FAYETTEVILLE — The second weekend of NFL games were thrilling to future Arkansas kicker Cameron Little of Moore (Southmoore), Okla., because of game-winning field goals.
Dallas’ Greg Zuerline was good on a 47-yard boot to lift the Cowboys over Atlanta at the end of regulation, and Kansas City’s Harrison Butker drilled a 58-yarder to lift the Chiefs over San Diego in overtime.
“I think that he (Butker) is probably the best kicker in the NFL right now,” Little said. “He had to kick a 30-yarder to get it to overtime and then what turned into a 58-yarder after a timeout and a penalty and having kicked them from 53 when that was going on.
“Greg the Leg (Zeurline) is also really good. Those are the kicks that you live for. I think it is a mental thing. A lot of kickers do well in college, but not the NFL. I think you have to be able to be able to handle the pressure and the mental portion of it is a big thing that goes into whether you succeed or fail.”
Little has made 4 of 5 field goals and all of his extra-point attempts this season for the Sabercats. Southmoore (0-3) plays cross-city rival Moore (1-2) on Friday.
Little is rated as the nation’s No. 2 kicker by both Chris Sailer Kicking and Kohl’s Kicking, and has been invited to participate in both the U.S. Army All-American Game and the Under Armour All Star games.
Little offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Air Force, Navy and Army, but believes the Razorback one was the best fit for him.
“I think it was the coaching staff and not just the special teams coach (Scott Fountain),” Little said. “The whole staff recruited me and all of them reached out to me. It made me feel like I was welcomed there (by coaches Justin Stepp, Kendal Briles and Sam Pittman, who) reached out far more than any other head coach did. It was probably my number one tell tale sign that I wanted to go there.”
The fact that the Razorbacks have a dedicated special teams coordinator in Fountain was a factor for Little.
“I think that is really important,” Little said. “There are still not a lot of schools now that do that. I feel like it huge because you can tell when a lot of schools don’t put as much emphasis on that if they don’t have one. Arkansas is all in on special teams.”
He fell in love with the Arkansas campus.
“It is amazing,” Little said. “The campus had a lot more trees than I thought it would. It’s covered in trees and that’s awesome and switch up for me because I have lived around (Oklahoma's) campus all my life.
“I felt at home there more than any other place I visited. I got to tour the campus and look at a little bit of what I will be majoring in there in business and marketing buildings and stuff like that. It was awesome and I definitely felt right at home.”
Little will arrive in Fayetteville to concentrate on field goals, PATs and kickoffs, but can punt if needed. He is averaging 43 yards per punt this season.
“I have gone 100 percent so far on touchbacks and 1 of 2 on onside kicks,” Little said. “I feel good about going 4 of 5 on field goals, especially after I started out 0 of 2 before finishing up 5 of 7 (last year).”
Little has converted field goals from 48, 44, 42 and 34 yards this season, and missed from 33.
“I think it is just my consistency,” Little said of his success. “I don’t miss many kicks, in fact when I do it is very rare. I feel like that is probably my best attribute. “
Little and two friends visited the Arkansas campus recently although the recruiting dead period kept him from having any contact with the Razorback coaches.
“I had a couple of buddies come with me,” Little said. “One of them is almost certainly going to Arkansas and I think the other one is kind of half-and-half, but I think we are going to win him over.”