Kansas’ kicker came from nowhere to win starting job: ‘I would never bet against him’

All Tabor Allen wanted was a chance.

The Kansas kickoff man had patiently waited three years for the opportunity to become KU’s field goal kicker. The Jayhawks brought in two kickers last season — transfers Seth Keller (Texas State) and Charlie Weinrich (Nebraska) — but Allen, then a junior, didn’t consider leaving.

Instead, he waited.

Keller was named KU’s starting kicker last season, while Allen stuck on kickoff duty. His patience eventually paid off.

At KU’s spring practices, coach Lance Leipold asked Allen if he wanted to compete for the place kicker job. Allen wasn’t exactly considered the favorite, competing with Weinrich and Owen Piepergerdes, who appeared in games for KU in each of the last two seasons.

Still, it was an easy yes.

“It’s always been a goal of mine since coming to KU to hit field goals,” Allen told The Star. “I mean, it’s kind of what every kicker comes here for. They recruited me a little bit more for kickoffs originally, but I definitely wanted to develop that field goal position as well.”

Allen called the place kicking competition fierce: “It’s probably the best kicking I’ve seen since I’ve been here, field goal-wise.”

According to Allen, this season’s kicking competition also had a different feel.

“I think this year, for sure, they are giving everybody an equal shot, whereas last year they kind of had Seth come in — he had a lot of a game experience,” Allen said. “It feels different in the sense that everyone feels like they have an equal shot, which is true.”

For Allen, there was a mindset switch. He relied on hard work and self-belief, while crediting the coaching staff for making it easy for him to stay.

On Aug. 26, KU released its initial depth chart — Allen had won the job.

“He won it, and it’s kind of one of those things where Tabor’s personality is a little more reserved,” Leipold said. “Partway through the spring, you start noticing things like, ‘Hey, he’s pretty consistent. … We got into camp. It was two cycles through and he started to show it.

“Charlie and Owen were solid, but when you really looked at it, the most consistent and from distances was Tabor Allen.”

Those who know Allen best weren’t surprised. Mansfield Lake Ridge (Texas) coach Kirk Thor saw Allen’s kicking prowess firsthand for years.

“He had a great leg and he had a game-winning field goal in high school,” Thor said. “He’s such a high-character kid. It didn’t take very long to figure out he was competitive and he was going to be a really good player. … Our staff thought he would be a good kicker in college and he would win a job and do well. And he’s done that.”

Thor had high praise for Allen’s mindset.

“He’s everything you want in a student-athlete today,” Thor said. “He’s not about ‘me,’ he’s not about ‘look at me and what I can do.’ He’s about the team. He’s always been about the team and his teammates over him. … He’s the kind of kid every coach wants to coach. I would never bet against him, that’s for sure.”

Allen made his starting kicking debut in KU’s 48-3 victory over Lindenwood on Thursday at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. He didn’t attempt any field goals and went 6-for-7 on PAT attempts, missing one.

Leipold isn’t too concerned about that ... yet.

“I don’t want it to be you miss a kick and you get yanked,” Leipold said on Monday. “It’s going to be a matter of continued consistency throughout the season.”

Ultimately, Allen has one goal.

“I don’t have huge dreams, like (to) be the best kicker of all time,” he said. “I don’t think of it like that. I just think about how I can help the team.”