Austin Morton, junior kicker, and Reid Buckingham, junior long snapper, know that they may not have the most glamorous positions on the ESU football team.

“Especially this past year, I feel like people kind of realized how important specialists are here at Emporia State,” said Morton.

Buckingham began his long snapping career as a freshman at Lawrence Free State High School.

“At the time my high school didn’t really have a steady long snapper. I kind of had some natural ability and just kept working at it. That’s when I got with my coach and figured that was where my future was for me to play at the next level,” said Buckingham.

Morton transferred some of his lifelong soccer skills to the football field. That decision paid off as Morton was named an All-American kicker by the Associated Press last season.

“I played soccer my whole life. My dad thought it would be a good idea for me to try to kick a football. I started that in seventh grade and I actually quit football my junior year to focus on soccer, but decided to go back to football my senior year and here I am now,” said Morton.

During Emporia State’s run in the Division II playoffs, the Hornets upset fourth-seeded Minnesota State Mankato 51-49 with a field goal as time expired.

“That was surreal for me, like I didn’t realize I made it or it went in until Brent (Wilson) was screaming in my ear ‘heck yeah,” said Morton.

“When we ran out there it really didn’t even hit me that it was do or die. It was just another field goal, another rep,” said Buckingham. “Once everybody started celebrating it was like ‘wow, we just won the game.’”

While scoring touchdowns and playing great defense may keep a team in the game, experience has shown Morton and Buckingham that wins and losses may often come down to just a couple of points. With little margin for error, the two specialists have to be ready.

“They’re really good workers,” specialist coach Nathan Linsey said. “They go above and beyond probably what most specialists are asked to do. Having guys that are consistent and that you can really count on helps a lot. It’s not something you have to worry about because you know those guys are going to perform well.”

Kickers and long snappers must have good cohesion and timing on the field in order to complete a field goal or extra point, but Morton and Buckingham attribute much of their success to their friendship off the field. 

“We’re always around each other,” said Morton. “There’s always good chemistry. Reid makes my job a heck of a lot easier because I don’t have to worry about anything really. I can just focus on my technique.”

Buckingham takes a protective role for his friend.

“During practice we have a lot of time to ourselves to hang out and bond, and we room together on road trips,” said Buckingham. “I know I gotta take care of him. I gotta have good snaps.”