Rodrigo Blankenship dons pink cleats every Saturday and these special cleats are well on their way to helping him get into the Georgia Bulldogs’ record books.

 

Blankenship is on pace to break Bulldogs’ legend Kevin Butler’s record of touchbacks in a season with 51. As of right now, Blankenship has 37 touchbacks and still has five more games to go to break this record. Moreover, with the way the Bulldogs have been able to score points and Blankenship’s consistency in kickoffs, this record should be in the bag.
 
 
Rodrigo’s ability to keep opposing teams from returning the ball has been a huge help for the Bulldogs that may not be as readily apparent as a long touchdown or an interception, but it has definitely played a large role in the team’s success. If Blankenship is able to continue to have the same success, then he will continue to give opponents tough starting field position and keep some of college football’s best returners at bay.
 
 
One aspect of Blankenship’s kicking game that is really near and dear to his heart is his in-game cleats, which are bright pink. Blankenship first came across these cleats during the 2010 World Cup and seven years later, they are very hard to find. This struggle to find them has forced Blankenship to make sure to try to manage the upkeep of these shoes.
 
 
Blankenship has worn these shoes in every game he has played in during his time at the University of Georgia so they clearly have significant value to him. And he showed that he holds these cleats in high regard because they were not simply given to him by the university, but Rodrigo earned them and purchased them on his own.
 
 

“Well, the way I look at it, when you’re just given something, you don’t value it as much as when you work for it and earn,” said Blankenship. “You just get that rewarding feeling that you got them yourself.”

 
 
The rewarding feeling that Blankenship gets from earning something on his own could come to fruition even more if he is able to break Butler’s record and continue to kick the ball out the back of the end zone.
 
 
https://soundcloud.com/user-197203470/rodrigo-blankenship-post-practice-interview-october-24-2017
 
 
 

 
 
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