By Ron Cherubini
©2012 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

With the graduation of Michael Barbour, from the outside it looked as if East Carolina would be unsettled at the place kicking position. But inside the program, apparently, the heir apparent was already known. Seemingly out of nowhere, Warren Harvey boomed his way to the position with a strong leg, great accuracy and a confidence that kickers always need, but all too often don’t have.

A big-legged local product, Harvey kicked for J.H. Rose High School where he was part of a state championship squad and then was an invited-walk-on to the hometown ECU team. In the spring, Harvey locked up the place-kicking job by showing that he was not only reliable, but also has very good range. Simply, he looked like a veteran kicker on the field for the Pirates.

It's one less worry for new special teams coordinator Kirk Doll, who expressed that Harvey had a great spring and was atop the depth chart. That's important with an offense used to having a kicker who can step in and ensure points on the rare occasions that the offense does not find the end zone. Bottom line: Harvey is a welcome and relieving find.

Warren was kind enough to sit down for a chat with Bonesville to share his insights on the upcoming season.

Warren Harvey in action
(ECU SID photo)

One-on-One with Warren Harvey

Q: So, how does a kicker in an offense that considers it a failure to have to send on the kicker for three points see the job as being placekicker? Do you cherish the opportunities?

A: Of course, in our offense, we always want touchdowns. We want the six points and you hope the offense does that all the time. I am hoping, if I win the job, that I will have a lot of extra points. But it makes the times when we need to go for a field goal that much more important and I want to be sure that every opportunity results in points for us. Those opportunities are very important and that is how I approach it.

Q: How big a deal? How much does it mean to you to play in your hometown for college?

A: For me, it has always been a team, growing up in Greenville, to play for the Pirates. Growing up, the whole town lives and breathes the Pirates and you see that all the time, so it is a dream for me to have an opportunity to play here.

Q: Talk about the holder and snapper and how important they are to your ability to do your job?

A: It is definitely a special relationship with the holder and snapper — they are my lifeline. It’s not just the kick, it is three things: a snap, a hold, and then the kick. The line also is huge, but in regards to the snapper and holder, these are the guys I practice with, that I spend all the time with out here. So we work together and trust one another.

Q: Are you surprised at how quickly you have gone from on the roster to looking like the No. 1 placekicker for the Pirates?

A: I guess it is one of those things where you just come out and work hard and give it your all every day and hope that you are successful. It is a battle and if I end up with the job, I know that it will never be locked in. Have to do it every day, every opportunity. But, if I am the kicker, I will feel very fortunate.

Q: What player on this team do you most respect and why?

A: Trent Tignor, my holder. We are very good friends and he is a great all-around person. He’s a good kicker, too.

Q: Will you also handle kickoffs?

A: Right now, we are all kind of working at it while we figure who will be doing what. I did kickoffs all throughout high school and I m comfortable with the form and technique needed to do the job.

Q: What would you say is your comfortable range for field goals? Outer limits?

A: To me, everything from 40 yards in should not be a miss. If I miss that, it is totally on me — I didn’t execute my technique. Outer limits, I would say, I feel confident that I am capable from 55-56 yards and in.

Q: What has it been like working with Coach (Kirk) Doll? Do you get a sense that the special teams could truly be special this year?

A: Coach Doll is so knowledgeable and you can see a huge difference in our special teams in practice. We are all excited and expect to be very good at what we do this season.

Q: Describe your thoughts about your first kick in Dowdy-Ficklen.

A: You know, I have played that moment in my head 500 times… more than that. I know I will be very excited, but the kick should be nothing more than what it is every day in practice. I have been practicing all year for that kick. It will be exciting though.

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PAGE UPDATED 08/18/12 12:23 PM.