Kicker U Looking for New Leg

When Northern Arizona takes the field against Arizona on Saturday, the Lumberjacks will have a new kicker for the first time in a long time. Robbie Dehaze graduated last year with a list of accolades and records that could stand in the records books for some time.

Dehaze continued a tradition of kicking at Northern Arizona that includes former standouts Paul Ernster, Rhian Madrid and NAU Hall of Famer Mark Gould. And that is just the kickers from this decade. The Lumberjacks have ranked among the national leaders in punting every year, establishing NAU as Kicker U. The list of accomplishments ranks with that of the schools recognized as Quarterback U and Linebacker U across the country.

Head Coach Jerome Souers has not seen a player kick off for the Lumberjacks other than Dehaze since 2005. Remember J.P. Brandvig against Adams State in 2005? I didn’t. I had to look it up. After that game, Dehaze took over the kickoff duties, a job he completed 236 times over the last four years.

In fact, Dehaze has attempted the last 74 field goal attempts, 144 extra-point attempts and 104 punts. Outside of a pooch punt by a quarterback or a fake attempt, Dehaze took every kick over the last two seasons and all of the field goal and kickoffs over the last four years.

How good was Dehaze over the last two years? The Lumberjacks have four players trying to fill the void left this season. But they have a capable group including Washington State transfer Matt Myers, New Mexico transfer Drew Zamora and high school signee Andy Wilder. Wide receiver Ryan Rauschert, a former punter in high school, has moonlighted with the specialists and looked to have won the punting job entering the season opener.

At kickoff Saturday night Dehaze says he will be watching via his computer in Oregon. After signing with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, he is working out with hopes of finding a job in the CFL while testing feelers from NFL teams for future tryouts. With the next open job just an injury away, he is just waiting for an opportunity.

While Dehaze’s eligibility is up, it is too bad he cannot help his former teammates anymore. We will see someone else kickoff, punt, attempt a field goal and extra point for the Lumberjacks against Arizona. It will be different but we will likely see the next success story at Kicker U.

By Steven Shaff, NAU Media Relations