear that there will be a competition throughout camp, but Starzyk did himself plenty of favors dating back to spring practices.
“We always compete, we’re also letting Blake Ford (recently transferred back to Arkansas from North Texas) compete, Charlie Von Der Meden is also here,” Fountain said. “We will make that for sure decision after camp, but I think Scott is in a good place coming out of spring.
“I am excited for Scott, but the most important thing for him is to make field goals this year. Today was the first to do live field goals and he made them all, so a good start.”
Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman mentioned Starzyk earned the right to be one of the elite prep kickers in his class, but needs to see what he can do under more pressure.
“Scott made some key field goals in the spring,” Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman said of Starzyk during SEC Media Days in July. “Now we have to get him in a stadium and possibly open up some preseason things to get some people in the stands so we can get a feel of that a little better before we play our first game. He was ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in all of the kicking services for a reason, he is very talented.”
Fountain added that as fall camp continues to roll along that there will be some scenarios to put the kickers in pressure situations.
“As far as the situations we have not started that yet, but I think what you are going to see with Coach Pittman is in the middle of practice he is going to say that field goal is up,” Fountain said. “Maybe kick a long field goal or a short field goal, just try to put some pressure on them like that.”
What goes into deciding the starting kicker?
Along with Little, Fountain also coached another current starting NFL kicker – Jake Bates of the Detroit Lions – during his six-year tenure leading Arkansas’ special teams unit.
One of the first things he preaches to his kickers is targeting a certain percentage mark.
“I always want them to be at 80%,” Fountain said. “If they hit 80% then our football team is going to be fine, but if you hit 90% then you will have the opportunity to get a trophy at the end of the year. Everything 49 yards and in, we want to make that field goal. Anything 50 and above then I tell them it is a 50/50 deal to take some pressure off of them. I do not want the pressure carrying over if they miss a 50-yard field goal.”
While first acknowledging that deciding the starting kicker ultimately comes down to makes, Fountain broke it down even deeper that included charting sessions which further examine a kicker’s strengths and weaknesses.
“Out of 100%, charting is worth about 20% of our grade, but we do a lot of those kicks,” Fountain said. “Live kicks are about 35% of your grade and then we will do scrimmage kicks. We do not have a lot of opportunities to do scrimmage kicks – maybe nine – but that has about a 45% weight.
“They are going to be nervous just for a day or two in front of me, but in front of Coach Pittman and the team, plus people rushing them it is going to bring a different value, and also people in the stadium. I have had many guys who are good at charting and then as soon as they get in front of Coach Pittman or go live at the stadium, then they struggle.”
The Razorbacks will head back out for Day 4 of fall camp on Monday morning. Be sure to stay tuned to HawgBeat for more coverage of Arkansas football. Subscribe to HawgBeat right now for $1 and also receive a from year of The Athletic for new members.
