July 28, 2004

By Jim Carberry BELLINGHAM, Wash. --- When it comes to Western Washington University's long line of outstanding placekickers, Michael Koenen is right at the front. He also is right at the front of Western's line of outstanding punters. And if it were up to him, he'd be at the front of the quarterback line, the wide receiver line and the running back line. "I like to think of myself as a good football player, not just a good kicker," said Koenen. "The coaches joke around about moving me to receiver. But I can throw the ball, too. And if I need to run the ball, I feel I can juke `em." Western football coach Rob Smith just grins. "He'd love to run the ball or throw the ball," Smith said of his record-breaking kicker. "He is a good athlete, maybe the most athletic kicker we've had." To be even mentioned among the best placekickers at Western should be compliment enough. The Vikings' all-time list includes the school's career scoring leader and only two-time football All-American, Wade Gebers; football and soccer All-American Peter LaBarge; as well as all-stars Josh Bailey, Dan Clemensen, Jon Christie and Lance Wilson. Koenen is the fifth consecutive Viking placekicker to kick for four years. Yet the senior from Ferndale has chiseled out his own place among Western's greats. He ranks sixth among the school's career scoring leaders with 196 points, just 71 behind Gebers, and is a three-time first-team Great Northwest Athletic conference all-star. He also holds the school record for longest field goal (54 yards), most consecutive field goals (eight) and points after touchdown (40), and most PATs made and attempted in a game (9 of 10). And that's on offense. As a punter, Koenen is mentioned in the same breath as LaBarge, who was named first-team All-American after leading the nation in punting in 1988. That's because Koenen accomplished the same feat as a sophomore in 2002 when he broke LaBarge's school record with a 44.9 average, earning first-team Daktronics, D2Football.com and Football Gazette All-America honors and being named a second-team Associated Press Little All-American. Koenen also holds the school record for longest punt (73 yards). "We've had a pretty good tradition," said Smith of Western's kickers. "I would certainly put him right up there with the best of them." So what makes Koenen so good? Don't ask Smith. "Kickers are a different animal," he said. "I have no idea what makes him good." Well, you can start with his confidence. If there is one story that epitomizes Koenen it's what happened in his very first game as a Viking. Coming into the game against Central Oklahoma, Koenen was an untested freshman. He had only made three field goals as a senior at Ferndale (which was still good enough to make him the Class 3A all-state kicker) and was red-shirted his first year as Bailey finished his four-year career. So what is he called upon to do in his very first college game? Attempt a school record 57-yard field goal, which was 10 yards longer than he'd ever made in a real game. He missed it. So how does the young freshman handle it? Is he worried what the coach will say? Is he nervous about trying another one? No. He's mad. "I was so mad I went out at halftime and practiced kicking," said Koenen. "I probably should have gotten into trouble." Koenen was so focused, coach Smith finally had to eventually tell him to stop. "He told me, `You've got to kick off now,'" Koenen recalled with a laugh. Sure enough, in the second half, Koenen gets a second chance, and Smith has enough confidence in his freshman kicker to have him try again. And -- boom! -- Koenen kicks a 54-yard field goal, a school record that still stands. "I knew I could be successful at this level," Koenen said. "They told me that once Josh was gone (graduated), I was the No.1 kicker. I said I wanted to break all those records. It's just my competitiveness." If Koenen's competitiveness is what drives him, it is his physical talent that sets him apart. At Ferndale, the 5-foot-11, 185-pounder was an all-league pick in both basketball and soccer. Friend Rob White, Western's leading tackler at safety and himself a pretty good athlete, has seen enough of Koenen's ability, thank you. "I don't even like to play basketball against him," said White. "I just say, `Go ahead and score,' because he will anyway. Mike can play football. It's a shame he only kicks." Of course, Koenen wouldn't "only kick," if it were up to him. He has showed his versatility on the football field, where he played quarterback as a freshman and sophomore for the Golden Eagles. He even played linebacker in middle school. And Koenen has even had his opportunities as a Viking. He has a 15-yard run for a first down to his credit, and he even attempted a pass last season. Unfortunately, he overthrew the receiver, something that still bothers him but has Smith thinking. "You can be creative with someone like him," said Smith. Koenen's journey to Western and then to football stardom has not been without bumps in the road. Koenen's first love was always soccer, and his mother discouraged him from playing football until the eighth grade. But the pigskin peer pressure took its toll, and he switched to football in eighth grade "because my friends gave me a hard time." Then, even when he had had success in football, helping the Golden Eagles to three straight state playoffs, Koenen never really gave Western a thought. "I never really followed Western," he confessed. "I was always playing sports. I just wasn't a spectator. I still have a hard time sitting and watching." He planned to go to Eastern Washington as a walk-on, but then he met Western assistant coach Terry Todd, who happened to be the father of Koenen's pastor, Rick Todd. "He was a great guy," said Koenen. "I just felt that the Western coaches wanted me to come here more." He hasn't regretted the decision. In fact, the only regrets he has on the football field -- besides not playing another position -- are the injuries and overwork that took a toll on his body, especially last season when he had what he considers a sub-par year. Now, as a senior, he is setting the bar at its highest -- above LaBarge, above Gebers, perhaps above even the realistic. "My goal is to push myself, to set new expectations," he said. "For field goals, nothing is acceptable but perfection. And in punting, I want to be in the 45-yard range, to be more consistent." And if that should happen, if Koenen should reach heights that even Western's fabled kickers have failed to reach, then what? Could he possibly be the first Viking kicker to play professionally? "If it comes up, I'd definitely take it," he said. "Things have fallen into place for me here. I have faith it'll all fall into place." And if the Seahawks were to call? "I'd answer the phone," he said with a smile.