Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Coghlin Collects Groza Award Watch List Accolades
7/24/2019 1:39:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State placekicker Matt Coghlin has been named to the 2019 Lou Groza Award Watch List, announced Wednesday by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Coghlin is one of 30 players for the Groza Award, which is given annually to the nation's top collegiate placekicker.Â
A 2018 Lou Groza Award semifinalist and first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media, Coghlin ranked among the Big Ten leaders in field goals made (tied for second with 18), field-goal percentage (tied for fourth at .818) and scoring (ninth at 6.5 ppg). He made 18 of his 22 field-goal attempts in 2018 (5-of-5 from 20-29 yards; 9-of-10 from 30-39 yards; 4-of-5 from 40-49 yards; 0-2 from 50-plus yards). Among returning FBS kickers who connected at better than 80 percent, only seven kickers topped Coghlin's 18 field goals. He is also a preseason first-team All-Big Ten choice by Athlon Sports, CollegeFootballNews.com and Phil Steele.
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A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Coghlin was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week against Indiana after he scored on a 6-yard TD run on a fake field goal in the third quarter and made all five of his point-after attempts. He became the first Spartan to score an offensive touchdown and then kick the PAT on his own TD since Sam Williams in 1958 against Wisconsin.
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Coghlin opened the season with three field goals in the win over Utah State, including a season-long 49-yarder, and also had multiple field-goal outings against Arizona State (2), Northwestern (2), Purdue (3), Ohio State (2), Nebraska (2) and Oregon (2). He set a new school record with 18 consecutive field goals, dating back to 2017, before a kick was blocked in the Purdue game. That streak was also tied for the fourth longest in Big Ten history.
Coghlin became the sixth Spartan placekicker to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors, and the third under Dantonio (Brett Swenson in 2009; Dan Conroy in 2012). The Cincinnati, Ohio, native currently ranks first in MSU history in field-goal percentage (33-of-41, .805).
The Spartan placekicker will enter his junior season already ranking among MSU's all-time leaders in field-goal percentage (first at 80.5, 33-of-41), PAT percentage (first at 100.0, 63-of-63), field goals (11th with 33) and PATs (11th with 63).
Coghlin is one of 30 players for the Groza Award, which is given annually to the nation's top collegiate placekicker.Â
A 2018 Lou Groza Award semifinalist and first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media, Coghlin ranked among the Big Ten leaders in field goals made (tied for second with 18), field-goal percentage (tied for fourth at .818) and scoring (ninth at 6.5 ppg). He made 18 of his 22 field-goal attempts in 2018 (5-of-5 from 20-29 yards; 9-of-10 from 30-39 yards; 4-of-5 from 40-49 yards; 0-2 from 50-plus yards). Among returning FBS kickers who connected at better than 80 percent, only seven kickers topped Coghlin's 18 field goals. He is also a preseason first-team All-Big Ten choice by Athlon Sports, CollegeFootballNews.com and Phil Steele.
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A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Coghlin was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week against Indiana after he scored on a 6-yard TD run on a fake field goal in the third quarter and made all five of his point-after attempts. He became the first Spartan to score an offensive touchdown and then kick the PAT on his own TD since Sam Williams in 1958 against Wisconsin.
Â
Coghlin opened the season with three field goals in the win over Utah State, including a season-long 49-yarder, and also had multiple field-goal outings against Arizona State (2), Northwestern (2), Purdue (3), Ohio State (2), Nebraska (2) and Oregon (2). He set a new school record with 18 consecutive field goals, dating back to 2017, before a kick was blocked in the Purdue game. That streak was also tied for the fourth longest in Big Ten history.
Coghlin became the sixth Spartan placekicker to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors, and the third under Dantonio (Brett Swenson in 2009; Dan Conroy in 2012). The Cincinnati, Ohio, native currently ranks first in MSU history in field-goal percentage (33-of-41, .805).
The Spartan placekicker will enter his junior season already ranking among MSU's all-time leaders in field-goal percentage (first at 80.5, 33-of-41), PAT percentage (first at 100.0, 63-of-63), field goals (11th with 33) and PATs (11th with 63).
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