One for eight.

Oh, the irony in the ratio, one that equates to 12.5 percent.

A year ago, Elon University true freshman kicker John Gallagher began the season making just 1-of-8 field goal attempts.

Through two games this season, Elon has converted just one out of eight trips to the red zone for a touchdown.

Last year, kicking was the problem. This year, it’s everything but the kicking.

Gallagher, a product of Caldwell, N.J., has been more locked in than ever with his field goal duties, making his first six before having the seventh blocked — by no fault of his, though — and has been able to pace an otherwise dormant Elon offense inside the 20-yard line.

Most of them have been fairly close — Gallagher’s longest this year is 36 yards. But his turnaround in just one year in terms of confidence and performance has been one many have taken notice of.

“It’s incredible,” said sophomore punter David Petroni, Gallagher’s roommate. “His mindset is completely different from last year in a positive way.”

Gallagher’s first game at Elon was in Atlanta against Georgia Tech last year, which manhandled the Phoenix 70-0. His first field goal attempt was from 47 yards away. He missed.

“I mean, that’s pretty intense,” Petroni said.

It didn’t get better. Against Division-II West Virginia Wesleyan University, Gallagher missed all three of his kicks. He finally made one, a 33-yard try against North Carolina A&T State University, but he missed his other attempt that game.

The following week against Appalachian State University, Gallagher didn’t get to attempt a field goal. Instead, Elon went with walk-on Bobby Flood, who missed from 36 yards out.

Gallagher missed one kick each against Coastal Carolina University and Furman University.

Now, when those days do cross his mind, he bottles them up and stores them away. He finished 2013 by making 12 of his final 18 field goal attempts, breaking a multitude of mental barriers that stunted his transition to college.

“When you’re a freshman, and you don’t get immediate positive feedback, you’re like, ‘Oh crap. Can I do this?” Elon head coach Rich Skrosky said, comparing Gallagher’s situation to that of a free-throw shooter who’s struggling or a catcher on a major league baseball team that can’t throw the ball back to the pitcher. “It has nothing to do with ability.”

With Elon struggling to get the ball in the end zone, Gallagher has provided a cushion of relief. There’s little worry about him missing kicks anymore, from the team nor himself.

“I’ve definitely matured a lot more as a player, both physically and mentally,” Gallagher said. “I worked hard basically every day in the offseason. It was always on my mind.”

Some of that success can be attributed to Petroni, who earned Elon’s Most Outstanding Special Teams award last year. Petroni now holds for Gallagher when he kicks, replacing quarterback Mike Quinn, who held much of last year.

The pair went to Alabama during the summer and worked with other college specialists, learning and improving with them. They even practice snapping and holding in their living room together in their spare time.

It’s proved to be a successful transition so far — one that Elon desperately needed.

There’s still room for improvement, though. Gallagher wants to improve his kickoffs and being consistent on a day-to-day basis.

When Skrosky was hired in December, he met with each player individually when they returned from winter break. He remembers his meeting with Gallagher very vividly.

“I challenged him a bit. I basically was like, ‘You’re telling me you made no pressure kicks?’” Skrosky said. “The value of a kicker is being able to do it in crunch time. That’s what you want in a kicker … guys that have ice in their veins.”

Every time before Gallagher runs on to the field for a field goal attempt, he reminds himself of two simple things.

“Get through the ball. Get through the uprights,” Gallagher said.

Finally, he’s doing that. And Elon needs him to continue it.