Prior to game-winning kick, Salisbury’s Mitch Jeter leaned on family, father to overcome injury

SALISBURY, N.C. — The Salisbury native boasts a field goal percentage of 100% in the year’s opening month, going 5-for-5 through the past two games of the College Football Playoffs.

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Perhaps the most dramatic occurred during the Capital One Orange Bowl, when Jeter nailed the game-winning kick to send Notre Dame to the National Championship.

The moment was years in the making.

“He was a soccer star that really moonlighted as a kicker,” said Dan Orner, a Charlotte-based kicking consultant and coach of 20 years.

Orner began his work with Jeter while he was a student at Cannon School in Concord.

“He and I kicked one February going into his senior year, when it really starts to get important,” he said. “From a technical standpoint, a mental standpoint, he just really turned the corner.”

The Notre Dame graduate senior found himself figuratively backed into a corner when he suffered a groin injury in the first half of the season.

His father said Jeter previously avoided major injuries and went from a highly touted NFL prospect to one whose stock was declining.

“We just knew he needed a chance to get back on the field, so we did everything possible. I was kind of the quarterback of his care,” said Dr. Andrew Jeter.

He owns Jeter Chiropractic Clinic in Salisbury.

Together with his wife and kicking coach Dan Orner, the three delivered added encouragement, coaching, and for Dr. Jeter, chiropractic care.

He traveled almost weekly, days in advance of the game, to work on his son.

“He never lost focus, but he was hurt,” Dr. Jeter said of son, Mitch.

“He was hurt, mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally from this injury,” he continued. “We just knew he needed a chance to get back on the field.”

Since his return, Mitch Jeter has earned a place in history.

Prior to his game-winning field goal in the semi-final game, kickers in the College Football Playoffs were 0-4 on go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter.

“I knew he was going to make it,” his father said.

“This kid is the one who wanted to be up at bat with two outs in the ninth inning. This is the kid that wanted to be standing over the putt, 20 feet for a state championship. This is the kind of mentality he has.”

The College Football Playoff national championship kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Atlanta. You can watch it on ESPN.

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