Wyoming Kicker Refines Technique in Bounce-Back Bid

LARAMIE -- Erik Sandvik will be the first to admit his confidence tanked late last season.

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After making five of his first six field-goal attempts, the first-year placekicker connected on just one of his last five tries. Even that one, a 41-yarder on a soggy November night in Fresno, wasn't well struck off the right foot and eventually skimmed the crossbar before sneaking in.

"I think I just got a little in my head," the junior said on Tuesday, following the Cowboys' sixth practice of fall camp. "You know, I started worrying about every little detail in the kick when I should just go out and kick the ball."

It also didn't help, he added, that three straight weeks went by without a single attempt in a game.

"I think that little break might have caused a little bit of questioning because you're not out there," he said. "You kind of lose that little edge."

Sandvik, who attempted just two field goals during his high school career before redshirting in Laramie, won the job over Cheyenne's Keelan Anderson last offseason.

Jay Sawvel said he was the more consistent of the two inexperienced kickers.

The third-year head coach shifted plenty of the blame for last fall's shortcomings to the long snapper and overall timing of the operation. He was always comfortable with Sandvik's accuracy, he added; the distance aspect needed to be "honed" this offseason.

The Steamboat Springs, Colo., product attempted two field goals from 50-plus in 2025. Neither were successful. From 40 to 49 yards out, he was 2-of-3. The issues from long range even crept into kickoffs. Sawvel said last month he will keep a close eye on that phase of the game, too.

"Erik's kickoffs last year were not what I wanted," Sawvel said during July's Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas. "... I want the ball in the end zone more than I want it to have a chance to be returned."

Sandvik agrees.

He said he has taken the proper steps this summer to make that a reality, too, including spending a week with former NFL All-Pro kicker John Carney. Sandvik, who was a perfect 24-for-24 on extra-point attempts, said the main adjustment is wider steps, which he says allows him to generate more power from his hips.

"He kind of helped me find a more natural swing for my body build and everything," he said of the former Super Bowl champion. "So, we worked on that, and it's shown in the distance that it works. It helps a lot when it's more natural for me."

That's the technical side.

What about the mental?

"That's another thing Carney helps with a lot," he continued, failing to expand on that advice. "He's very mentally focused, so I've taken a lot of tips from him and I feel way more confident now."

The proof is in the pudding, according to Sawvel.

Sandvik drilled a 57-yard attempt in Monday's practice with a full-on rush heading in his direction. He followed up that impressive boot with a 60-yarder on Tuesday.

"He's been really good," Sawvel said. "I mean, this is the best he's ever kicked. So, it's good."

Sandvik joked that he didn't resort to meditating this offseason, but did say he learned some new breathing techniques. He's confident in his leg and approach. He's put the work in, denting the walls of the team's indoor practice facility.

Now, it's time to prove it when the lights come on.

"I would say it's 90% mental," he said. "It's all improved."

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