Hey guys, as we all know Arizona added a kicker Ian Wagner from Illinois State, which will help steady the special teams game as we inch closer to the 2025 season. Throughout spring ball, UA has seen Michael Salgado-Medina taking field goals attempts and being used as the main punter during that time as well. Medina excelled as the punter but struggled on place kicking leaving the Wildcats looking for consistency in the kicking game.
Well, the team went into the portal and snagged Wagner, who while at Illinois State went 25 of 36 on field goal attempts with a career long of 47 yards. Overall, he had six field goals blocked in three seasons with the Redbirds. Out of the six blocked attempts four of them came last season.
I sat down with Wagner and got to know the new place kicker and see what made Arizona the perfect fit for him. Here's a (Q&A) from our conversation:
Q: Who was the first Arizona coach to reach out to you? What was that conversation like?
IW: The first conversation I had was with Coach Naivar. It was late at night so the conversation was quick , but he said that either I was coming to see him or he was going to come see me.
Q: On your visit to Tucson, what made you realize this was the place you want to be?
IW: Honestly, I already knew it was the best place to be. My family lives an hour away in Sierra vista. The staff had me sold before I got to campus and my family being there just added on to it.
Q: Why is coach Naivar the perfect special teams coach for you? What is that relationship like?
IW: Coach Naivar is a great guy with a lovely family and you can tell he wants to win. Winning comes first, but he always leaves time for jokes as well. The relationship is only going to continue to grow.
Q: Have you gotten a chance to talk to any teammates yet? And what was it like getting to hear their thoughts on the team?
IW: I haven’t talked to anyone on the team yet. I have kicked with the specialist room at some camps in the past but that is it. I know they have a talented room because I have seen it in person. I have no doubt it will be one of the most talented rooms in the country.
Q: What makes coach Brennan the right coach for you? And how did the team's culture play a role in you coming to Tucson?
IW: I listened to the coach's story and how he brought San Jose State to life and also saw the people he brought with him. He has 100% faith in his staff and expressed how excited they were to have me. I watched the team and how passionate they were to workout and to listen to other teammates speak. That’s what I’m excited about is creating a group of brothers that will last a lifetime.
Well, the team went into the portal and snagged Wagner, who while at Illinois State went 25 of 36 on field goal attempts with a career long of 47 yards. Overall, he had six field goals blocked in three seasons with the Redbirds. Out of the six blocked attempts four of them came last season.
I sat down with Wagner and got to know the new place kicker and see what made Arizona the perfect fit for him. Here's a (Q&A) from our conversation:
Q: Who was the first Arizona coach to reach out to you? What was that conversation like?
IW: The first conversation I had was with Coach Naivar. It was late at night so the conversation was quick , but he said that either I was coming to see him or he was going to come see me.
Q: On your visit to Tucson, what made you realize this was the place you want to be?
IW: Honestly, I already knew it was the best place to be. My family lives an hour away in Sierra vista. The staff had me sold before I got to campus and my family being there just added on to it.
Q: Why is coach Naivar the perfect special teams coach for you? What is that relationship like?
IW: Coach Naivar is a great guy with a lovely family and you can tell he wants to win. Winning comes first, but he always leaves time for jokes as well. The relationship is only going to continue to grow.
Q: Have you gotten a chance to talk to any teammates yet? And what was it like getting to hear their thoughts on the team?
IW: I haven’t talked to anyone on the team yet. I have kicked with the specialist room at some camps in the past but that is it. I know they have a talented room because I have seen it in person. I have no doubt it will be one of the most talented rooms in the country.
Q: What makes coach Brennan the right coach for you? And how did the team's culture play a role in you coming to Tucson?
IW: I listened to the coach's story and how he brought San Jose State to life and also saw the people he brought with him. He has 100% faith in his staff and expressed how excited they were to have me. I watched the team and how passionate they were to workout and to listen to other teammates speak. That’s what I’m excited about is creating a group of brothers that will last a lifetime.
