Click here for all previous parts of the series

Contributing to Coach Frank Beamer’s rookie-season woes were the struggles of placekicker Chris Kinzer, who led the nation in field goals and earned second-team All-America honors in 1986 as a sophomore. He entered 1987 as a consensus preseason All-American selection, and his success might have gone to his head a little bit. According to backup placekicker Scott Freund, “Chris made the Playboy All-American team, and he carried that issue of Playboy in car and had it with him everywhere he went.”

For whatever reason, Kinzer struggled all year. He made just eight of 17 field goals in 1987, and never made more than two in a row.

He also had to make some adjustments to his practice routine. Under Coach Bill Dooley, the Hokies worked on special teams during the first two periods; after the first 20 minutes, Kinzer and the other specialists were done for the day.

...