How the lore of Rodrigo Blankenship — and his rec specs — was established at Kentucky
It’s almost as if there’s some sort of gravitation toward Georgia place-kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.
He draws the loudest cheer when the starting lineups are announced at Sanford Stadium. A plethora of fans wear jerseys with his number embroidered front-and-center. He is known for the guy with the “rec specs” — and it probably wouldn’t be a surprise to see Halloween costumes featured around them.
“I don’t understand eyesight,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after wearing the goggle-like spectacles for a “College GameDay” feature. “But I don’t see how those could help anybody see.”
It’s what defines Blankenship. But it wouldn’t have become a sensation without his game-ending heroics on a 2016 Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium, now known as Kroger Field.
If the lore surrounding Blankenship had a birth certificate, its origin would be Lexington, Ky.
He was thrust into the starting role five games prior after beating out William Ham (who was 4-for-7 to open that season in field-goal tries in a less-than-ideal situation at the time). So, naturally, Blankenship, despite only one career miss prior, was pacing when the television cameras panned to him on the sideline.
“I remember Kentucky fans started to leave once Georgia got in field-goal range,” said Bulldog fan Wes Jackson on Twitter. “I was not confident at all, but turns out I was wrong.”
Because it was good. Moments later, the quirky, structured and professional Blankenship was introduced to the world as he did his on-field interview in full uniform after a 4-for-4 night — yes, including the specs and the helmet.
“A part of me wants to say it felt like yesterday, and part of me wants to say a lot has happened between now and then,” said Blankenship, who has converted 10-of-12 field-goal attempts this season and has a streak of 125 consecutive extra points. “It’s a memory I’ll always hold onto. I’ve had a lot of time to grow and develop and become a better kicker since then.”
“That started Rod and his fame,” Georgia defensive back Tyrique McGhee said. “He always came through for us, and I’m not surprised he made that.”
Well, at least the positive vibes started then. It’s not the first memory Blankenship recalls, however. It was the first time he had taken over the role full-time in the fourth game of the season.
At that point, Blankenship said he was “roasted for being a kicker with glasses who couldn’t see the uprights to make a field goal.”
“People started to know who I was when I missed my first-career field goal at Ole Miss,” said Blankenship, referencing the 45-14 blowout loss in Oxford, Miss. “That kind of flamed me and was a rough introduction to my career. I think I’d say that was necessary to learn the mindset I needed to and improve.”
Then, on that night in Lexington, the perception of Blankenship changed to, “Oh, these glasses actually help him make field goals.” That’s because he would make plenty more — and some ever-crucial ones — as his career carried on.
Blankenship’s most-memorable kicks came in last season’s College Football Playoff. First, it was the 55-yard conversion to enter halftime at the Rose Bowl (that wouldn’t have gone into overtime without it). Then, it was the 51-yard make in overtime of the national title game to keep Georgia’s hopes alive.
Blankenship has a career 47-for-56 mark.
“He’s automatic,” McGhee said. “I’d be surprised if he ever misses one the rest of his life. He’s clutch.”
While Smart doesn’t understand the specs that Blankenship uses for his extreme nearsightedness, he’s happy the legend around them was created. That’s because it means one thing.
Points.
“I know one thing, he sees that ball on the ground, and he gets his toe on the leather real well,” Smart said. “So they must work for him.”
This story was originally published October 31, 2018 at 5:05 PM.