Junior Antonio Chadha handles both kickoff and placekicking duties for Western Illinois. The Pennsylvania native is one of 35 kickers named to the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Dan Verdun
MACOMB – Western Illinois kicker Antonio Chadha and special teams coordinator Joshua Caraway first bonded over WWE.
A year later, they have forged a successful connection that has translated into Chadha developing into one of the top kickers in FCS.
“It was WrestleMania at this time last year, and we started talking about that,” Chadha told Prairie State Pigskin. “Now, there’s obviously the onfield connection too.”
Caraway, in his second season as a WIU assistant, sees parallels between professional wrestling and kicking.
“You kind of have to be a part of the spectacle, right?” he said. “And when it comes down to kicking, especially in college, you’re a part of that spectacle. I don’t feel like there’s any other position where you’re on a pedestal, just isolated like that.
“Obviously, quarterbacks are out there every single play, but I think a kicker especially is the one position where you’re expected to go out there every single time, every single night, and basically be perfect because that’s what your job is. It’s very similar to a wrestler who goes out there on a Friday night or Monday night.”
Chadha performed quite well in the spotlight last season. Handling both kickoff and placekicking duties, the Pennsylvania native made 15 of 19 field goal attempts with a long of 50 yards.
Earlier this week, Chadha was one of 35 kickers named to the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Placekicker Award Watch List.
“To see Antonio progress here at Western has been a very exciting thing to be a part of,” Caraway said.
Chadha’s success also plays into playcalling decisions for head coach Joe Davis.
“We use it as a philosophy in the quarterback room saying, ‘Hey, once you get into the red zone, we’ve got three points in our pocket. From a decision-making standpoint, let’s not make an ill-advised decision,’” Davis said. “Let’s not take points off the board. We’ve got one of the best field goal kickers, certainly in the conference, maybe in the country.”
From the depths of despair
Chadha was a first-team all-state selection at St. Joseph’s Prep in Pennsylvania. He then spent time at Rutgers and Western Kentucky. However, he did not get any playing time at either FBS school.
“Having to face the reality that you’re not that guy (who plays) really sucks,” Chadha said, “but I never stopped believing in myself. I never lost confidence. I knew I could play Division I football. I just really needed an opportunity.”
That opportunity came after Caraway reached out to colleagues in the coaching ranks as well as reviewing Chadha’s video.
There was also a conversation between Chadha and tight end Alex Williams, a former Western Kentucky teammate who also transferred to WIU.
“I didn’t really have a lot of opportunities, but Coach Caraway gave me a call, and we kind of clicked right away,” Chadha said.
That relationship was solidified when he and his mother visited the WIU campus.
“I committed on the spot in his office,” Chadha said. “To have a coach believe in you after everything you’ve been through — multiple schools, multiple trials and failures — that really means the world to me.”
In turn, Chadha puts his faith in Caraway and Davis.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say that these coaches really saved my career because I wouldn’t be anywhere if it weren’t for them. They put their jobs on the line for me,” he said.
Living in the present
Both Caraway and Chadha know kickers are only as good as their last kick.
“I always say that Division I kickers are here because they’ve got the talent and oftentimes have trained for years to get to this level,” Caraway said. “I don’t try to change anything that these specialists have done in their training up to this point, but I try to guide them in the right direction.”
Caraway, who also coaches tight ends and coordinates WIU recruiting, stresses the mental aspects of successful performance.
“That’s a pivotal role I have for any of my guys,” he said, “to get them in the right headspace regardless of what happened.”
That includes last August when Chadha became the first Leatherneck since 2017 to kick two field goals of more than 40 yards in a game or whether he shanks one.
“The most important kick is that next one,” Caraway said.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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