Orlando Fernandez’s kicking career started from a stereotype.
The Mississippi Valley State senior grew up playing running back, quarterback and receiver in Saltillo, Mexico. But when Fernandez arrived at Trinity Valley Community College for spring practices, an opportunity at a new position opened up.
“I wasn’t getting any playing time as a receiver,” Fernandez recalled. “I didn’t know how to speak English. I wasn’t fast enough, big enough. But one time, their kicker got injured during the spring, and they were like, ‘Hey, where’s the Mexican?’ I was like, ‘Here I am.’ So they gave me a chance to try out as a kicker.”
Trinity Valley told Fernandez he had the leg to be a kicker but needed work on his technique. After being cut from the roster, Fernandez reached out via Instagram to former New York Jets kicker Sergio Castillo, whose family is also from Mexico, and arranged virtual lessons.
“Orlando messaged me about three years ago saying, ‘Hey, I just need a shot,’” Castillo said. “We basically just started doing virtual training and I saw the potential he had. I saw someone like me, someone who’s just hungry. We bonded really quick because I could tell this kid wanted to make something out of his life.
“I had a buddy coaching at Cisco College who said Orlando could come there and earn his spot,” Castillo added. “I opened a door, and Orlando took full advantage.”
It turns out Fernandez is a fast learner. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder won the punting job at Cisco and earned an offer to Itta Bena, where the two-time SWAC Specialist of the Week is entering his third season as both kicker and punter for the Delta Devils.
After splitting the uprights on just two of five field goal attempts in the spring of 2021 — his first season ever kicking at the college level — Fernandez hit 11 of 18 tries last fall as a junior (three of those misses were blocked), including a career-high 50-yarder. He also increased his punting average to over 42 yards per attempt and booted a career-long 69-yarder against Florida A&M.
“It was awesome,” Fernandez said of of his 50-yard field goal, just two yards shy of the program record. “I was really relaxed. I don’t know, for some reason, when it’s long field goals, I don’t get nervous at all because I know I can do it. When I’m close, I think more about it. I need to work on that.”
This year, Fernandez has his eye on shattering the program record.
“We’ve been practicing 60-yarders, but with this wind, I’m thinking 58, 57 easy,” said MVSU head coach Vincent Dancy, who also serves as Fernandez’s kicking coach. “I still trust him from 55 out without the wind.”
Castillo believes Fernandez is slated to make a big leap in the fall as a graduate student. Castillo, who currently kicks for CFL’s Edmonton Elks, remembers that he didn’t feel comfortable with proper kicking technique until his third year at the college level.
“It wasn’t until my third year of college kicking that I didn’t have to think about technique because it felt more natural,” Castillo said. “I think as he kicks more, he won’t have to think about the technical part as well, and he’ll be more natural. That’ll allow him to flow more. I think he’s going to make a big jump this year.”
Playing college football at the Division I level and receiving a free education is already a dream come true for Fernandez, but he still has higher aspirations of kicking in the NFL or CFL. If he keeps developing at this rate — and especially if he starts knocking through kicks from 60 yards out — those lofty goals could very well be realized soon.
“It just shows that can happen when one is willing to do whatever it takes,” Castillo said.
- Contact Riley Overend at 662-581-7237 or roverend@gwcommonwealth.com. Follow @OverendOut on Twitter.
