Donnelly’s confidence grows with hot streak UM kicker has responded after regaining job

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ORONO – When Bobby Donnelly trots onto the field for the University of Maine football team, it’s obvious he’s not a superstitious man.

The senior place-kicker proudly wears the No. 13 jersey for the Black Bears, oblivious to the popular theory the number carries with it some measure of bad luck.

“It’s just a number, as far as I’m concerned,” said Donnelly, who also wore No. 13 during his days as a sweeper on the Westbrook High School soccer team.

Donnelly carries that same confidence into Saturday’s 2 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association game against Northeastern at Brookline, Mass.

Since taking over for Devin McNeill as the starting place-kicker five weeks ago, the lanky, 6-foot-3, 190-pounder has made all six PAT kicks and has converted seven of eight field goals, including seven straight.

“It’s something that’s developed over the course of the year,” UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove said of Donnelly’s success. “Bobby has really become a reliable kicker for us. He earned the kicking job early in the season and he’s really responded very well.”

Donnelly has encountered plenty of challenges on the road to establishing himself as UMaine’s place-kicker. That’s to be expected, since the walk-on appeared in only four high school games.

In 2004, a disappointed Donnelly left the team briefly, but returned. He broke into the lineup as a sophomore in 2005 as the starter on kickoffs, PATs and field goals.

He went 12-for-12 on extra points, but made only one of four field-goal attempts and lost the place-kicking job five games into the season.

“I don’t think of it as much as a long haul as hard work over an extended period of time,” he said of his career.

Donnelly recommitted himself and came back hoping to break through last season. He was hampered by a groin injury and saw action in only three games, handling kickoffs.

“I was kind of frustrated at myself for being injured,” he said.

Donnelly again worked hard during offseason training, staying in Orono over the summer. It appears to have paid off.

“When the season started, we went with Devin and he had a couple of critical misses and as a result made a change and Bobby’s responded very well,” Cosgrove said.

Donnelly said he and McNeill spend lots of time talking and critiquing each other’s kicking form during practice.

While playing at Nebraska in 2005 was a thrill, last week’s game at Stony Brook was Donnelly’s career highlight. He went 3-for-3 on field goals, including a career-long 42-yarder in overtime.

“It’s just a good feeling to know that you did well for your team at that moment,” said Donnelly, who has learned to accept the psychological strains of the kicking position.

He knows he is only as good as his last kick, regardless of how many he’s made in a row prior to that.

“You’re either the hero or the goat,” Donnelly said. “If you make it, it’s great, but if you miss, a lot of pressure comes back to you.”

Donnelly said he tries to concentrate on each kick individually, building off successes and learning from misses.

He also takes great pride in kicking off. Even after a new rule moved the ball back to the 30-yard line on kickoffs, he has been fairly consistent kicking the ball deep and into the corner, where it is harder for opponents to set up a return.

“As a kicker, everybody desires that field goal position, but kickoff isn’t something that everybody really appreciates,” he said. “[Until now], in the past couple years, it’s all that I’ve really had to look forward to come game time.”

The Black Bears appear to respect their place-kickers. They don’t exhibit any resentment toward Donnelly because he isn’t out there taking hits all week during practice.

He demonstrated his tenacity Oct. 6 at Hofstra, where he was flattened by a blocker while trying to chase down the ballcarrier on a kick return.

“I got absolutely lit up. I thoroughly understand what the guys go through on a daily basis and I can honestly say I don’t wish that kind of constant pain upon my body, so I’m happy that I don’t have to have that contact,” Donnelly said with a chuckle.

Donnelly, who is majoring in communications with a minor in public relations, would like to try kicking at some level of pro football. If that doesn’t pan out, he envisions a career in insurance or real estate.

Regardless, he will look back fondly at his UMaine career.

“My experience with the football team has been more than I could ever ask for,” Donnelly said.