Nov 5, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers kicker Daniel Carlson (38) lines up for a field goal during the fourth quarter against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Jordan Hare Stadium. The Tigers beat the Commodores 23-16. Photo Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
If you would’ve asked Daniel Carlson where he was going to go to college as a kid, Auburn wouldn’t have been mentioned.
“My mom and dad went to Alabama, so me and my younger brother (Anders) were brought up to dislike Auburn by our parents,” Carlson said.
Despite the distaste for the Tigers growing up, in a twist of fate, Gus Malzahn and his staff were spot on by recognizing the talent of the older Carlson brother after the rising high school senior was rated the top kicker at one of the country’s most prestigious kicking camps.
“I went to a kicking camp, Kohl’s Football Kicking Camp, in January 2012, and did really well,” Carlson recalled. “It was a two-day camp, and I got ranked No. 1. After they ranked me No. 1, the next day, Auburn called and said, ‘Hey, were interested in you’ and by the end of the week probably 10 schools had called me.”
After the Tigers, the first team to offer, reached out to Carlson, they got a visit. And that visit turned out to be a stepping-stone to what has been a marvelous collegiate career for the Colorado Springs, Colo., native.
Carlson holds 12 school records, including most field goals made (69) and most 50-yard field goals made (8). He ranks second on Auburn’s career scoring list (345). He’s been a Lou Groza Award finalist in back-to-back years, and his six field goals sparked a season-swinging win over LSU last year.
After debating whether or not to turn pro, Carlson’s decision to return to Auburn for his senior year was influenced by the chance to play with Anders, a highly-touted kicker himself who signed with the Tigers in February.
“Yeah, that was part of it,” Carlson said. “We never got the chance to do it in high school, to play on the same team, especially on a level like this. Hopefully, I’ll get to teach him a few things.”
Carlson is 19 field goals away from becoming the SEC’s all-time record holder in field goals made. But beating Alabama, which never offered him a scholarship, would be a perfect scenario to cap what Carlson hopes will be a championship season.
“Game-winner against Alabama would be pretty sweet,” he said. “But just a big season for this team. I think we look good this year.”
