2020 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Bailey Hale, PK, Louisiana Tech University
Student-Athlete Profile:
- Bailey Hale
- Louisiana Tech University
- PK
- 5’11”
- 196 LBS.
- Hometown: Iowa Park, TX
- Twitter: @bailey_hale3
2019 Accolades & Statistics:
- 2019 C-USA Football All-Conference Second Team.
- 2019 C-USA Football All-Academic Team.
- 2019 PFF All-Conference USA First Team.
- 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 Football Team,
- 2020 Hula Bowl Participant.
- GP: 13
- FGM-FGA: 15-18
- FG%: 83.33
- 20-29 YDS: 6-6
- 30-34 YDS: 4-4
- 40-49 YDS: 4-7
- 50+ YDS: 1-1
- Long: 50
- PATs: 53-53
- Kickoffs: 74
- KO YDS: 4,101
- Y/KO: 55.41
- Touchbacks: 8
Congratulations on the All C-USA honors. What is the immediate emotion you felt when receiving this news? Who is the first person you shared it with?
I would say that my first reaction was excited and kind of shocked because I wasn’t really thinking about it. It’s always nice to be recognized for my hard work. I was just so focused on trying to help my team win that receiving the news of the award was a great compliment. It always makes you feel great to be able to see all of your hard work pay off. Our long snapper, Reeves Blankenship, is actually the one who sent it to me congratulating me first. After that, I called my teammate Noah White and shared the news with him.
What have you taken away the most from Coach Holtz, Coach Smith and the rest of the LA Tech coaching staff?
Coach Holtz has taught me so much over a very short amount of time. Holtz and the rest of the coaches here at LA Tech changed my life two years ago when they took a chance on a kid from Eastern New Mexico they had never seen me play. I would say that Coach Holtz has taught me how to be a professional. He’s taught me how to believe in myself no matter what the circumstances, how to prepare, and how to really appreciate the grind. Coach Smith has taught me how to have fun in everything that we do. He has taught me the true meaning of our special team’s motto all year which was, “give.” He really emphasized to me to always give absolutely everything you have for my teammates and coaches. The main thing that I would say, which is one of the most important things that I’ve taken away from these coaches and LA Tech, is the brotherhood. We’re all one big family who would do anything for one another both on and off the field. They took me in as one of their own and taught me the true meaning of what being in that family and brotherhood means.
When football is over, what do you aspire to do in the professional world?
When football is over I’d love to stay around sports and the game. Sports has been my whole life for a really long time now and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to just distance myself from them. I’d really love to be a GM of a professional football or basketball organization. I’ve always loved the whole process of picking who to draft and putting the best teams possible together.
If your life was a book, what would the title be?
“4th and Forever to Go.” I think that would be the title of my book because I’ve lived my entire life on 4th down. First of all, you kick on 4th down. I went to Eastern New Mexico as a last chance effort of getting to play again. I didn’t know if anyone would offer me at the division one level after my two years there and I took the one scholarship offer I got to Louisiana Tech. I’ve always lived a very exciting life and 4th down is the most exciting one. People from Iowa Park getting to play division one FBS football is something that is honestly kind of unheard of. It seems like throughout my whole life and career that I’ve had just one chance much like 4th down. I’d add forever to go because I’ve come so far, but I still have so much life to live and hopefully football to play.
Who are the ultimate LA Tech athletic alumni, Terry Bradshaw or Karl Malone?
That’s a really tough choice. I’m honestly not sure what the answer to that question is both of them are basically the greatest Bulldogs ever in the respective sports. Being on the football team it’s hard not to go with Terry Bradshaw, but I grew up as a huge basketball fan. It’s tough to choose either one of these guys they both did so much for Louisiana Tech so I’m not really sure. If you base it off of professional championships, then you would have to pick Terry Bradshaw.
Give me your Mount Rushmore of all-time kickers, past or present. What made you choose these four players?
I would have to say: Justin Tucker, Adam Vinatieri, Morten Andersen, and Matt Stover. I chose Justin Tucker because he is and has been the epitome of kicking in his career. He’s hit close to 90% of his kicks so far. I chose Vinatieri because he is still considered by most people as the best kicker of all time. He has the most points by a kicker in NFL history and was a staple in the league for a really long time. Vinatieri is the name that pops into everyone’s head when you hear the word kicker. I chose Morten Andersen because he held the points record in the NFL for a lot of years until Vinatieri passed him. I chose Stover because he is one of the few and only guys who hit over 80% for his entire career.
Is there a current or former NFL player you emulate your game after?
My old kicking coach Tim Callian used to sit me down and we would watch videos on Justin Tucker and Cairo Santos. He said that my swing and motions were a lot like a mixture of those two guys so I tried to emulate my game after them a little bit. I do think that everyone’s swing and body is different. So you find your own swing while still having great fundamentals and technique, but you find what works best for you and go with it.
Let’s take a trip back to the first day of your freshman year at Iowa Park High School. What advice would you give yourself then, knowing what you know now?
Honestly, I would tell myself to listen to my mom and look into kicking. She used to always tell me that if I got some coaching and practiced at it then I might end up being really good. I never listened and I told her that I wouldn’t be kicking a ball in college, I would be playing basketball. I would also tell myself to have goals and have my sights set on the future, but to enjoy the ride and where I’m at. I remember my days at Iowa Park I was so ready to leave and go to college; it was all I thought about. I would tell myself to have those goals and aspirations but to just appreciate and enjoy the moment and where I am in life and let the rest fall into place.
If I’m in Ruston on a Saturday night during the Fall, where is the one place I have to eat?
My favorite place is Rotolo’s. I’m not sure if it’s a chain or anything, but I’ve never seen one outside of Ruston. It’s a really good pizza place, I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like it.
You’re in front of all 32 NFL General Managers and have 15 words or less to give them your pitch on why Bailey Hale will be an asset to their organization for years to come. What do you tell them?
A guy you can always count on to deliver and to outwork everyone.
