The clock ticked down on Friday nights matchup between the Big 10’s Purdue and the Mountain Wests Nevada. The scores were tied. Nevada quarterback Carson Strong gave his team a chance, the slimmest of chances. After advancing the ball into Purdue territory, with three seconds left the Wolfpack lined up for a 56-yard field goal for a famous upset win. Walk-on freshman Brandon Talton strode on to the field. This is what happened…
Coming in to the game, many thought that starting kicker senior Spencer Pettit would be the one to kick for this game. However, head coach Jay Norvell decided to give his unknown freshman a chance. Talton was so unknown that when asked teammate Elijah Cooks said “When I first met him, I didn’t know who the kicker was, the kicker and punter look exactly alike. I found out maybe a week or two ago he was the kicker.”
Perfect, like a fairytale…
In the first 59 minutes of the game, Brandon Talton was perfect. Making a field goal and going four from four on extra points as his teams offense scythed through Purdue’s defense. Talton looked like a seasoned college kicker, not a walk-on given the ultimate opportunity in his first college game. Then came the ultimate test, facing the fairytale prospect of kicking his team to a famous upset win. Nevada’s coach Norvell could have pulled the Freshman and subbed in his reliable senior. But Coach Norvell kept the faith in his youngster and that faith was repaid in the biggest of ways.
If the jubilant scene of being mobbed by his teammates, as his family watched on wasn’t enough of a fairytale. The night was about to get that much better for Talton.
Multi-sport star…
Talton’s athletic career started on the soccer field. A prodigy in the sport he was playing high level competitive soccer by the age of eight. However once he went to high school football became Talton’s true love. Much has been made of USWNT star Carli Lloyd being offered a chance to kick in an NFL pre-season game this week. However Talton is the kicker with a history in the round ball game that should be getting all the headlines this week.
Above all else, this is the story of a young man taking his opportunity. It is what college football is all about. I don’t envy Coach Norvell in choosing who is going to kick next week…
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