It all begins with the glare. No smile, just a scowl. It's the game face of senior Ray Farmer, a face opposing collegiate kickers have seen often.
Just ask Clemson's Nelson Welch. He got an up-close look at Farmer's game face when the safety blocked his punt with 3:37 left in last year's game. The ensuing loose ball rolled into the end zone where Farmer fell on top of it, giving Duke a 19-13 lead it would not relinquish. It happened so fast, Duke head coach Fred Goldsmith never saw it.
"The first time I saw that play was on film," Goldsmith said. "I was getting ready for the next offensive series. Then I heard the roar of the crowd and saw Ray fall on the ball in the end zone. I missed one of the greatest plays of the season."
Blocking kicks has become Farmer's forte over the past two seasons. Last year, he led the team with three blocked kicks, including two in the Clemson game. The year before he set an NCAA record with five blocked extra points. But even though Duke students start cheering "Farmer! Farmer!" whenever an opponent is about to punt or kick a field goal, he gives credit to the coaches for his recent success.
"I'm a benefactor of a good system," Farmer said. "Coaches set it up so that I can do nothing but good. If I don't block it, then I did my job by forcing the kick. With the schemes we have, I can't do anything but succeed."
That certainly is true. Farmer has steadily improved his game over the past three years since he came out of Glenn High School in Kernersville. There, he was a two-sport star in baseball and football, good enough in the former to be drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 1992 draft.
When he arrived in Durham, Farmer's main goal was to start at football. While he didn't achieve that goal, he did get playing time as the back-up tight end. But the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Farmer isn't built like the prototypical tight end, so his sophomore year, he switched to safety. That year, along with succeeding on special teams, Farmer tallied 68 tackles as he garnered third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors.
During those first two seasons, Farmer also played for the Duke baseball team. As a youngster, Farmer would play the national pastime from January though August, and then, come football season, drop the baseball for the pigskin. So it was only natural that when he came to college, he would try both sports.
"He's tremendously gifted," head baseball coach Steve Traylor said. "He has outstanding power, and all the tools that pro scouts are looking for. He just hasn't played enough to be considered a great player."
Traylor was also impressed by Farmer's attitude. Here was this player, good enough as a high school player to be drafted, and he was riding the pine because of lack of experience. Many players would complain. Not Ray.
"He wasn't a full time player, but he never questioned it," Traylor said. "He just had a great attitude."
Farmer's junior year brought in Goldsmith and a new attitude to the football program. The new head coach was immediately impressed with his starting safety, comparing him to current Denver Bronco Steve Atwater. Farmer bettered his sophomore success by earning first-team All-ACC honors and third-team All-American honors. But still, Goldsmith didn't think he had realized his full potential.
"I'm not sure he really understood what he could do with his ability," Goldsmith said.
At the end of last season, Farmer hurt his shoulder. He opted for surgery, thus erasing the possibility of playing baseball. It's a move he never regretted.
"As far as missing baseball, it was rough, but it wasn't that bad," Farmer said. "My freshman summer I played baseball all summer, but my sophomore summer I tailed off and didn't play that summer. I've tried to ease back from it early on so it wasn't as much of a shock."
For the first time in a while, Farmer's shoulder is pain-free. And having to rehabilitate his injured limb over the summer forced Farmer to better his work habits.
"I think the injury helped me a lot," Farmer said. "It gave me a lot more confidence in my shoulder. I think it made a great difference with me working out this summer and this spring. I came into camp in a lot better shape.
Traylor said no Duke athlete worked harder over the summer and the spring than Farmer. And Goldsmith said Farmer's biggest change was his maturity level.
The next question looming for Farmer will be whether he will return to the baseball diamond this spring. Farmer said he misses the game and wants to play if Traylor will take him back.
"I'd take Ray back in a heartbeat," Traylor said. "How can you turn down a kid like that?"
Goldsmith said Farmer is now mature enough to have a successful spring in baseball while, at the same time, working out for pro football scouts. But Farmer isn't thinking about baseball just yet. He's confident with the way his life is going at the moment.
"I have a lot more things in order," Farmer said. "I have a set routine right now. I know what I need to do and I know where I need to go."
Where Farmer wants to end up is the list of first-team All-Americans. It would complete his ascension from back-up tight end to safety supreme.
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