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K Mike Nugent (All American, Lou Groza Winner, National Champion)

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Article "Ohio State's kicker Nugent has been team's savior"

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/college/pennstate/s_267132.html

Ohio State's kicker Nugent has been team's savior



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[/size][/font]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>By Rob Biertempfel
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, October 29, 2004



On Jim Tressel's second day as Ohio State's head coach in January 2001, he asked his staff to assess the team's kicking game.

"One thing led to another, and we went out and recruited Mike Nugent," Tressel said. "He became a starter from day one."

Tressel has never regretted the decision. Nugent, a former high school quarterback, has blossomed into the top kicker in the Big Ten.

"Mike Nugent, in my mind, is the finest kicker in college football," Tressel said. "He's a guy you can count on. He's a guy that's been there, done that.

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We're fortunate to have him."

The Buckeyes (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten) have struggled to score touchdowns all season. Saturday, they host Penn State (2-5, 0-4) another offensively challenged team -- all of which could make Nugent the most important player on the field.

Nugent, a senior, owns 18 team records. He has 63 career field goals, fifth-best in Big Ten history and only seven shy of the top spot. His 314 career points rank him ninth on the conference's all-time scoring list.

Earlier this season, Nugent tied a 23-year-old school mark with five field goals (three of them of 46-plus yards) in a 22-14 victory at North Carolina State.

The second week of the season, Nugent hit a career-long 55-yarder as time expired to stymie Marshall's upset bid. Last week, he converted from 29, 35 and 52 yards out against Indiana.

"Really, it's all about confidence," Nugent said. "I know in my head that every kick I'm going to attempt, I've kicked it before and I've made it before. I tell myself, 'There's nothing new I'm going to see today.' "

It's the same for his teammates. They keep seeing the same thing -- the ball splitting the uprights.

Nugent averages 8.6 points per game, second in the Big Ten and tied for 10th in the country. He has scored 60 points, 35 percent of the Buckeyes' total output this season.

"I just hope it kind of gives everyone confidence," he said. "They know that if we can't get the ball in the end zone, we're definitely gonna get three points out of it.

"Even if it's a far (kick), we're not giving up and we're not gonna punt.

We're going to get a field goal."

The past three games in the Penn State-Ohio State series have been decided by six points or less. Last season, the Buckeyes escaped with a 21-20 triumph when Dave Kimball missed a 60-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the game.

Nugent, who was not called on for a field goal that day, empathized with Kimball in the final seconds.

"I wanted anybody else in the country to kick that besides him," Nugent said. "He had a great game. I wish I could have talked to him after the game, just to tell him to keep his head up."

Rob Biertempfel can be reached at [email protected] or (724) 853-2110.
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Upvote 0
Wow, that's a great article! I had no clue Nuge was 7 FG's shy of the Big Ten record. I think he's going to end up breaking that record and the run at it is going to start tomorrow when he hits 3 and the Bucks roll!!
 
Upvote 0
Nuuugent !!! All time Scoring record!! How close is he??

How close is Mike Nugent to breaking the all-time scoring record for Ohio State?
I never used to be a kicker fan but he definitely is a cut above the rest and deserves all the accolades he gets. Great kid on and off the feild too!! Can't beat that as a Great representative of Ohio State.
 
Upvote 0
Going strictly by memory here, so feel free to contest me....

He was 35 points away going into the Penn State Game. They scored 21, so he had 3, putting him 32 points backs. Against MSU, the team scored 32, with 4 TD's but he only 3 PAT's. He also added a FG, so another 6 points for Nuge. By my count, he still needs 26 points to pass Pete Johnson.

If I'm wrong, I'll blame the beer - I was rather intoxicated at the time.
 
Upvote 0
11/14 update:

Nuge for his career

65/81 (80.2%)
328 pts

Needs 20 points over the next 2 games to tie Pete Johnson, 21 points to be all time points leader.


Just for fun: Back out Nuge's 7/14 freshman year and he's 58/67 since. Thats 87% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Upvote 0
Ms.Sushi,
I don't know how he cannot be consider the frontrunner after the career and year he has had with Ohio State. He is a class act and a great representative of the Buckeyes. Even the biggest critics of OSU still love Nugent.
 
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