Oct. 27, 2010

By Dan Ryan - www.B-CUathletics.com

Call Football Contact Michael Stambaugh for more details - 386.481.2278

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Sven Hurd felt a little lighter when his 27-yard field goal split the uprights Saturday at North Carolina Central.

“The monkey was off my shoulders,” the redshirt freshman said.

It was the first successful Bethune-Cookman field goal attempt after five misses this season, and quieted those who felt that aspect of the Wildcats' special teams play may be one of the kinks in the armor of an undefeated team.

Prior to the kick, B-CU was one of only five teams in the FCS nation not to have made a field goal this season.

Hurd admitted the notoriety was there and bothering both him and Kory Kowalski “a little” as the season progressed.

“But we always had confidence,” Hurd said. “It's just a matter of going out there and making kicks.”

Besides, it's not like Hurd and Kowalski are having bad seasons when it comes to the big picture.

Kowalski's averaging 35.6 yards a punt and has placed nine inside the opponents' 20-yard line, giving the defense extra help in winning the field position battle.

Benefiting for the Wildcats' high-powered offense, Hurd has already made 34 PATs this season and tied Jesus Cortez' single-game record for PATs (ten) in the season-opener against Edward Waters. He's nine away from the matching the single-season record of 43 set in 2000 by Danny Mathis.

“The offense is connecting,” Hurd said. “We're scoring a lot of points.”

And now that the first field goal barrier has been broken, there may be more attempts from Hurd, who made 50-yarders in high school.

“We know the coaches have confidence in us,” Hurd said. “We'll be ready when the time is called.”

B-CU hosts North Carolina A&T Thursday at 7:30 in an ESPNU telecast.

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