Cook Getting His Kicks with the Deuce

By Nickolas Montei ꟾ Rattlers Media

Six games into the season, there were no deuces on the board for the Arizona Rattlers. Placekicker Matthew Cook's main contribution had been his deadeye on extra points.

That changed in a big way when the Tucson Sugar Skulls visited Desert Diamond Arena on May 10. Head Coach Kevin Guy unleashed his kicker to go for the deuce, which means two points if a kicker puts a kickoff through the uprights. Cook hit a franchise-record four contributing to a 66-15 win, the Rattlers' largest margin of victory in the series with their in-state rival. Cook earned IFL Special Teams Player of the Week for the performance.

Cook has been a key contributor the Rattler's scoring since then, making eight deuces in the last three games which is nearly as good as scoring three touchdowns. At the same time, he's continued to be on target on PATs making 56 of 58, an amazing 97%.

"It's something that not every team necessarily has," Cook said of his success with the deuce. "So having that as a weapon, we can go out there and keep executing that. Then if I can keep putting our team in a good position, that's what I want to do every single week."

Cook got used to the pressure early in his career. At the University of Northern Iowa, Cook entered his freshman season as the fourth-string kicker. Later that season, he started in his first-ever college game in front of over 61,000 fans against Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

His first-ever attempt was a 50-yard field goal he drilled through the uprights to tie the game in the third quarter. He went 4-for-4 in Northern Iowa's near upset, a 29-26 three-overtime loss.

"It doesn't get much bigger than that as far as your first kick goes," Cook said.

Those values have followed Cook throughout his career to Arizona, even if he believes his approach may have a slightly negative impact when he does make a human error.

His preparation focuses on the pressure in the situations and on himself.

"I try to, when I practice, create game-like situations, and I mean that's a big thing that Coach (Kevin) Guy does at the end of practice as well," Cook said.

The drawback, however, according to Cook, is that the pressure may have a negative effect on him when he does miss, feeling the same disappointment regardless of whether it's in practice or a in game.

"I go out every time expecting to make it," Cook said. "That's just what I've wanted to do my whole career, go out there and be perfect."

Cook kept his hot cleats on in the first game of the IFL Cup against New Mexico, where he added another three deuces, essentially giving the Rattlers an extra possession.

"No game is different. Just because it's the IFL Cup or championship or playoff, or just because last game I had a good game. I want to go out there and do that every single time," Cook said.

Guy has continued to express confidence in his kicker. He had another deuce in the IFL Cup championship game against Vegas. It's something that means the world to Cook.

"When you're given a green light, when the person you're looking up to most in the organization has the confidence in you, it's kind of hard to not go out there and do your job," Cook said. "It's something we practice every single day. He's out there working with me. Coach Jeff (Jarnigan) is as well. Seeing the balls go in at practice, it's pretty easy to go out and translate that to the game."