Kicker Kenny Doak works out during a University of Maine football practice in October 2018. In consecutive weeks that season, Doak nailed game-winning field goals on the final play. Mike Lowe photo

Senior kicker Kenny Doak, whose two winning field goals in 2018 helped propel the University of Maine to the national semifinals, has entered the NCAA’s transfer portal as a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.

Kenny Doak

Doak, 21, announced his intention on Twitter Tuesday afternoon. He is seeking to play in a Football Bowl Subdivision program with the hopes of eventually kicking in the NFL.

“I’m just looking to go anywhere that will give me a shot,” said Doak, who will graduate from UMaine in December with a degree in kinesiology.  “I want to take my talents to the next level. So I have decided to not play this spring here in Maine. It’s best to move one, find a new home, get comfortable somewhere else this spring and focus on my future.”

Doak, who is from Perkasie, Pennsylvania, had nothing but good things to say about the UMaine program. After struggling as a freshman, hitting just 3 of 5 field-goal attempts, he improved as a sophomore in 2018 and provided two huge kicks in Maine’s 10-4 season that ended in a Colonial Athletic Association championship and in the national Football Championship Subdivision semifinals. On back-to-back weeks, he kicked game-winning field goals on the last play of the game: a 52-yarder to beat Villanova 13-10 and a 39-yarder to beat Rhode Island 38-36.

“I like to think is a team sport and I had my chance to win the game for my team,” he said. “But I can’t do it without the guys up there in Orono and the coaches. Everyone had a big impact on me even getting a shot. I’m very humbled and blessed that I even got a shot. Some guys don’t get a chance in four years.

“Honestly, I can’t say enough about how thankful I am for Coach (Nick) Charlton and Coach (Jared) Keyte for developing me as a player and giving me the opportunity to play for three years here.”

Charlton said Doak left his mark on the program.

“Kenny had a very large impact for a number of years here,” said Charlton. “I have a lot of respect for Kenny and his family and I respect his decision and wish him nothing but the best.”

Doak was successful on 28 of 44 field-goal attempts at Maine and 89 of 96 PAT kicks. He was 14 of 21 in field goals in 2019 and 40 of 40 in PAT attempts.

Charlton said the Black Bears, who have three kickers left on their roster, will move quickly to replace him.

“We have some guys internally that we’ll look at and we’ll also look externally at bringing in kicker,” he said. “We’ll explore the (transfer) portal as well.”