SLIPPERY ROCK — C.J. Bahr came to Slippery Rock University carrying the recognizable name of a placekicker.

He's leaving having proven he deserved it.

The son and nephew of longtime NFL kickers Chris and Matt Bahr, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound senior tied Morgan Anderson's SRU career field goal record Saturday.

Bahr's 37-yard boot, which gave The Rock a 38-35 lead over C.W. Post, was the 35th field goal of his career.

“What's impressive about C.J.'s total is that he didn't have any playoff games,” SRU coach George Mihalik said. “Morgan Anderson kicked in five or six playoff games here.”

Bahr missed two games this season with a thigh injury or he would have surpassed Anderson's mark.

He'll settle for a tie.

“Are you kidding? I didn't even know about that record,” Bahr said. “I was never a starter in high school. I was the junior varsity kicker as a sophomore and junior and split varsity time my senior year.”

Bahr never kicked a football in an organized game until his sophomore year in high school. He comes from a soccer background, having played that sport since he was a child.

Casey Bahr, C.J.'s uncle, was a U.S, Olympic soccer player. His grandfather, Walter Bahr, is a former head soccer coach at Penn State and Temple and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Now that his college football career is over, Bahr is hopeful his football career isn't.

“I believe I can play at the next level. In fact, I know I can,” Bahr said. “But it's not up to me. Someone else has to believe I can do the job.

“I don't know if (his father and uncle) have any connections that could land me a shot. We've never talked about it because it would have served as a distraction to my kicking here. Maybe we'll talk about it now.”

Bahr connected on 19-of-25 field goal attempts the past two seasons, including a game-tying 47-yarder late in regulation against West Chester that led to an overtime win this year.

Bahr hit a school-record 50 PATs in 53 attempts during his freshman season. His streak of 65 consecutive PATs shattered the previous school record of 38, set by Ed Kelly in 1973-74.

“When it comes to consistency, C.J. is leaving here as the best kicker to come through The Rock,” Mihalik said.

“When the game was on the line, C.J. was at his best.”

Carrying a 3.77 grade-point average as a sports management major, Bahr has aspirations of getting into facility operations for a Major League Soccer franchise.

But if a football opportunity comes calling, he'll answer.

“If I was invited to a tryout for the Pittsburgh arena team, I'd go give it a shot,” he said. That's a far cry from where Bahr was after his freshman year at SRU, when he nearly gave up football.

“I was going to quit the team, but our special teams coach (Rob Keys) wouldn't let me,” Bahr said, laughing. “I said I was quitting and he said no.

“The whole experience here my first year was a bit overwhelming. Doing the class work, the football practices — it was harder to handle than I thought it would be. ... But I'm glad I stuck it out.”

So is Mihalik.

“C.J.'s leg strength got better every year because he never quit working at it,” the coach said. “He didn't let his last name do the work for him.”

Slippery Rock University senior C.J. Bahr is graduating as one of The Rock’s best placekickers:• Bahr, Morgan Anderson, Ed Kelly and Ryan Daniel are the only SRU kickers to accumulate at least 100 extra points and 20 field goals at The Rock.• Bahr kicked 35 career field goals at SRU, tying Anderson’s school record.• Bahr’s school-record 65 consecutive PATs are 27 better than Kelly’s previous mark of 38.• Bahr kicked four field goals of 46 yards or longer, including a career-best 48-yarder last year vs. Mercyhurst.• Bahr connected on 19 of his 25 field goal attempts during his final two seasons. He hit 99 of his final 102 PAT attempts.