The Mount Union Way: Elliott Warner assumes kicking duties in postseason

Rarely do the words “torn cartilage” lead to a happy ending for a football player or football program.

That is not the case for freshman placekicker Elliott Warner and the University of Mount Union football program.

So far, things have worked out swimmingly for both.

A little more than one year ago Warner was preparing for his senior year at New Philadelphia High School. Like many high schoolers, Warner double-dipped as a soccer player and football player and he was drawing college interest in both. He was attending a pre-season soccer event when he tore the meniscus cartilage in his left knee. Arthroscopic surgery followed. What didn’t follow was the interest from many college football programs. Except for Mount Union and assistant coach Kyle Miller.

“Going into my senior season I really wasn’t sure where I was going to go,” said Warner, right-footed kicker who was a multiple-sport guy in high school with football, baseball, soccer, tennis, and swimming on his resumé. “I was going to camps and showcases to get a star rating. But, the day before I was supposed to go to this one camp I tore the meniscus. That took a lot of the bigger colleges out of the option. I didn’t miss much of the season but it did affect my kicking. I wasn’t as strong as before.”

“I knew about Mount Union because a few of my uncles played here,” said Warner, who earned All-Ohio honors as a senior. “One of them even played with coach [Larry] Kehres. I always wanted to come here. It is such a great program.”

One official visit later Warner solidified his decision.

“I came for a game against Baldwin Wallace and it was a hot one,” he recalled of the Raiders’ 31-7 victory. “It was a good game.

The campus was awesome and the environment was great. That kinda sold it.”

Sports on any level can be cruel for athletes and challenging for coaches. That was the case when the Mount Union staff made the decision to turn all kicking chores over to Warner last week when Mount Union played host to Utica in a second-round playoff game.

It is expected the same will hold true on Saturday when the Raiders make the 400-mile ride to Doylestown, Pa. to play Delaware Valley in a quarterfinal game.

Senior Thomas Piccirillo had done a satisfactory job place-kicking, making 65-of-67 PATs and 9-of-11 field goal attempts with a long of 31 yards. The original plan during training camp called for Piccirillo to handle the PATs and short field goal attempts and Warner to serve as kicker on longer attempts.

Obviously, the staff felt a change was needed.

“The best players play and right now Elliott is playing very well, kicking the ball and punting the ball very well,” said Mount Union coach Geoff Dartt.

Warner’s athleticism and strong leg appealed to the Mount Union staff. Athletic punters are a bonus at any level.

“One of the things we liked about him was that he played a number of sports and he did some different things on the football team," said Dartt. "If you watch him running around in practice you can tell he’s an athletic guy.”

Warner has punted 30 times for an average of 36.5 yards, with a 69-yard effort against Wilmington being his longest. He has dropped eight punts inside the 20-yard line and opponents have averaged about 6 yards per return.

He has been successful on 10 straight PATs and on 2-of-5 field-goal attempts, with a 39-yarder against Salisbury being his best.

“He has taken advantage of every opportunity he’s been given,” Dartt said. “He has remained patient. He is kicking the ball very well and from the special teams aspect that is critical to our success.”

Warner is sitting in a meeting room in the Dom Capers Football Coaching Center. His long and wavy, auburn-color hair flows beneath a Raiders baseball cap and he is wearing a sweatshirt ― designed by teammate Piccirillo ― with the words “Special Teams vs. The World” inscribed on the front.

He is personable, easy-going and very laid back. He laughs frequently and often.

“Confidence is key,” he said and does not hesitate to estimate his wind-free kicking range at 54 to 55 yards. “Confidence is everything. If you go out there thinking you’re going to miss it you are going to miss it.”

Warner learned from special teams coach Josh Chorba that he would be the do-all guy last week about 30 minutes before the game.

“It was fun, you know?” Warner said. “You just have to stay ready, no matter what and roll with the punches.”

And roll he did. He went 6-for-6 on extra-points and added a 23-yard field goal. He averaged 42.8 yards on four punts, which included a 51-yarder.

Warner is a nursing major with designs on becoming a nurse anesthetist. That decision was made following his knee surgery.

“I decided on nursing after that experience and went through all that,” he said.

Maybe another happy ending is in the works.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Mount Union football kicker Elliott Warner is from New Philadelphia