21 Days to Miami Football: Kicker Bubba Baxa 2018 Preview

Freshman kicker Bubba Baxa has one of the toughest roles to step into on the Miami football team this fall. Baxa has to replace Michael Badgley as the Miami Kicker this season. Badgley is the most prolific kicker in Hurricanes history.

Badgley ended his Miami football career with a plethora of school records. He is the Hurricanes all-time leader in points and field goals made and attempted. Badgley is currently facing an uphill battle in an attempt to beat out Adam Vinatieri as the kicker for the Indianapolis Colts.

Baxa signed with Miami as the nation’s 14 ranked kicker in the Class of 2018 on the 247Sports composite. It’s the second straight season that Miami has had to replace a specialist. Punter Zach Feagles had an inconsistent Freshman Year in 2017. Feagles also replaced a Miami great. Justin Vogel is now the punter for the Green Bay Packers.

Baxa was known for his big leg more than his accuracy in high school. During the first week of training camp that seems to have improved. Baxa was rated as the nation’s second-best kicker in the Kohl rankings. Only kickers that have attended the Kohl camps are ranked.

Baxa last competed at the Kohl’s Camp last year. The write up on him on their website was very favorable.

"“He again showed blue-chip talent in July of 2017. He showed great focus in the FG pressure round…His FG’s off the ground have improved to the point where he was able to go kick for kick with the nation’s best FG kickers.Baxa is a multi-sport athlete who should continue to develop in college. His upside is outstanding…Baxa is very competitive and has either won or been a finalist at multiple Kohl’s camps during the FG competition phase of camp.His height off the ground on FG’s has improved drastically this spring and he should be in contention for many All-American Teams.”"

Kickers can make or break a game or a season. Ask Bobby Bowden about that. Badgley had a game-winning field goal with four seconds remaining in the rain last season against Georgia Tech. Baxa’s age doesn’t matter when the entire Miami football team needs him to make big kicks.

Saturday night’s scrimmage was Baxa’s first time kicking at Hard Rock Stadium. Baxa was not yet enrolled when Miami held their Spring Game last April. Head Coach Mark Richt discussed Baxa’s performance in the scrimmage after the game.

"“I think Bubba’s eyes got big, too, learning how to kick in a half a billion dollar stadium…I think it might have got to him a little bit. He struggled today, to be honest with you.In the other practices, though, he’s done very well. He actually, well he didn’t make. He kicked like a 57 yarder that had enough juice, but just missed. He’s got a big strong leg and he’s just got to get his reps in and get over the fact that he’s a No. 1 kicker at the University of Miami. He’s got to realize there’s a lot of people counting on him.”"

The 2018 Freshmen on the Miami football team will not have any time to ease into playing college football like the Hurricanes schedule usually allows. Playing LSU in the opener is a difficult challenge. Baxa might be the Miami Freshmen facing the most pressure entering the 2018 season opener.

Baxa is the only Freshman projected to be a starter in 2018. He is also the only placekicker Miami has on scholarship. Baxa will also have the added burden of making his collegiate debut in his home state. Baxa is from the Houston suburb of Pasadena. Miami and LSU play at AT&T Stadium in the Dallas Suburb of Arlington.