When sports fans talk about the game of football, most will talk about the quarterback dropping back and throwing downfield, running backs finding holes and busting loose downfield, or the defense getting sacks and interceptions.

These are the plays that make the highlight reel.

But you cannot forget the special teams, especially the kicker. Yes, the kicker. The kicker is a vital part of the offense.

Bad memories haunt the kicking position. Most people remember the bad things, like Scott Norwood of the Buffalo Bills. Norwood?s game-winning 47-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right with seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants.

The kicker is involved in every score, either by kicking a field goal or an extra point.

Jimmy Sanchez, Sacramento State?s kicker did just that in the first half of Saturday night?s game against Idaho State University. Sanchez, a senior, took over the kicking job after the first game against St. Mary?s College.

Sanchez handled the punting duties as well. Switching from freshman Paul Kerr, who missed two field goals against St. Mary?s, to Sanchez has seem to be the right move for the Hornets.

“Jimmy has done some amazing things,” Sac State head coach John Volek said.

In the first half, Sanchez got the Hornets on the scoreboard first, with a 36-yard field goal. Sanchez also sent the Hornets into the locker room up 27-7 with a field goal to end the half. Sanchez also punched in three extra points.

“It?s always great to contribute for the team,” said Sanchez, who accounted for nine points Saturday. “We wanted to put (Idaho State?s) back against the wall. Everyone was out there to win.”

Sanchez was also doing it on the defensive side as well.

In the first quarter, the Hornets were forced to punt the ball twice. Sanchez came in and booted the ball downfield for two great punts. His first punt was 65 yards and resulted in a touchback, while his second punt went 47 yards, forcing the Bengals to start at its own 13-yard line.

For the game, Sanchez punted six times for 267 yards. He also forced Idaho State to start inside its own 20-yard line three times.

“Field position is big,” Volek said. “He got us good field position.”

Sac State?s offense slowed down in the second half, forcing Sanchez to get out of the rhythm he had in the first half.

“I was feeling it in the first half,” Sanchez said. “There is a certain rhythm, it slowed down.

“As Sac State?s offense slowly rolled to a stop in the second half, it took an immediate effect on Sanchez and his rhythm.

Sanchez missed the extra point on Sac State?s lone touchdown of the second half and, late in the game, he missed a chance to put the game out of reach for the Bengals.

With 1:12 remaining, Sanchez missed a 39-yard field goal. But it did not come back to hurt the Hornets, as the defense forced a fumble to end the game.

“It was a lack of focus (in the second half),” Sanchez said. “I was on a hot streak and I let down.”

Sanchez?s two field goals quite possibly made the difference in the game, but all Sanchez wants to do is contribute to the team no matter if he is the kicker and punter or just the punter.

“There are three kickers on the team,” Sanchez said. “If one is doing better, you can?t let your pride get in the way.”