The unfortunate truth about kickers in football: They’re mildly celebrated when doing their job, and they’re heavily criticized when they don’t.
Less than a month ago, Tucson Sugar Skulls kicker Logan Justus was at center of scrutiny after going 6 for 10 on PATs in Tucson's 67-66 shootout loss to the San Diego Strike Force.
“It could be frustrating, but when you’re in the game, it’s always on to the next kick,” Justus said.
The following week against the Duke City Gladiators, Justus — a former Indiana Hoosier — nailed a 50-yard field goal to help Tucson take a 52-49 lead with 55 seconds left. (The Sugar Skulls then coughed up a go-ahead touchdown on the following possession and lost).
Tucson (2-3) will look to avenge its loss two weeks ago, when it hosts Duke City (2-4) Saturday night at Tucson Arena.
“I’m kind of stubborn when it comes to kickers. I want to make sure I do my job to the fullest with those guys. This is not the easiest game to kick in,” said Sugar Skulls coach and general manager Dixie Wooten.
“This is his first time kicking in this league, so he struggled. We read the press clippings, we read social media, and I told him, ‘I want you to read it, because then once you start getting better, you’re going to see a whole different mindset from people, so keep working hard and understanding what you’re doing.’ The last two games, he was perfect on kickoff and hit a huge field goal against Duke City, then he hit every extra point besides one, which was blocked.”
Justus could’ve delivered another clutch 57-yard field goal late against Duke City, but miscommunication between the holder and longsnapper led to an early snap, with the ball sailing over Justus’ head, taking one bounce in the end zone and wobbling over the wall for a safety. It led to a 57-52 loss.
“You can’t fall asleep in that situation. … It was a sick feeling to lose that way,” Wooten said.
Even though misfortunes on special teams contributed to the Sugar Skulls losing games, Wooten was delighted with Justus' progress. The kicker hit a 45-yard field goal in last week’s 72-62 win over the Northern Arizona Wranglers. He also made 9 of 10 PATs; the the missed one being blocked.
“He’s still working, because now he can’t go backwards," Wooten said. "Now he can’t go from having a great game to having a mediocre game, because there’s no way he can do that now. He’s working every day, he comes by himself and is always watching film. After being with me, now he’s mentally strong. He started to doubt himself a little bit, but now he tells me, ‘It’s OK, coach, I can do it, and I want to go to the (NFL) doing this.’ Well, now he can’t go backwards.”
Justus got better by spending more time at the Skulls' facility and with his teammates.
“I tried to focus on small, minute details and just being with the snapper, holder and making that connection and bond,” he said.
Justus grew up in McCordsville, Indiana, and graduated from Mt. Vernon High School, where he starred in football, hockey, soccer and wrestling. But Justus said he “grew up dreaming of being a kicker.”
“Everyone always wants to be a quarterback or a running back, but I thought being a kicker was perfect,” Justus said. “All the pressure and excitement, I love that.”
His favorite NFL player was longtime Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, who has the NFL record for most career points.
"Watching how he did everything through history in college and the pros has had a huge impact on me," Justus said of Vinatieri. "He’s not a showboater, put in the work and is the best kicker."
At Indiana, Justus was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection and was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist. Justus was training for the 2020 NFL Draft when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
“It was a setback, but also the best thing about being a kicker is that you can’t let anything get to you. I knew to keep my head down and keep working,” Justus said. “I knew once the opportunity arises, that’s when you have to show up.”
Justus hopes his first professional gig in Tucson will be a launching pad to the NFL.
“My dream has always been to kick in the NFL. I believe this chance is the perfect opportunity at the professional level to put film together, and it’s going to be really good film because the uprights are different.
“My goal is to get a lot of film and mature football-wise.”
