Wesley Wells Walks On....To The Big Stage.
Tech Freshman Gives The Offense A Jolt With His Precise Placekicking
Sherri Wells is one proud Mom. And why not? Her son Wesley ascended to the starting position as placekicker at Georgia Tech 2 weeks ago and his star is on the rise.
Wesley, a freshman from Lumpkin County, wears #38 for the White and Gold. He won the team kicking competition held in practice 2 weeks ago after Coach Paul Johnson re-opened the position to address prior inconsistencies. Wells, who had arrived on campus just several months earlier, outperformed the two players who had kicked last year–and so he won the job just prior to the home game against Bowling Green.
To say Wesley Wells has seized this opportunity would be like calling the Grand Canyon a ditch in the desert. His first game coincided with a big outburst from Tech’s offense, producing 9 touchdowns. Wells hit all 9 PAT’s. A week later, in a nationally–televised game against Louisville, the Yellow Jackets again found the end zone 9 times and again, Wells nailed all 9 extra points. He also hit a 40-yard field goal for good measure, giving him a total of 21 points scored in just two games. Heady stuff for the freshman from Dahlonega.
On speaking with his Mom, Sherri, you’ll learn 2 things pretty quickly about Wesley Wells. One, she is very proud of her son as a disciplined, driven college student who just happens to be a very good kicker. And two, Wesley’s kicking skills are not an overnight phenomenon. During his high school years, she says ” We took him to every kicking camp there was”. Those camps ranged from Florida to New York , including schools like Cornell and Penn, among others. One camp in Birmingham lasted 4 weeks. But it was during a visit to Western Carolina last winter , she says, that Wesley was contacted about considering Georgia Tech–a very exciting prospect since Wesley had followed Tech all through his formative years. Plus there are Tech grads in the Wells’ extended family, Sherri said And, really, he just liked what the place was all about.
Significant in that step toward Tech was Wesley’s selection to a Georgia High School Elite team at McEachern High School in December 2017 following his senior year with Coach Williamson at Lumpkin County. He performed very well there, hitting several 50-plus yard kicks. That was a month or two before he was asked to walk on at the Flats. Add another few months, and one open competition, and here is Wesley Wells starting for the Yellow Jackets.
Wesley grew up playing soccer. He was not permitted to play full contact football until 9th grade, but still he kicked well enough to win the varsity job at Lumpkin County High School as a sophomore. He had a fine career at LCHS, though his Mom points out he does not hold the school record for longest field goal (50 yards), only the 2nd, 3rd and 4th longest. Too, she says, he’s a very good all- around athlete.
And notably, she says Wesley has always been an even-tempered young man. He doesnt get too high or too low, which is an invaluable mindset for a placekicker.
That very quality made a strong impression on Tech Coach Paul Johnson, who said of Wesley ” He’s my kind of kicker….he doesn’t get too excited . He just takes care of business.” That’s music to the ears of Tech fans, who fondly remember the halcyon days of Harrison Butker, now kicking for the Chiefs in the NFL.
And while Sherri laughingly acknowledges her strong maternal pride, she wants us all to know that Wesley prioritizes his studies and fully realizes the value of the education he’s getting at Tech. Currently he’s managing 5 classes she says, and doing especially well with calculus and economics.
Sherri and Wesley’s father Eddie have found great joy in following Wes’ football exploits. She says “It’s an exciting time for our family”. The plane trip to Louisville last week was Wesley’s first game on the travel squad . She surprised her son by showing up unannounced to see him off as the team was departing the campus for the Atlanta airport. The family road trip to Louisville was one big happy adventure they will remember forever.
And now, like any other Tech fan, Sherri is eager to see Wesley and his teammates take on Duke this weekend in Atlanta. That will be another Coastal division game, against a tougher opponent, so the stakes are higher for Tech. And that suits Wesley Wells just fine.
Captions:
1) Wesley Wells, Tech’s new placekicker, drills another extra point against Bowling Green . Wells was 9 for 9 on his debut day.
2) Tech placekicker Wesley Wells is greeted by his mother Sherri (wearing his #38) on the team walk-up prior to game time vs Bowling Green at Bobby Dodd Stadium. 2 weeks ago. Wells hit all 9 of his PAT’s in his first game as starter.(photo Teri Kimmel)
3) Wells is flanked by his parents Sherri and Eddie in Louisville following the Yellow Jackets’ 66-31 romp over Louisville Friday night. Wells hit 9 of 9 PAT’s and a 40 yard field goal.(photo Sherri Wells)
4) The bright Saturday sun shone brightly at Bobby Dodd Stadium on a new starting placekicker ..and on his team. Tech steamrolled Bowling Green 63-17
Patrick Conarro
