Duke kicker Todd Pelino uses ‘short memory’ to help win the NC State game

Just two weeks after he missed three kicks against SMU, Duke’s Todd Pelino played a key role in Saturday’s 29-19 victory over NC State.

Two weeks ago, Duke kicker [autotag]Todd Pelino[/autotag] experienced one of the worst feelings possible for his position.

The Blue Devils lost to a ranked SMU team in overtime after Pelino went 1/4 for the game. The third-year kicker missed an extra point, pulled a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter, and had a 30-yarder blocked on the final play of regulation during a game that needed extra time to decide.

Despite the performance, head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] never sounded anything other than confident in his kicker.

“I believe in Todd Pelino,” Diaz said after the game. “I would feel very comfortable putting him in that situation. I believe he would knock it right through the pipes.”

Well, wish granted and vision fulfilled during Saturday’s victory over the NC State Wolfpack. Pelino made all three of his extra-point efforts and made field goals of 50 and 49 yards during the 10-point win.

The first of those two kicks ensured the Blue Devils would score points after an early fumble, and the second made it a two-score game with 2:06 left to play. A miss would have set the Wolfpack up about 60 yards from the end zone with only seven points to make up, but Pelino instead knocked it through to effectively end the game.

“To play that position, you have to have a short memory,” Diaz said after Saturday’s win. “I’ve got 100% confidence, and our team does, in Todd and his ability, and we needed him tonight.”

Pelino is now 13/18 on the year, giving him a career percentage of 81.3%, with 27 conversions on his 28 extra-point attempts in 2024.