Legatron: Steve Weyler (K) Cardinal O'Hara HS

By, Matt Alkire

Football still may not be where it should when it comes to recognizing special teams as an equal to the offensive and defensive side of the ball, but it’s come a long way over the past decade. Jeremy Shelley made five field goals in Alabama’s 21-0 win over LSU in the National Championship last year, accounting for 71-percent of the Tide’s points. In 2010 it was a last second field goal from Auburn kicker Wes Byrum to seal the deal for the Auburn Tigers in the National Championship over Oregon. Contests are being won or lost on the feet of players, not in their hands.

In scouting the Northeast portion of the country for several years now, two kickers have stood out to me over all. The first was Exeter Township High School product Taylor Bertolet. He was only 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, but had a cannon for a leg and knocked everything for touchbacks. Accuracy wasn’t his strong point, but power and confidence was. He is now a starter for the Texas A&M Aggies. The second became Cardinal O’Hara’s Steve Weyler a few years ago when visiting Coach Dan Algeo for spring practice. The now 5-foot-11, 170-pounder had a live leg, pummeled the ball off the ground and was putting it through the uprights on kickoffs. This of course made his coach furious as the Lions were working on kick return, so Coach Algeo made Weyler move back 10-15 yards so the ball at least came down in the end zone.

Since then, Weyler has become somewhat of a local legend. It’s not uncommon to watch him put the ball through the uprights on kickoffs. Seeing him boot 55 yarders off the ground is commonplace. Many think he started as a soccer player, but in fact he got into kicking because of his family’s pedigree. 

 

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“I started kicking when I was in first grade because my grandfather and uncle were both kickers in college,” Weyler expressed. “I looked up to both of them, so I wanted to try it out, so we’d go out in the front yard and my grandfather would teach me the early stages of kicking. From there it just had to do with me having fun with kicking and also loving football, so I started to really get into things.”

Weyler’s uncle Dan Mueller kicked for William & Mary and his grandfather Buck Mueller kicked and punted at Purdue. His grandfather was a heralded player for the Boilermakers, however while his uncle was also very good – his story is definitely more on the side of crazy circumstance.  

“My uncle was recruited by the likes of North Carolina, Wake Forest and William & Mary and picked William & Mary because he thought he’d get a chance to play sooner there” Weyler explained. Little did Steve Weyler’s uncle know, that the starting kicker and punter when he arrived on campus was future Buffalo Bills great Steve Christie. Mueller did, however, go on to have a sparkling career as a kicker and punter for the Tribe and eventually succeeded Christie when he departed for the NFL. He finished his college career No. 2 in all-time field goal percentage at William and Mary which also produced Steelers coach, Mike Tomlin, Panthers Defensive Coordinator, Sean McDermott, Steve Christie, and All-Pro Darren Sharper among others.

“My grandfather also helped Hank Stram recruit kickers as they were best friends, so when Coach Stram became an NFL coach, he depended on my grandfather to scout. One memorable story that made an impact on me as a kicker was my grandfather’s recommendation to Coach Stram, then the head coach of the Dallas Texans, to draft a kickoff specialist with a strong leg, over two proven placekickers.  That gamble paid off big time when Tommy Brooker, my grandfather’s recommendation, kicked the game-winning 50-yard field goal in the second overtime to win the 1962 AFL championship.  Coach Stram was no where to be found when the announcers wanted to interview him because he was on the phone with my grandfather thanking him.” 

Speaking of cannonball kicks, Weyler’s kicking style is just that. I’ve been watching him since his freshman year at Cardinal O’Hara High School and the sound of the ball coming off his foot is something out of the opening scene of a World War II movie. 

Kickers are not often recruited until their senior years, however Weyler started being approached as a sophomore by Stanford, Miami, Penn State and Virginia. The number of schools has grown since then. He has faired very well when kicking at schools.

“When I went to Miami it had rained the previous day all day and there were big wind gusts, but I kicked off the ground and went 20 for 20 from 45 yards and under,” Weyler said. “I missed two of my five from 50 yards a little wide and then nailed my first from 55 yards, but missed the next three wide left which is how the wind was going. I got plenty of distance on the ball, but I just didn’t get the wind down well as it was gusting up to 30mph.”

Stanford was next on his plate as the Cardinal coaching staff loves Weyler’s leg and his prowess in the classroom given that they have such stringent standards. The visit went extremely well and the Pac 12 power has been on Weyler consistently since his trip, but the side event that took place while he was in Northern California is the real story – a kicking competition with John Carney.

“I really turned it into a competition to be honest with you,” Weyler joked. “Before 50 I was really in awe of John Carney and the fact that I was kicking with him, but once we got all the way back there I really wanted to beat him because I really look up to him as a great kicker and you want to strive to be as good as you can be. Something in the back of my head just told me to try and be competitive with him.”

“We would each take two kicks and go until we missed and once we got deeper it started to get a little competitive and fun,” Weyler added. “Obviously Carney made every single kick until 55 yards and I had missed one of mine, but when we got there I missed my first left and he missed his short. At that point I had the point to kick mine before John Carney. The juices started flowing and I hit from 55 yards. Carney kicked and bounced one through off the crossbar. He laughed and told me he’d give my leg a break. What was so amazing about him was that every single kick he made went in the exact same place. I might have made the same kicks, but not how he made them. It showed me exactly where I want to be one day – at that next level of controlling the ball. It was just an amazing opportunity.”

Well known to the teachers at Springfield, Pa., school Cardinal O’Hara – Weyler is not only active on the field – but is active in class as well. He is not only an outstanding student, but he does like to engage his teachers in discussion. Because of that he’s already mapped out a future he feels fits him well.

“I’m interested in majoring in Communications with the intent of becoming a Sport’s Attorney because it mixes my two favorite things, sports and arguing,” Weyler stated. “Anyone that knows me is well aware that I’ll talk your ear off, so this is right up my alley. I’d like to either work in contract agreements or get into the field where I can work as an agent or general manager at some point. The entire spectrum of what this major could prepare me for really intrigues me.”

While many kickers and punters use big-time circuits as training outlets Weyler had stayed local and it’s paid big dividends. He is very thankful for the help of his trainer, E.J. Cochrane.

“E.J. Cochrane is my kicking coach and played for the Eagles, Ravens and Packers,” Weyler mentioned. “He’s helped me out a lot since 7^th grade and I have to give a lot of credit for where I am today to him. He’s just been a phenomenal coach and person throughout this. Also, obviously my uncle and grandfather helped me out so much in this entire process.”

Weyler also credits his development to O’Hara Special Teams Coach, Paul Strus.  “I’m very fortunate to have a full-time kicking coach at O’Hara. Unlike kickers at other high schools who go off and practice by themselves, Coach Strus has been with me through it all and has helped me in all phases of my game, because he was a kicker himself.”

The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder not only has the leg and grades to be an FBS-level field goal kicker at any school he wishes, but has also come a long way punting this year. It was never something he focused heavily on in the past, but this season he averaged 43 yards per punt for the O’Hara Lions, a number that has to catch the eyes of recruiters. That certainly makes him a valuable commodity given that he could fill two roster spots with one scholarship.

The future is extremely bright for Steve Weyler. His kicking and punting prowess have garnered him the type of respect to where one FBS coach told Upper Hand that he was the best they had seen at this age since one of theirs who is now an NFL starter. It will be up to Weyler to continue refining his game. The sky is the limit.