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Tuskers Get a Kick out of Novak

October 18, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


ORLANDO, FL - MONDAY, Oct. 18, 2010 - Offensively the Florida Tuskers have had some trouble getting on track this season. After averaging 30.5 points per game a season ago, the team has been averaging just above 24 points per game this season and that was after getting 33 points against Hartford in their last game.

While the difference most likely could be attributed to a higher overall level of talent and improved defenses in the UFL this season, Florida has struggled to finish drives this season. Although that is normally a huge problem, one player has made it less so.

Kicker Nick Novak, who signed with the Tuskers just one week before the season opener, has been one of Florida's most consistent weapons.

Against Hartford in Week 4, Novak connected on field goals of 29, 42, 24, and 38 yards respectively to keep the Tuskers in the lead. Novak's four field goals in a game was a single game United Football League record as were his 15 overall points.

Thanks to Novak's accurate kicking, the Tuskers became the first team to score above 30 points in the UFL this season.

"I missed a couple of kicks in the first game, but since then I feel like I have gotten a lot more confident where now I know my kicks are good before I even look up," Novak says. "I feel like it is an advantage for me to have an experienced long snapper and holder who have done this before."

Novak made the longest kick in UFL history in Week 1 when he bombed a 54-yard field goal in the first half at Las Vegas. As it stands now, he enters tonight's match-up nine of 12 on field goals and is 10 of 10 with extra points.

The Maryland product has knocked around the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, and the Washington Redskins.

He feels like he has found a home in Orlando with the Tuskers after being signed just prior to the start of this season.

"Like a lot of my teammates, if not for this league I would be sitting at home training by myself and going to occasional workouts," he says. "I am very glad to be able to show that I can still kick this well at this point in my career and show my talent to the coaches, fans, and scouts."

As with fellow specialists long snapper Ryan Senser and punter Ken Parrish, Novak feels that kicker is a position where if he is doing his job then nobody will talk about him. It is when the kicker fails to do his job that he is talked about the most and is likely to be shown the door.

In this case, Novak is being highlighted as a consistent weapon for the Tuskers.

"I'm proud to be able to say I have set records in this league, but I don't play this game to set records or try to gain attention," says Novak of his early season success. "Usually when you hear people talking about kickers, they are about to bring in a new guy, but so far I'm having a good year and hopefully I keep helping us win games."

Head coach Jay Gruden has been outspoken on the struggles of his offense this season. In his first year leading the team, Gruden has led a dinged up squad to a 2-2 record while playing a brutal schedule through the first four weeks. The trip to Las Vegas was followed up by a trek to Sacramento, a short week to face Vegas off a bye week, and then another road trip to Hartford.

A lesser team might be 1-3 or 0-4 after such a schedule, but Gruden's troops have fought through the aches and pains to remain at .500. Gruden remains confident that his team is on track to make it to a second consecutive championship game and part of that confidence comes from being able to call on his kicker, who has also had to fight off injuries of his own.

"We've been very pleased with Nick and the kicking game as a whole," says Gruden. "He has fought through a groin injury for us and done a great job putting the ball through the uprights when we've really needed it."

TUSKERS NOTEBOOK: The Tuskers return to action Thursday night with a 7 p.m. home game against the Sacramento Mountain Lions...Lions QB Daunte Culpepper will be making his first appearance at the Citrus Bowl since leading the University of Central Florida to prominence in the late 1990s...After a week off (bye week), the Jay Gruden Show returns to WYGM 740 AM tonight at 7 p.m...Not counting players on injured reserve, the Tuskers are probably as healthy as they have been since Week 1, although linebacker Tim McGarigle (thumb) and DL Langston Moore (arm) are listed as doubtful for this week's game...Sacramento WR Taye Biddle was the leading receiver for the Tuskers last season...After a sensational season, Biddle signed with the NFL and was not placed on Florida's 20-man protected list...After being released by Vikings in the pre-season, Biddle was free to sign with any UFL team...the Tuskers are scheduled to practice Monday-Wednesday of this week from 1-3 p.m. at the Florida Citrus Bowl complex...all practices are open to the media.



United Football League Stories from October 18, 2010


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