Senior place-kicker Daniel Portillo set a program single-season record with 27 touchbacks in 2016. UTSA Assistant Athletics Communications Director Tony Baldwin caught up with Portillo to talk with him about pursuing a Ph.D. and the strategy behind kicking off.
Baldwin: You graduated from UTSA with a bachelor's degree last May. Now you are pursing a Ph.D. in engineering. Can you describe what it's like to be playing football and going to classes as a doctoral student?
Portillo: It's a little bit different. My full-time class load is nine hours. It would appear as I would have more time outside of class, but that's not the case. For example, last week I had an assignment that was five questions, but it took my eight hours to do.
Baldwin: How would you describe the life of a kicker?
Portillo: We usually get out to practice before everyone else because we want to get on the field and get warmed up for the day. It's kind of like golf. You have to get your swing figured out for the day. Once the whole team comes out, we start with special teams. After that, we move over to a side field and do the rest of our drills for the duration of practice.
Baldwin: Are you surprise by the team's success this season?
Portillo: I'm not surprised. You can look around and see how calm and relaxed everyone is. I've noticed the level of confidence everyone has this year.
Baldwin: Your collegiate debut was the first game at Houston's new stadium in 2014. You were tapped to kick off in that game because former Roadrunner Sean Ianno was not cleared yet. What do you remember about that moment?
Portillo: I got the call the Thursday night before the game that I would kick off. I had been practicing and I was excited for my chance. I go out to kick off and go through my procedure and set the ball down. I remember standing out there for about two minutes just waiting the go-ahead whistle. Since it was the first game in that stadium it was deafening.
Baldwin: Last season, you set the program record with 27 touchbacks. How would you describe the strategy in kicking off?
Portillo: As far as our kickoff strategy goes, it's as high and as far as I can get it. There's a certain amount of hang time that gives our guys a chance to be inside the 20. When I go out to kick, I go through the same procedures I do in practice.
Baldwin: What is like to line up for that first kick off, along side your teammates?
Portillo: It's always exciting. We always try to kick off first, because that's who we are. It's special to open the game up when everyone is amped up. I try not to get too excited. When we came out against Southern, and I saw the new introduction, I couldn't help but get excited.
Baldwin: How did you decide to become a kicker?
Portillo: I started kicking in fifth grade. I would go to the games and see the high school kicker, who was really good, and decided that's what I wanted to do. I developed through high school and started going to camps. I've been doing this for 11 years now.
Baldwin: You kicked a career-long 51-yard field goal against Kansas State on Sept. 12, 2015. What do you remember about that moment?
Portillo: I had a bad game the week before, against Arizona. I came back and was trying to find out who I was spiritually at the time. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior the night before that game. I remember warming up and told the coaches I was good from 50. We set up from 51 and I made it.
Baldwin: Back in 2015, you tested a kicker simulator on campus. Can you tell us about that project?
Portillo: That project was really neat. When I got here as a freshman, I remember hearing about it. I became part of the engineering team. I got to help develop it from the engineering side and also tested it because of my kicking background. It was a a really neat experience.
Baldwin: Did you know immediately that you wanted to go into mechanical engineering at UTSA?
Portillo: I fell in love with math in third grade. Ever since seventh grade, I wanted to be an aerospace engineer. UTSA doesn't have an aerospace engineer program, but mechanical engineering is the closest thing to it. It can be used in all sorts of fields of engineering. I'm really happy that I ended up being a mechanical engineer.
Baldwin: What does the future hold for you then?
Portillo: That's a good question. It's hard to say now. I think being raised in a family where both of my parents are teachers, that's in my blood. I've always thought about being a professor or a teacher. In order for me to be the best at that I have to go and get work experience. I've always had an interest in wind energy, as well. I think I'm going to do research that can relate and be transferred into the wind energy field.
Portillo and the rest of the Roadrunners will host Southern Miss in the Conference USA opener at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Alamodome.
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