Family Tradition Gets the Boot From O’Brien

SAN DIEGO â€”  Kevin O’Brien is a Stanford graduate, and the family home in Woodside, Calif., is filled with cardinal and white souvenirs.

Chris O’Brien, his son, is more into red and black these days. He is the kicker for San Diego State.

Since San Diego State is playing Stanford on Saturday night, Chris O’Brien went home last Sunday in an attempt to “convert� his father. He gave his father an SDSU sweater and his mother some instructions.

“I told mom that I don’t care if dad wears something that says Stanford, as long as he has the sweater over it,� O’Brien said. “He might not admit it, but I think he’ll be pulling for us.�

O’Brien was a Cardinal fan until two years ago because he was raised in the shadow of Stanford Stadium. In fact, he wanted to walk-on at Stanford in 1984 but did not meet the school’s stringent academic requirements. Instead, he walked on at SDSU.

Because his dad played rugby at Stanford, school loyalty has been instilled in the family. Chris, three older brothers and one older sister always attended Stanford football games with their parents.

“These last two years are the first two years I have missed Stanford’s home games,� O’Brien said. “We have a bit of Stanford stuff at home. My dad has Stanford chairs, and he has a Stanford picture here and there.�

Kevin O’Brien also has pictures of his son, Chris, the record-setting kicker. Chris has made 13 straight field goals, a Western Athletic Conference record.

When kickers come to mind, one normally envisions a short, stocky guy who probably grew up playing soccer in a foreign country. They are supposed to be fragile, the type who would break into a jigsaw puzzle if a lineman ever hit them hard.

However, Aztec Coach Doug Scovil said O’Brien “is not your normal, everyday placekicker.�

Hardly.

“I try to be like everyone else on the team,� O’Brien said. “I don’t want to just be known as the placekicker.�

The red-headed O’Brien is actually known as one of the better all-around athletes on the team. He is a professional trick water skier and an All-American rugby player.

O’Brien was hired as a trick skier at Marine World Africa USA in Redwood City before his senior high school season in 1981. He suffered a serious knee injury one day in skiing practice, causing him to miss all but four games of his senior football season.

Though he was a wide receiver and kicker in high school, he concentrated on kicking at Foothill College in Los Altos. He said he was not fast enough to be a collegiate receiver.

Meanwhile, the desire to ski never decreased. He has performed at Marine World every summer through this year, but he said his pro skiing days are over now with a possible pro football career staring him in the face.

In rugby, injuries also come into play. However, O’Brien has had the luck of the Irish for the most part.

“I’ve had little injuries, but never major injuries,� he said. “The worst thing I had last year was a hip pointer.�

Two positives occurred in rugby last season. He was named an All-American as well as a member of the Junior U.S. team.

O’Brien began receiving national sports honors when he was an all-state and second-team All-American kicker as a sophomore at Foothill. Despite the honors, he did not receive any major-college scholarship offers.

Gary Zauner, the Aztec special teams coach, said he became aware of O’Brien when he was sent to scout opposing junior college teams for two weeks. The Aztecs desperately wanted O’Brien but could not offer a scholarship because kickers Seelin Naidoo and Scott Webb, who since have left the team, already were on scholarship.

According to Zauner, O’Brien was similar to his kicking predecessor at SDSU, Marco Morales.

“When Chris is kicking well, everything is right down the middle,� Zauner said. “He’s not much off center line.�

O’Brien has been accurate on 34 of 37 extra points and 16 of 18 field goals. He has made all 11 extra points and five field goals in 1985. His last miss was a 46-yard field goal attempt at Hawaii on Oct. 27, 1984.

The successes notwithstanding, O’Brien seems to hear most about the 44-yarder he missed on the last play of the game in an 18-15 loss to UCLA last year. This year against the Bruins, O’Brien kicked a 47-yarder just before halftime when the Aztecs trailed, 28-0. It was his 11th straight field goal, tying the former WAC record.

“There was more pressure on this year’s kick than last year’s kick,� he said. “It seemed like everything was riding on this year’s kick. There was the pressure to make a kick against UCLA and to tie the WAC record.

“I really enjoy pressure. You work hard five days in practice and might only get one chance in a game. It feels great to make a field goal and help us win.�

If Chris O’Brien kicks a winning field goal against Stanford, it’s a good bet that Stanford alumnus Kevin O’Brien will lead the cheering.

Aztec Notes Kirk Belcher has returned to his linebacker position because linebacker Jack Eaton suffered a dislocated left thumb last week against Colorado State. Belcher had been moved from linebacker to the defensive line before the Colorado State game because the line was plagued with injuries. . . . Tal Tamamasui has been listed as the backup middle guard against Stanford. He became academically eligible last week. “We need to get him in shape,� Coach Doug Scovil said. “He’ll certainly help our depth.� . . . Vince Warren has again moved ahead of Brett Blanchard at the wide receiver spot opposite Webster Slaughter. Cornerback LeRoy Wardell and safety Mike Wilder, who have been starting, are not on this week’s two-deep chart. Defensive coordinator Burnie Miller said he was upset with their lack of concentration in last week’s 48-23 win against Colorado State. . . . Middle guard Levi Esene, who dislocated an elbow Sept. 21 against UCLA, will be sidelined along with Eaton against Stanford. Starting offensive tackle Dan Knight is questionable with a strained knee.