{"id":892008,"date":"2026-09-11T17:24:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T17:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/892008\/"},"modified":"2026-09-11T17:24:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T17:24:13","slug":"hogan-the-kick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/892008\/","title":{"rendered":"Hogan: The Kick"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Lirim\u2019s Hajrullahu\u2019s right foot connected with the football, it was quieter than usual at Hamilton Stadium. Tiger-Cat fans were anticipating a possible return by Isaiah Wooden Sr., should the ball go wide. Toronto Argonaut fans were holding their breath, hoping that they weren\u2019t about to see a rerun of a kick toward those same goalposts that occurred five games prior to this Labour Day Classic.<\/p>\n

Adam Guillemette\u2019s snap was perfect, as was James Burnip\u2019s hold. It was obvious as soon as the ball was kicked that covering the 52 yards between the kicking block and the uprights was not going to be a problem. It wasn\u2019t long after that it was apparent the ball was going to go as straight as the uprights it was about to travel between.<\/p>\n

The field goal attempt was good; the demon that had haunted the south end zone of Hamilton Stadium had been exorcised. <\/p>\n

Related Content<\/p>\n

It was Hajrullahu\u2019s first game with the Argos since July 18, a painful one-point loss where the kicker missed a conversion attempt and a potential 31-yard game-winning field goal, both in the fourth quarter, both toward those previously possessed posts. <\/p>\n

He may have been the only one that didn\u2019t see Monday\u2019s moment of redemption as dramatic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think much of it,\u201d Hajrullahu told Argonauts.ca. \u201cThe whole game plan for me mentally was having my thought process for the field goal. It didn\u2019t matter how far it was, it didn\u2019t matter which way it was; it was just going through my thought process.\u201d<\/p>\n

The extended layoff between kicks was mentally difficult for Hajrullahu, who had to deal with an injured hamstring after the July disappointment. It meant he couldn\u2019t come back the next game to redeem himself, he had to wait, and wait, and wait for another opportunity.<\/p>\n

That part of the rehabilitation was the hardest for the Western University product.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was tough, tough mentally for sure,\u201d he admitted. \u201cBut I knew If I could mentally lock in once I was ready and healthy, that I\u2019d be able to prove myself again.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The July outing wasn\u2019t the first time Hajrullahu had a memorable game for the wrong reason. In October 2015, in just his second pro season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he missed four field goals and a conversion in a one-point loss to Edmonton.<\/p>\n

He learned from that disastrous outing and has rebounded to have a stellar CFL career, mixed with a couple of NFL and USFL seasons. He\u2019s also coming off the best back-to-back seasons of any kicker in Argonaut history. It\u2019s a long way from his Bomber days, but he\u2019s learned from every missed kick along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe misses that we make, we categorize into what fashion they happened,\u201d he explained. \u201cI think that\u2019s the maturity part of the whole scenario. Why did I miss? Was it physical? Was it mental? Was it technical? Was it team? Was it wind? Was it environmental? How were you distracted? There are seven different aspects that I look at. I think that plays a huge role in diagnosing the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since he was in high school, Hajrullahu had someone in his life to help him assess what he was doing correctly, and how to improve upon things that needed some work. But that security blanket isn\u2019t around anymore, as Ken Urquhart, known simply as \u201cCoach Kick,\u201d passed away this spring after a too-quick battle with cancer. <\/p>\n

Even though he\u2019s not around physically, the influence the coach had on the player remains strong.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI have so many videos,\u201d said a suddenly smiling Hajrullahu, remembering his friend and mentor. \u201cI have so many notes; he used to always say \u2018Write this down Lirim, write this down.\u2019 That was a huge part of it too, what would Coach be telling me in this scenario? It\u2019s going back to basics, checking my stance in terms of where I am in the process. How am I rotating? Am I relaxed? All the nuances of kicking; looking at old videos, looking at old notes. If he was here, what would he tell me? I just want to make him proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no question \u201cKick\u201d would have been happy with his prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u2019s day of redemption. Hajrullahu was rewarded after the win with a game ball, and the gratitude of the entire Argonaut family. <\/p>\n

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