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Each Wednesday we'll bring you a Q&A with a Ravens player to help you learn a little more about the team. Today's guest is kicker Steve Hauschka, who has converted four of five field-goal attempts and been perfect on 13 extra-point tries. Hauschka addresses his job security, his relationship with former Ravens kicker Matt Stover and his distaste for a certain vegetable.
Question: Are you beginning to feel more comfortable as the Ravens' primary kicker?
Answer: Definitely. I feel more and more comfortable every time. I'll hopefully feel more comfortable by Week 5 and then Week 10 and Week 12. It's just one of those growing experiences, and we've been working on things in practice to kick the ball more confidently in games. I think that will really help me improve during the season.
Q: What are you thinking about when you are kicking a potential game-changing field goal?
A: I try to block everything out. I go through the routine that's in my head, and that sort of helps free my mind of all the consequences. You don't want to be thinking of consequences when you're out there. It just helps me stay in the moment and think about the things I have to do to kick the ball well.
Q: When you look back at the competition between you and rookie Graham Gano to become the Ravens' primary kicker, what stands out to you?
A: It was just a long, long battle. It was one of those things where you had to understand that if you missed a kick in practice or a game, you had to come back and make the next one. So really the whole time, I just tried to keep my head down and remember that it was a long process and try to treat it like a marathon, not necessarily like a sprint. So it was a little nerve-racking. But when you remembered that they were going to choose based on your whole body of work and how you've done over the entire six months, then I think it helped calm me down a bit.
Q: How would you describe your relationship with former Ravens kicker Matt Stover?
A: I thought we had a great relationship. Matt and I got along very well. He's obviously a legend around the town of Baltimore. He respected what I did for the team, and I respected him - probably even more so for what he's done in the last 20 years. It was always fun to talk to him and see how he approached the job. There's not always a right answer to kicking, and to hear how somebody else approaches it is very interesting. It definitely helped my career.
Q: You grew up in Needham, Mass. How will it feel to kick against the New England Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough?
A: It's definitely going to be a fun experience. I grew up watching the Patriots play. I was a Patriots fan. Can't say that I am any longer. I used to watch Adam Vinatieri kick field goals. It'll be a surreal experience to get out on that field. I've seen so many games played there, but I actually haven't been on the field yet. So it'll be fun.
Q: How does a teenager who played soccer and lacrosse throughout high school and into college win the kicking job at Middlebury College as a walk-on as a sophomore?
A: I was about as raw as it got for talent. Somehow, they ended up going with me, and I did pretty well. And I remember thinking: "What am I doing here? I'm a soccer player." I never even played football, and there were these recruits and everyone was talking about these recruits that they brought in. So I had those nerves and worried that I might not win this. But the only way to get over that is to keep your head down and get better as a kicker, and those things took care of themselves.
Q: You graduated from Middlebury with a 3.59 grade-point average and a degree in neurosciences, and you were accepted to five dental schools, including Maryland at Baltimore, UCLA and Tufts. Why make a detour to the NFL, where the odds of carving out a career are slim?
A: I would put it the other way around and ask, "Why would you detour to dental school?" It was never a consideration for me. If the NFL comes knocking, you pursue that with everything you have. Maybe I can go back to dental school later.
Q: What was your childhood fear?
A: I used to have those dreams where I would be chased by the boogeyman and I couldn't move. That was probably it.
Q: What is your favorite meal, and what is one food you detest?
A: I like chicken parm a lot. That's a good one. I hate Brussels sprouts. My parents always tried to serve them to me as a kid, and I never understood it. They smell terrible, and they don't taste good. There are other vegetables that are at least healthy and taste good, but Brussels sprouts just never did it for me.
Q: Who would be your dream date, and where would you take her?
A: Jessica Biel and I would take her to Burger King. That was [ Derrick] Mason's idea.
Question: Are you beginning to feel more comfortable as the Ravens' primary kicker?
Answer: Definitely. I feel more and more comfortable every time. I'll hopefully feel more comfortable by Week 5 and then Week 10 and Week 12. It's just one of those growing experiences, and we've been working on things in practice to kick the ball more confidently in games. I think that will really help me improve during the season.
Q: What are you thinking about when you are kicking a potential game-changing field goal?
A: I try to block everything out. I go through the routine that's in my head, and that sort of helps free my mind of all the consequences. You don't want to be thinking of consequences when you're out there. It just helps me stay in the moment and think about the things I have to do to kick the ball well.
Q: When you look back at the competition between you and rookie Graham Gano to become the Ravens' primary kicker, what stands out to you?
A: It was just a long, long battle. It was one of those things where you had to understand that if you missed a kick in practice or a game, you had to come back and make the next one. So really the whole time, I just tried to keep my head down and remember that it was a long process and try to treat it like a marathon, not necessarily like a sprint. So it was a little nerve-racking. But when you remembered that they were going to choose based on your whole body of work and how you've done over the entire six months, then I think it helped calm me down a bit.
Q: How would you describe your relationship with former Ravens kicker Matt Stover?
A: I thought we had a great relationship. Matt and I got along very well. He's obviously a legend around the town of Baltimore. He respected what I did for the team, and I respected him - probably even more so for what he's done in the last 20 years. It was always fun to talk to him and see how he approached the job. There's not always a right answer to kicking, and to hear how somebody else approaches it is very interesting. It definitely helped my career.
Q: You grew up in Needham, Mass. How will it feel to kick against the New England Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough?
A: It's definitely going to be a fun experience. I grew up watching the Patriots play. I was a Patriots fan. Can't say that I am any longer. I used to watch Adam Vinatieri kick field goals. It'll be a surreal experience to get out on that field. I've seen so many games played there, but I actually haven't been on the field yet. So it'll be fun.
Q: How does a teenager who played soccer and lacrosse throughout high school and into college win the kicking job at Middlebury College as a walk-on as a sophomore?
A: I was about as raw as it got for talent. Somehow, they ended up going with me, and I did pretty well. And I remember thinking: "What am I doing here? I'm a soccer player." I never even played football, and there were these recruits and everyone was talking about these recruits that they brought in. So I had those nerves and worried that I might not win this. But the only way to get over that is to keep your head down and get better as a kicker, and those things took care of themselves.
Q: You graduated from Middlebury with a 3.59 grade-point average and a degree in neurosciences, and you were accepted to five dental schools, including Maryland at Baltimore, UCLA and Tufts. Why make a detour to the NFL, where the odds of carving out a career are slim?
A: I would put it the other way around and ask, "Why would you detour to dental school?" It was never a consideration for me. If the NFL comes knocking, you pursue that with everything you have. Maybe I can go back to dental school later.
Q: What was your childhood fear?
A: I used to have those dreams where I would be chased by the boogeyman and I couldn't move. That was probably it.
Q: What is your favorite meal, and what is one food you detest?
A: I like chicken parm a lot. That's a good one. I hate Brussels sprouts. My parents always tried to serve them to me as a kid, and I never understood it. They smell terrible, and they don't taste good. There are other vegetables that are at least healthy and taste good, but Brussels sprouts just never did it for me.
Q: Who would be your dream date, and where would you take her?
A: Jessica Biel and I would take her to Burger King. That was [ Derrick] Mason's idea.
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