After Learning from Craddock, Greene Set For Bigger Role in 2016
8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
By: Jake Spitz - Media Relations Student Assistant
Junior Adam Greene will be faced with the tough task of replacing his good friend and 2014 Lou Groza Award winner, Brad Craddock. The two developed a tight bond during their time together in College Park, and Greene is ready to take the lessons his award-winning pal taught him onto the field.
“It's an incredible opportunity,” Greene said. “I've been able to learn and grow under Brad, and not many guys have the opportunity to learn from a guy like him who was so successful on and off the field.”
On the field, Craddock showed Greene how to train and make the most out of every single day.
“The biggest thing I learned was going into practice with a plan and kicking with a purpose,” Greene explained. “Brad trained harder than anyone and it showed on the field.”
Craddock also taught Greene how to be a leader in the locker room and off the field as well.
“Brad had a big leadership role last year,” Greene said. “Watching him, you learn that your role as a kicker has a much bigger importance than you ever thought.”
Greene will look to emulate the leadership role Craddock had as he moves into the season.
“It's about working as hard as you can every day so the younger players can see what it's like to prepare and play at this level,” Greene added. “It's about being the best you can be and then helping younger guys along the way.”
Their bond was much bigger than football. The two kickers roomed together for the last year and a half Craddock was on campus and Greene said that experience gave him the opportunity to learn about more than just the game.
“Brad's the type of guy who will tell you things exactly how they are,” Greene said. “That's what you want. Whether it was kicking or life, he told me what I needed to hear and I learned from that.”
The two also spent a lot of time together working with former NFL kicker Matt Stover. Greene began with Stover when he was 12 and Craddock joined when he arrived in College Park.
“After working with Matt, Brad and I were brought up under the same 'school' of kicking,” he said. “We took the same approach and realized how big of an impact we had on the team.”
Greene and Craddock would analyze film on the field together throughout the course of the game. They would use a tablet to watch replays of their kicks from that game and help coach each other in between kicks.
Greene knows that even though Craddock has moved on from Maryland, the bond they created will last forever.
“I know that I can text him and say 'Hey, what was it like kicking at Penn State?' and he'll still tell me,” Greene explained. “He's one of my best friends and that's one of the greatest things about it. You make these friends and you always have them forever.”
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