Jack Podlesny kicks his way from walk-on to scholarship player

The question over whether Jack Podlesny’s effort in his first year as Georgia’s kicker would ultimately earn him a full scholarship was never actually in doubt.

However, given Kirby Smart’s usual reluctance to announce which walk-ons have received scholarships, it was not until Thursday’s Zoom session with reporters that Podlesny proclaimed that yes, it is indeed true.

“Yes, I did,” said Podlseny, adding that the full ride is good for the rest of his Bulldog career.

“It meant a lot,” he said. “It was always a goal of mine once I got to Georgia. I was going to work my butt off and someday get put on scholarship to pay for school. Now I’m here.”

Podlesny’s season was certainly memorable.

Not only did the former Glynn Academy standout do an excellent job replacing record-breaker Rodrigo Blankenship, but he went on to earn semifinalist honors for the Lou Groza Award, which goes annually to the nation’s top kicker.

Podlesny did so by converting 13 of 16 field goal attempts, three of which came in Georgia’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati, including a career-best 53-yarder to win the game with three seconds left.

That’s pretty heady stuff for a young man who basically was an unknown before assuming the starting role.

Yet if you’re worried about fame going to Podlesny’s head, don’t.

“I’m not trying to buy into my 'stardom' that much,” Podlseny said. “I’m just trying to live my daily life as I did before.”

Like the rest of his teammates, Podlesny is not only preparing himself physically for next week’s opener in Charlotte against Clemson but getting his mind right knowing the game could come down to him making another big kick.

“For me, every kick is the same, no matter the distance, so once that carryover happens, I need to make sure I leave it on the field,” Podlesny said. “If I carry it over, it might affect me on the next kick, whether I kick a good one or a bad one.”

Podlesny said he’s worked hard to make sure the latter does not occur.

“There’s been a lot of things I’ve had to work on that I’ve had to take care of this off-season. I’d go and train with a guy on the weekends, making sure I simplify my jab step, or fix my drive when it’s a little bit longer here and there,” he said. “But the big thing for me is just focusing on the mental health aspect, talking with our sports psychologist, making sure I stay positive, whether it’s a good day or a bad day.”