28 August 2023
College football kickers are often found the shadows — or tucked away on the sideline, solemnly using their practice net to kick and stay loose — until it’s their moment to make a field goal in a game.
Not Dragan Kesich.
The Gophers’ fourth-year kicker from Oak Creek, Wis., towers over his colleagues at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, shares his opinions and stands out with bold hair colors as if he’s channeling Dennis Rodman.
He has hosted the U’s social-media dispatches, “Camp with Kesich,” where he provides interviews with teammates and adds banter for short video snippets.
“You know exactly who he is and the confidence he has,” head coach P.J. Fleck said.
Kesich steps into a bigger role this season, replacing Matthew Trickett, who made 83 percent of his field goals (15 of 18) in his final collegiate season in 2023. Trickett also was 46 for 46 on extra points a year ago.
Kesich has attempted only one field goal in his college career (a missed 53-yard attempt at Iowa in 2021), but has displayed a strong leg on kickoffs with 59 touchbacks in 71 attempts last season.
“He has grown leaps and bounds,” Fleck said. “He has got a huge leg. You all see that during the kickoff part, but he’s made himself into a really good, solid, reliable kicker. Now he’s got to go out there and prove it to himself that he is exactly who he says he is. I don’t think he has any problem with that.”
The Gophers welcome back all other key special-teams players from last season — punter/placeholder Mark Crawford, long snapper Brady Weeks and top returner Quentin Redding.
Crawford averaged only 40.6 yards per punt a year ago, but Fleck has seen an improvement from the Australian going into this fall.
“I’m really excited about what he has been able to do,” Fleck said. “And how he’s been able to get better. 0.2-second hang time is a massive difference in change for a punter. Not only that. Four yards deeper is a huge difference for a punter. He’s been able to reach those feats in the offseason.”
Last season, Redding averaged six return yards on punts and 25 yards on kickoffs, with a 92-yarder against Illinois and a 72-yarder in the Pinstripe Bowl against Syracuse. Listed at only 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, the Menomonee Falls, Wis., native has the ability to break off an explosive play.
Gophers two-deep depth chart
Position — Name (years remaining)
K — Dragan Kesich (2); David Kemp (3)
P — Mark Crawford (2); Caleb McGrath (4)
LS — Brady Weeks (1); Ryan Algrim (4)
PR — Quentin Redding (3); Kristen Hoskins (4)
KR — Redding; Zach Evans (4)
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