NCAA Kicking News & Preseason Report

(August 12, 2025)

As the 2025 college football season approaches, the focus on special teams is intensifying. Position battles are heating up, the prestigious Lou Groza Award watch list has been announced, and teams are adapting to a significant new rule change that will reshape the kicking game.

1. Lou Groza Award Watch List Announced

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has officially released its 30-player preseason watch list for the 2025 Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate place-kicker. With all three of last year’s finalists having graduated, the field is wide open.

Complete List: https://lougrozaaward.com/news/lou-groza-award-announces-2025-preseason-watch-list/

Key names highlighting the list include:

Dominic Zvada (Michigan): A two-time semifinalist (2022, 2024), Zvada returns as one of the most accomplished kickers in the nation, boasting an impressive 95.5% accuracy rate last season.
Collin Rogers (SMU): A major weapon for the Mustangs, Rogers led the FBS with 15 field goals from 40+ yards last season and was a 2024 semifinalist.
Drew Stevens (Iowa): Another two-time semifinalist (2022, 2023), Stevens brings a reliable and experienced leg to the Hawkeyes’ special teams unit.
Peyton Woodring (Georgia): Coming off a stellar season where he converted over 91% of his field goals, Woodring is a key part of Georgia’s championship ambitions.

The list includes 11 returning kickers who made over 20 field goals last season, setting the stage for a highly competitive race.

2. Major Rule Change: The Hybrid Kickoff Model

The most significant change for 2025 is the NCAA’s adoption of a modified kickoff rule, similar to the model used in the NFL. The key changes are:

The kicking team (excluding the kicker) will line up at the receiving team’s 40-yard line.
Players cannot move until the kick is caught by the returner or hits the ground in the “landing zone” (between the goal line and 20-yard line).
Touchbacks will now place the ball at the 30-yard line, heavily incentivizing returns.

Impact: This rule is designed to reduce high-speed collisions while encouraging more kick returns. It places a new premium on a kicker’s ability to place the ball accurately with ideal hangtime, rather than simply booming it through the end zone. Special teams coordinators are spending a significant portion of fall camp installing entirely new schemes for this play.

3. Key Position Battles to Watch

With graduations and transfers, several top programs have intense competitions at the kicker position:

Alabama: The Crimson Tide are looking to replace their kicker from last season. The battle is reportedly a tight race between a highly-touted transfer and a promising redshirt freshman known for his accuracy.
Ohio State: After inconsistency last season, the Buckeyes have an open competition to find a reliable kicker who can handle the pressure of their high-stakes games.
USC: Sophomore Caden Chittenden, who is on the Groza watch list after making 26 field goals last year, looks to solidify his role as the Trojans’ primary kicker.

4. Local Spotlight: San Diego State’s Gabriel Plascencia

Here in San Diego, the focus is on senior kicker Gabriel Plascencia, who is poised for a standout season. Following a 2024 campaign where he earned Second-Team All-Mountain West honors, Plascencia is a key weapon for the Aztecs. He connected on an impressive 92.9% of his field goals (13 of 14) and 94.7% of his extra points last year.

Plascencia’s primary strength is his exceptional accuracy and calm demeanor in high-pressure moments. However, a key area for development this season will be his kickoff distance and hang time, as his touchback percentage was lower than desired in 2024. Entering his final year with 12 consecutive made field goals, Plascencia’s reliability will be crucial to San Diego State’s success, especially in close games, as they push for a Mountain West title.