Nevada rewards ex-Glacier Peak footballer with scholarship

Spencer Pettit now knows what it is to be an internet meme.

The Glacier Peak High School graduate, who now kicks for the University of Nevada football team, briefly made the online rounds in August when a video of Pettit being surprised at practice as he was awarded a scholarship was posted on Twitter.

Coach Jay Norvell ices Wolf Pack kicker Spencer Pettit on the practice-ending field goal by rewarding him with a scholarship. pic.twitter.com/zQ7eym18Ut

— Chris Murray (@MurrayRGJ) August 15, 2017

But while internet fame may be fleeting, a scholarship is not, and for the former walk-on, the awarding of a scholarship was a testament to the work he’s put into his game.

“It feels really good,” Pettit, a redshirt sophomore, said when reached by phone from Reno. “It shows that hard work pays off. If you come here and do your job, eventually you’ll be rewarded for it.”

A year ago it seemed Pettit’s opportunity for reward was still far on the horizon. He came to Nevada as a walk-on after graduating from Glacier Peak in 2014. He spent his first season with the Wolf Pack as a redshirt, and last season as a freshman was firmly behind senior kicker Brent Zuzo on Nevada’s depth chart. Zuzo was in his fourth season as the Wolf Pack’s primary kicker, so it looked like Pettit would have to wait another year to show the staff he deserved a scholarship.

But prior to Nevada’s seventh game — against San Jose State — Zuzo approached Pettit.

“He told me he was going to go to the coaches and say I should start playing,” Pettit said. “He just didn’t feel all the way there mentally. He wanted to focus on one thing rather than both (kickoffs and scoring kicks) to help himself out.

“I thought that was a really good move on his part, as a teammate to be that self-aware and that humble as a three-year starter to do that.”

So Pettit took over the kicking duties on extra points and field goals to good success. Over Nevada’s final six games he made 18 of his 19 extra-point attempts and seven of his nine field-goal attempts. The standout moment from those games came when he hit the game-winning extra point with five seconds remaining in Nevada’s 38-37 victory over Utah State on Nov. 19.

“That was big for me,” Pettit said, “even though it was just a PAT.”

But despite coming into this season as the incumbent, Pettit remained a walk-on. And now he had to convince a new head coach he was worthy of a scholarship, as Jay Norvell was hired in December to replace the departing Brian Polian. Polian, who recruited Pettit to Reno, had told Pettit that he would be rewarded with a scholarship if he did a good job. Would Norvell do the same?

Norvell answered that question on that sunny August afternoon prior to the start of the season when, during field-goal drills, he stopped play just before Pettit was about to kick, saying the opposition was icing the kicker.

As Pettit turned around, a placard was revealed that read, “Congratulations Spencer Pettit, you have just kicked your way into a scholarship at the University of Nevada.” Pettit immediately went to Norvell to give him a hug before being mobbed by his teammates.

“I had no idea it was coming,” Pettit said. “For coach to ice me, then to turn around and see that, it was amazing. And to see all my teammates happy for me, too, that was a great feeling.

“The last time I was mobbed like that was after I made a game-winning field goal against Edmonds-Woodway as a senior.”

While Pettit is now a scholarship player he said things haven’t changed, in how he’s treated by the school and coaching staff, or about how he goes about his business with the team.

“Personally it’s all the same, other than the ability to get paid,” Pettit said. “They treat every player the same, every player has a chance at playing. If you do your job, you’ll earn playing time.

“This was always the plan,” Pettit added about earning a scholarship. “I think it’s the plan of every walk-on. I didn’t go in there with the idea that I’ve got to do this or that to earn a scholarship. But if I helped the team, I’d be rewarded.”

And Pettit is rewarding the Wolf Pack. So far it’s been so good this season for Pettit — if not necessarily for his team, which is winless in three outings. Through three games Pettit, who is still only handling scoring kicking duties, is perfect on his kicks, going 7-for-7 on extra points and 3-for-3 on field goals. That includes a 47 yarder in Nevada’s 37-24 loss to Toledo on Sept. 9.

But regardless of how Nevada is doing in the standings, Pettit is justifying his scholarship.

If you have an idea for a community sports story, e-mail Nick Patterson at npatterson@heraldnet.com.