8/13/2019 Cody Parkey Feature

1/1@ F O O T B A L L A U / F O O T B A L L A U

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a u b u r n t i g e r s f o o t b a

In a season featuring many firsts for Auburn

Football, one area of the team overflowing

with experience is the kicking game. Senior

place kicker Cody Parkey is well known acrosscampus for his bulls-eye leg, but its his per-

sonality and confidence that contribute to his

popularity among his fellow players and peers.

The ability to instinctively become a fan

favorite comes naturally to Parkey. Fraternities

want him, teachers praise him, but he says

hes just focused on football and his degree.

Im not finished, were not finished, Parkey said.

Ive got a lot of personal goals. The sky is the

limit, but Im ready to get back to playing Auburn

Football at national championship levels.

Parkeys road to Auburn began in the SouthFlorida town of Jupiter where he became

nationally recognized as a kicker out of

Jupiter High School. The palm tree shaded

town that is home to professional golfers, St.

Louis Cardinals spring training and beachgo-

ers. It is also where people witnessed his rise

to the No. 1 ranked kicker in the country.

Parkey became the Tigers first pledge of the

2010 recruiting class when he committed to

Auburn in November 2008, his junior year of

high school. After two coaching changes, a

national championship and multiple awards,

its evident hes been all Auburn since day one.

Its been a good, long journey so far, Parkey

said. Obviously, you go to college to win a

national championship, and I was blessed to

be able to play and be on that team, but Im

not finished. I would love to win the Lou Groza

Award and be the best in the SEC. There are

a lot of goals out there for me to achieve and

a lot of games I can help Auburn win.

With new head coach Gus Malzahn lead-

ing the team, Parkey says even he feels the

change with the fast-paced offense.

On field goals, Coach Malzahn wants meto go as fast as I can, Parkey said. Being

a kicker, my job hasnt changed at all, but

they are going to use me to their advantage

with what I do best and bring that out in me.

Coach Malzahn has been a blessing to the

team so far, and I cant wait to be on his first

team as head coach.

Of all the high profile games on Auburns

schedule this year, Parkey cant wait to play

at Tennessee and Texas A&M. Neyland

Stadium and Kyle Field are two of the few

SEC stadiums he hasnt kicked in.

Im looking forward to it, I hear both of those

are pretty solid crowds, Parkey said. Im

hoping to see a lot of Auburn fans travel tothose games.

Aside from the football field, Parkey focuses

on his academics and is active on Twitter

in all the good ways, even recently posing

with Auburn alum and PGA Champion Jason

Dufner and the Wanamaker Trophy.

He says kicking in the NFL has always been

his dream and hopes after a good season this

year, he will be able to showcase his tale

for a shot at the NFL.

Parkey is looking forward to his final seme

before graduating with a degree in cmunication from Auburns newly appoin

School of Communication and Journalism

the College of Liberal Arts.

Thinking about my future, whether its foot

or not, I know I will have a solid degree fr

Auburn, Parkey said. Id love to be able to

that I do. Im just going to go out there do

well on the field as well as the classroom.

BY ETHAN BRA

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