Indoor football: Permian graduate makes IFL team

When Ryan Havens was playing college football at Baylor University, the longest trip the Bears took was to Seattle to face Washington State in a nonconference game during his senior season in 2006.

Seattle was just a layover Friday for the beginning of Havens' professional career with the Odessa Roughnecks.

The Baylor and Permian graduate will be on the field at 10:05 p.m. tonight when Odessa opens its 2008 Intense Football League season in Fairbanks, Alaska, against the hometown Grizzlies.

That is quite a long way from the Friday Night Lights of Ratliff Stadium and the Saturday afternoons along the Brazos at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to play in front of my family and friends," Havens said as he prepared for a 14-hour flight. "I've had to adjust to the indoor game, especially on kickoffs, because there is more strategy involved instead of just kicking it as far as you can. But I'm having fun and looking forward to helping the team."

Ironically, most of the preparation Havens has done for tonight's opener has been at Ratliff Stadium because Ector County Coliseum still is being used by the Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League.

Havens did have one opportunity to kick inside the building against CenTex in Odessa's 58-39 exhibition win on March 15. He converted four extra points and two field goals, but he was just short on a 64-yard field goal attempt.

Havens was handicapped on that 64-yard try because he was only able to take a two steps instead of his normal three steps because of the back wall of the end zone.

"He almost got it with just two steps, coming just two yards short," said Justin Silvas, Odessa's special teams coach. "If he's a yard closer and gets three steps, I think he makes it because it was right down the middle.

"Ryan has the chance to be the best kicker in the team's history, and we've had some pretty good kickers here in the past four years. If Ryan has a good year, there's no reason, with his leg, that he can't be kicking with an Arena League team or even get some looks from NFL teams."

Havens wasn't using his right foot to pursue a professional career. He played football and soccer at Permian, and he earned a scholarship to Baylor, where he earned a degree in business management in May 2007.

He kicked a career-long 49-yard field goal against Iowa State during the 2005 season, when he led Baylor in scoring with 70 points. He led the Bears in scoring as a senior in 2006 with 65 points, including 11-of-14 field goal attempts.

Havens participated in some workouts for professional scouts after the 2006 season, but he wasn't worried about the lack of interest and returned to the Permian Basin to go to work for WadeCo Specialties, his father's company that provides products for the oil and gas industry.

He was content to be using his college education and learning the business from the ground up when Odessa coach Chris Williams called and offered him a chance to kick again - this time indoors.

Havens jumped at the opportunity to get back into football, and Williams knew what a special talent he had the first time he saw him kick.

"Ryan is going to be a weapon for us," Williams said. "He's very accurate, which is the toughest transition for kickers to make from outdoor to indoor, and Ryan was drilling the ball down the middle from the start.

"He's got a very strong leg, so we can use him anywhere on the field. I know he didn't kick last year, but I think he's capable of playing at the next level, and I'm hoping that he has a very good year and catches someone's attention."

THE BASICS

>> Who: Ryan Havens.
>> Born: Oct. 28, 1984.
>> Hometown: Odessa.
>> Position: Place kicker.
>> Experience: Rookie.
>> College: Baylor University (played 2003-2006).
>> High school: Permian (varsity, 2001-2002).
>> Career highlights: Connected on 27 of 40 field goals during junior and senior season at Baylor. ... Kicked career-long 49-yard field goal against Iowa State on Oct. 10, 2005. ... Led Baylor in scoring in 2005 with 70 points and 2006 with 65 points. ... Holds District 3-5A record for career field goals with 20, including long of 43 yards.

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