Long before his final three field goal attempts of 2024 went awry, Tulane kicker Patrick Durkin overcame a pair of maladies that stunted his development.

He is eager to show what he can do when he is not weighed down by physical problems and should get plenty of opportunities on Saturday against Northwestern as the Green Wave’s clear No. 1 on extra points, field goals and kickoffs.

His only potential competition—rocket-legged freshman St. Martins product Cooper Helmke—hardly has kicked since sustaining a leg injury a week before the start of preseason camp.

“I feel really good,” said Durkin, a sophomore former walk-on from Plainfield, Illinois who earned a scholarship in the offseason. “I’m finally healthy this year, and I’m kicking the best I have in my life to be honest.”

Last year t

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