Luis Rodriguez is making waves as Kansas State’s new kicker, but his path to a college football field almost never happened. For much of his life, football wasn’t even on the radar.
Before the 2025 college football season kicks off in Dublin, Ireland, with a highly anticipated “Farmageddon” matchup against Iowa State, let’s take a look at Rodriguez’s football past.
A Soccer Household and a New Opportunity
Growing up in a soccer-driven household, Rodriguez’s future seemed destined to revolve around the sport his entire family loved. Yet, despite his growing passion for kicking, one obstacle stood in his way early on: his mother’s hesitation about his pursuing football.
Rodriguez‘s love for soccer began when he was just 2 years old. Like many in his family, the sport was more than just a pastime; it was a way of life. The Rodriguez household and extended family were deeply invested in the game, and naturally, Luis followed the same path.
“This is what I dreamed of. Now I’m living it.”
Last year, Luis Rodriguez was kicking at College of the Canyons. On Saturday, he makes his Division I debut in Dublin. Some at K-State call him a blessing.
He arrived at K-State just in time.
STORY COMING THURSDAY pic.twitter.com/fDNK7NtFhR
— D. Scott Fritchen (@DScottFritchen) August 20, 2025
It wasn’t until high school that football entered the picture. During his sophomore year, while attending soccer practice, Rodriguez crossed paths with a football coach who was temporarily filling in as a soccer coach. That encounter became a turning point.
“The football coach asked me, ‘Have you ever thought about kicking?'” Rodriguez recalled. “My mom never loved all the contact and injuries with football. He said, ‘You should think about it. I think it’s something you could excel at.'”
The idea was intriguing. Still, the challenge wasn’t whether Rodriguez could do it but whether he could convince his mother to let him try.
Why His Mother Said No to Football
For Rodriguez’s mom, the answer was simple: safety. Football, with its reputation for heavy contact and injuries, wasn’t something she wanted for her son. She envisioned soccer as the safer, smarter choice. Like many parents, her concern was protecting him from the dangers that come with pads and collisions.
However, Rodriguez found a way to bridge the gap as a kicker. Unlike most positions on the football field, kickers experience far less physical contact, making the role a compromise that ultimately won his mother over. After persistent conversations and reassurance, she agreed to let him give it a shot.
Rodriguez started kicking part-time during his sophomore year, before committing fully to football as a junior. Once he made the leap, he never looked back.
Rising Through the Ranks
The decision paid off. Rodriguez thrived as a kicker, eventually earning a spot at the College of the Canyons, where he became one of the top specialists in the country.
In 2024, he led the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) in field goals made and attempted, connecting on 21 of 25 kicks with a long of 54 yards. He also converted 31 of 34 extra points, establishing himself as the premier kicker in the state.
Portal Update: College of the Canyons kicker Luis Rodriguez is transferring to Kansas State.
One of the top JUCO kickers in the 2026 class, Rodriguez went 21-for-25 on FGs and 31-for-34 on PATs, totaling 94 points in 2024. pic.twitter.com/qc450Q5WYI
— Kansas Sports Central (@KSSCentral) June 30, 2025
His efforts earned him All-America recognition from the California Community College Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA), as well as multiple first-team honors across the SCFA and Region III. Recruiting services ranked him among the top community-college kickers in the nation.
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Now at Kansas State, Rodriguez is poised to bring his accuracy and poise to the Wildcats. What began as a mother’s protective “no” has transformed into a career built on persistence, compromise, and talent.
For Luis Rodriguez, the journey serves as a reminder that sometimes the hardest battles are fought off the field and that family support can be the key to unlocking unexpected opportunities.
