STANFORD UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 22, 2022

Joshua Karty

Postgame Media Conference

Stanford 15, Arizona State 14

Q. First of all, how does your leg feel?

JOSHUA KARTY: It feels good. A little tired, just like always after a game. Feels good, though.

Q. Big moment today. Homecoming always a special moment. Did you feel that you would make this big of an impact on homecoming Saturday?

JOSHUA KARTY: Sorry. Could you repeat that?

Q. Did you feel you would make this big of an impact on homecoming Saturday when you woke up this morning?

JOSHUA KARTY: Oh, I try to keep like the external like dynamics kind of out of my head, like in a game. It was nice that it was homecoming, but for me, when I woke up this morning it was another game to stay locked in as usual.

Obviously the difference was instead of waking up and walking down to the elevator, eating breakfast, going back to my room, doing nothing for a couple of hours, it was get up and go for earlier kickoff. So not much time to think about anything.

But just glad I could contribute to the team and get a great team win today.

Q. How does it feel to kind of be one of the most clutch players in the country? Also, how good is the leg from? I don't know if we got to see the ultimate range today.

JOSHUA KARTY: Yeah, no, it feels really cool when people come up to you and say you got this in your veins and stuff. It's a lot of fun. I kind of try to embrace it as much as possible. It helps the confidence for sure and just can't wait to get back out there next week against the Bruins.

And, yeah, the range question, if it's a dead day either direction, I can feel comfortable about getting the distance like pretty much every single time from 60, maybe low 60s depending on like the temperature and stuff.

Today going through the tunnel I felt comfortable, maybe 60, 65. And then the other direction, a little bit less, probably like 57, 58, which is why we had to pass up on that 61 at the end of the half. Hopefully we can showcase it sooner or later. More importantly, I'd rather win by multiple touchdowns at the end of the game.

But yeah, thank you.

Q. Two things. 7 for 7 over the course of the last couple of weeks or so, which is fantastic. However, there's also the other side that you had to be called on to kick seven field goals. How do you kind of balance that out a little bit about your success kicking the ball, but maybe the offense's problems may be punching it in for six?

JOSHUA KARTY: I think I heard a little of Lance's interview before this about having to be excited to play defense. I think that's really good because for me, when we're in the red zone or when we're inside the 35, 40, it's great, like time to kick a field goal.

But at the same time, I'm kind of split because I want the team's success. Like six points instead of three -- or seven instead of three. So I'd rather be in PATs, but at the same time, I'd rather be hitting field goals because field goals are fun. That's what I'm here for. That's what my job is.

Ultimately, I want the team's success, and six points is better than three points all the time. But on days like today and a week ago, just being ready no matter what if you're in their half of the field, it kind of helps success. Thank you.

Q. A second thing. Any of the five field goals today stand out more than any of the others?

JOSHUA KARTY: Yeah, I liked -- my favorite field goal was the last one, not because of kind of the game dynamics of being like the game winner, but I think it was the best hit of the day.

A couple of the hits -- I'm pretty critical, especially about myself. A couple of the hits, I think the second one -- the first one and the second one I wasn't very thrilled about, and the fourth one I wasn't very thrilled about.

But that's kind of my -- after each kick I analyze it and say I liked it, I didn't like it. Whether or not I made it, I analyze it a lot and then move on, but definitely the last one stuck out to me the most.

Q. Obviously, all five of your field goals today credit going to the long snapper and the holder as well. Just talk about the dynamic that you three as a trio have. Just talk about that.

JOSHUA KARTY: Yeah, I'm super lucky. Not every team has a snapper like Bailey on our team. I think he was perfect on laces every single time apart from being perfect on the spot for Sandy.

Bailey, what's great about what he can do is he can make Sandy's job super easy. I think today he made Sandy's holding job very easy. I don't want to take anything away from Sandy, but I'm really lucky to have the two of them in my unit, along with the other eight guys in protection, to make it easier for me.

Because hitting like the five field goals today, like it would be a lot harder if the ball is in a different spot every time and the timing of everything is different every time.

I'm just super fortunate to have them with me, and we're really close to each other off the field. To help create the trust between ourselves, and we all love each other. Thank you.

Q. Shaw just asked when he was in here with us the rhetorical question, is Joshua Karty the best kicker in America, and he said he might be there. Your reaction?

JOSHUA KARTY: Yeah, of course I believe I am the best kicker in America. I kind of have to. Even an unbiased view is I still think I am.

A lot of that is due to my coach, Coach Alamar. He kind of pulled me aside before the season and kind of reinforced why I'm here, who I am, and it kind of has helped me with my mentality a lot. Along with sports psychologists along the way.

Just to kind of reinforce that belief in yourself and that you can do anything when called upon.