With the pressure high and the thanks low, the kicking game is a place at Iowa State that requires usually no name athletes to step into the spotlight.

Standing in that spotlight for Iowa State will be junior Grant Mahoney.

Mahoney, a Marion native, had an up-and-down 2009 campaign, which included having an extra point kick blocked against Kansas State and was 13-of-20 on field goal attempts. He was also 26-30 on point attempts after making all 33 of his tries in his freshman season.

“Grant has had a consistent camp,” said coach Paul Rhoads. “He’s kicking the ball off with more distance this year because he’s stronger.”

Rhoads said Mahoney’s distance on field goals has improved, too, giving the ISU offense greater confidence in the junior placekicker.

“When you’ve got a football team that worked that hard for 15 plays and comes away with nothing, you’ve got a group of guys that can get upset with ya, but he came through for them,” Rhoads said.

The coach said Mahoney’s improved confidence was even evident in practices during fall camp.

During the team’s final scrimmage Aug. 21, Rhoads said Mahoney made his kicks despite not warming up well.

“He hit two big field goals today,” Rhoads said, “which is good because he didn’t warm up very good, and sometimes when that gets in a kicker’s mind he can struggle for the length of the game. So I saw, today, a guy who could have come out and warmed up poorly and go kick in a game.”

There is a hole to fill in the kicking game, though.

The departure of Mike Brandtner, fifth all-time in ISU history for punting average, has left a hole at the punter position that will be filled by senior Daniel Kuehl or true freshman Kirby Van Der Kamp.

“It’s been a very heated race all throughout camp. Dan Kuehl is much improved to create that,” Rhoads said after the Aug. 21 scrimmage. Kuehl was Brandtner’s backup in 2009.

Rhoads said the team has coached Van Der Kamp differently than he was in high school, which has caused the youngster some trouble throughout camp.

“We do things a little bit differently than Kirby did in high school, which is creating different steps and things like that, and sometimes that transition takes a little bit when you’re a specialist like he is,” Rhoads said.

As of Monday, Aug. 30, Rhoads said Kuehl was the front runner, but no final decision had been made.

However, the return specialists were announced at Rhoads’ Monday, Aug. 30, news conference.

Cornerback Leonard Johnson and freshman running back Shontrelle Johnson will be sharing the kick returning duties, while sophomore wide receiver Josh Lenz will be handling punts for the Cyclones.

The decision was not made without some competition, though.

Rhoads said late in camp that the team had a whole host of options to fill the return positions.

“That’s a big positive that we’ve got a big group to choose from.”

Leonard Johnson was named a freshman All-American kick returner, a season that included a 319-yard performance against Oklahoma State.

Lenz had 20 returns for 96 yards as a freshman last season.