Pitt’s Lee kicking way through record books

Pitt kicker Conor Lee wasn’t made to play football. ‘I’m a football player. I just happen to be… Pitt kicker Conor Lee wasn’t made to play football. ‘I’m a football player. I just happen to be stuck in a kicker’s body,’ he said. So in grade school, in Upper St. Clair, Lee focused on soccer. He played football, primarily as a running back, but he didn’t begin seriously kicking until the end of his high school career. ‘I started to generate a love for kicking,’ said Lee. ‘I like going out there when the pressure’s on ‘- being able to test yourself in those clutch situations.’ He’s trained himself to do just that. Lee, a redshirt senior, holds Pitt’s record for most consecutive points after a touchdown, with 93, and ties its record for consecutive field goals, with 12 in the middle of last season. He shares that record with former Pitt kicker Chris Ferencik. All successful kickers, Lee said, know how to master the mental aspect of the game. ‘You can very easily get caught up in the game and lose it,’ said Lee. ‘You learn through experience. You’ve got to learn to miss a kick and be able to come back.’ You also need confidence. In Pitt’s recent 26-21 victory over then No. 10 USF, Lee knocked out two clutch field goals ‘- one at the end of the second quarter from 35 yards out, and another in the fourth quarter to give Pitt a six point lead. That didn’t surprise Lee or his teammates. ‘We expected to win,’ he said. Part of Lee’s secret is to ignore any hype surrounding the team. Don’t focus on the fact that Pitt moves in and out of the top 25 rankings. Don’t focus on the fact that ESPNU said earlier this month that having ‘an automatic kicker in Conor Lee’ was a large part of the team’s recent success. Lee laughed when he heard about that article. ‘I have two or three bad games, and they’ll say the opposite,’ he said. ‘Five years from now, they aren’t going to remember me.’ So he takes life one game at a time, he said, and measures his success by whether the team wins or loses. Lee said his role on the team is unlike that of most players, because he’s not out there calling plays or running the defense. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said it’s important that Lee recognizes this, because it helps the players work together successfully. In fact, that’s what sets Lee apart from previous Pitt kickers. ‘Conor’s not your typical kicker,’ said Wannstedt. ‘Most kickers are a little strange, and not all of them are one of the guys. Conor’s different. He sees the big picture.’ Lee said he tries to motivate his teammates by quietly supporting them, both on and off the field. ‘I’ve seen it all,’ he said. Lee joined Pitt in 2004 but didn’t play until 2006. He sat on the bench during the 2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, in which Pitt lost to Utah, 35-7. Lee said he remembers what it’s like to be shocked transitioning into collegiate football, and he can therefore help the younger players. ‘It’s a different culture. It’s a lot more intense than high school,’ he said. ‘You need talent to play. But experience, it goes a long way. People, with a few exceptions, don’t just come in and play.’ Lee said his faith helped him get through his own transition into college. ‘I have a strong faith in God,’ said Lee. ‘I practice it, and that’s helped me greatly with my success in football and academics.’ Lee said he reads and studies the Bible when he can, and he always tries to do his school work a week ahead of time, in case something pops up at the last minute. Lee graduated this past April with a dual bachelor’s degree in business and economics. He is currently working toward his master of business adminstration in the Katz Graduate School of Business. Lee said he’d ‘love to play in the NFL, but that’s a long shot for anybody.’ His other dream, he said, is to own a business, though he’s not sure what type. He said he’s fascinated by the way people manipulate messages to promote their products. But pursuing business and discovering this interest, he said, was a bit of an accident. ‘I did it because all my friends were doing it,’ said Lee. ‘I’ve gained an appreciation for it. I like the idea of managing and motivating people.’ For now, his mind is focused on Pitt’s next game, which is on Saturday against Rutgers. Football, he said quickly, is his No. 1 priority.