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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, November 17, 2007

No cold feet for kicker Kelly with game on line

By Robert Perea
Special to The Advertiser

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

University of Hawai'i's Dan Kelly kicked two 45-yard field goals, the last with 11.7 seconds left to lift the Warriors to a 28-26 victory.

FIELDING CATHCART | Special to The Advertiser

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RENO, Nev. — The game, an undefeated season and a potential berth in a BCS bowl might have been on the line, but none of that mattered to Dan Kelly.

After Nevada twice called timeout, Kelly calmly kicked the go-ahead, 45-yard field goal as Hawai'i escaped with a 28-26 victory last night.

"A kick is a kick, whether it's a PAT, or 45-yarder, it's what we train for," Kelly said, sipping a Diet Pepsi outside the Warriors' locker room. "The only kickers who miss after getting iced are the ones who think about getting iced.

"You've got to keep the mindset that it's just another kick," he added. "You can train for that kind of pressure if you have the right mindset."

Nevada gave Kelly plenty of time to think about it, and actually made him kick twice. After using one timeout to try to ice Kelly, Nevada coach Chris Ault called another just before the ball was snapped. Kelly's kick slipped inside the right upright, but was waved off because of the timeout.

Forced to try it again, Kelly got his foot into the ball solidly and drilled a kick that might have been good from 10 or 15 yards farther.

"I knew it had a very good shot," Kelly said. "I've hit some deep balls, and that one and the 54-yarder against Utah State felt the best, as far as getting my foot into the ball, as any I've ever had."

"It was a beautiful thing," said Hawai'i coach June Jones. "Dan seems like the more pressure he's under, the better he kicks. He's got an NFL leg and an NFL mindset and he'll be kicking on Sundays."

Before Kelly's attempt, injured quarterback Colt Brennan gave the junior kicker a tap on the helmet and reaffirmed something Kelly already knew.

"He just told me he believed in me," Kelly said. "Just like we have faith in Colt and the rest of our teammates, they have faith in me. It's a family and we're all brothers."

Kelly said he's glad to have a hand in keeping the Warriors undefeated, but more proud just to have come through for his teammates.

"I thrive on helping my teammates," he said. "It's a great feeling to do something that everyone else benefits from. I did my job just like everyone else did tonight."