Alex Highsmith isn’t the only one who knows he can do more. Rookie punter Pressley Harvin is searching for consistency and knows how valuable his play is for the rest of the team. Talking with the media after Wednesday’s practice, Harvin assessed his rookie year.
“The biggest thing is the consistency is the key,” he said via Steelers.com. “I’ve got to do a better job for my teammates, put them in a better position as well as the defense put in a better field position battle.”
Harvin struggled in Monday’s win over Chicago. He averaged just 39.2 yards on five punts. While two landed inside the 20, he had two JV open-field punts. One that went just 32 yards and another that travelled 41, the last five or so yards aided by a friendly roll.
Punters are the first wave of defense and as Harvin mentioned, determine field position. On his two worst punts, the Bears started at their 48 and 36. The latter resulted in an end-of-half field goal to put the Bears on the board heading into the break.
Harvin went on to say the issues aren’t physical.
“The biggest things we’re just doing is breaking everything down a little bit more, making it a little bit more mental because the physical part is there. I believe 110% in myself that I can do that, the ability to do the job. The mental part is just continuing to get that mental block in my head. ‘I gotta produce, I gotta produce.’ And the more and more we do that in practice, the more and more better I’ll get.”
If Harvin’s issue is one of technique, which according to him, it is, then it is a mental issue and not a physical one. Being a good specialist is all about finding consistency, having a repeatable stroke time and time again, just as a golfer needs in order to drive the fairway. He’ll need to find that mental sweet spot the rest of the season and become the weapon Pittsburgh drafted him to be. Harvin remains confident in his ability to turn things around.
“I tell myself every day, every time I wake up, every time I talk to my mom, they always tell me, God put me in this place for a reason. I was made for this. I’ve been able to have a decent career, up to this point to go and get me here. And I just got to continue to just build on that.”
