Husker kicker Tristan Alvano has hit six of his last seven kicks heading into Saturday night’s game at Wisconsin.
Opportunities continue to be flirted with for Tristan Alvano to take that kick he sure wouldn’t mind attempting.
Had a call or two changed, and another 15-yard pass been completed, we may have seen the Husker true freshman out there trying to tie a game at the gun from 50-plus yards out in East Lansing. Had a pick not popped up on third down, he would have been out there for a game-leading kick in the final five minutes last week.
Patience is part of it. That chance will come. Persistence, in the meantime, is a must. It’s something the Omaha Westside grad has seemed to specialize in as he works at his craft. He’s certainly responded to early-season adversity by hitting six of his last seven field goals, also going four-for-four over the last four games. That includes a 55-yarder against Purdue.
With Matt Rhule expecting these Huskers to be in close games to finish out the season, it’s hard not to think Alvano’s right foot might not be called on still to settle the score.
And if it happened Saturday night at Wisconsin, hey, Nebraskans know he’s been pretty clutch on this week on the calendar before. Indeed, it was a year ago when he became a name very familiar around the state when he buried five kicks, including a 50-yarder and 45-yard walk-off winner to help Westside beat Gretna 43-41 in an instant classic Class A state final at Memorial Stadium.
It had many in the state buzzing. Nebraska had to get this guy, fans thought. More importantly, so did the new Husker coaching staff.
«I think past successes for a position like me, visualizing those I think are always key. That’s part of my routine. Visualizing prior kicks,» Alvano said this week. «Whether it’s some kicks I’ve had prior to this year. Sometimes I’ll look back to that game and those types of kicks for sure too. But really just visualizing those high-pressure kicks because I love those moments, I love those high-pressure game-winning scenarios. It’s coming at some point this year and I’ll be ready. I know it’ll come.»
Now 7-of-11 on his field goals at Nebraska after starting 1-for-4 and going through a stretch of three misses in a row, Alvano’s first year fits a similar story to what Rhule sees a lot of his newer Huskers experiencing in their initial year of taking on this college football challenge.
«If you’re just Tristan and you just look at, ‘What’s this year been for me?’ While we’re 5-5 and would love to be 6-4, would love to be 7-3, 8-2, on a personal level has he gotten better? Has he improved? Is he having growth? Has he made big-time kicks? And I’d say you’d have to answer yes to all of those and that’s a lot of credit to him,» Rhule said.
The coach thinks it helps Alvano in his role that he’s «grounded» and not overly emotional, with family support nearby being useful early in the year after some misses too.
«He’s just kind of persisted through everything. Some of those games that we’ve won, we’ve won because of him, because of his foot.»
A year ago at this time, then-interim coach Mickey Joseph got the ball rolling for the Huskers in pursuit of Alvano. And after Rhule was hired, he saw the Class A title game kicks and his staff quickly made their own offer and put great emphasis on securing a commitment, with special teams coordinator Ed Foley building a fast connection with the kicker.
Alvano described it as «definitely special» to be on Rhule’s first Husker team trying to build the program up.
«Being a first class to start that movement, it’s humbling and it’s an honor for sure,» Alvano said.
On Saturday he’ll do his usual routine on the road and immediately make the walk from the bus to the field to check out the turf and see how the wind’s flying. He’s grown up watching Nebraska play these games at Camp Randall Stadium with «Jump Around» and all that. Now he’s in the middle of it.
One thing he won’t have to do this Friday night that he’s done past ones is check Westside’s score. Not that he’s had to worry much after scanning for it after getting out of a Husker team movie viewing throughout this fall.
«I turn on the score and it’s like, ‘Oh, they’re up 56 points,'» he said with a smile of his past Warriors team, which will play Tuesday for another state title against Elkhorn South.
He’ll be there to watch.
First things first is being ready when called upon up in Wisconsin. Bigger stage, but it’s still about trusting your training and doing what you do.
«Whether it’s here, there, night game or morning, it doesn’t really matter,» he said. «A game’s a game.»
And, in a way, a kick’s a kick. Granted, there are certain kicks that are such people still remember them a year later.
«I look forward to seeing him make those kicks for us,» Rhule said, «and it could be this Saturday.»