The Buckeye Battle Cry will be counting down the Top 25 players of the past decade all spring/summer. Every Monday and Thursday, Jim will be announcing a new player. Our #1 player will be presented on Monday, August 30th. Three days later, the 2010 season officially begins. To view the previous entries in our Top 25, click here.
Mike Nugent (2001-2004)
If there has ever been a placekicker more beloved by a fan base than Mike Nugent during his years at Ohio State, I would like to see it. And for good reason, Nugent was the savior of an offense that was at times stagnant during the early years of the decade.
Nugent and Andy Groom formed the best kicking duo in the country in 2002 and were the fuel that made the dominating brand of Tressel Ball v.2002 go, a style that ultimately led to a championship.
In 2003 Nugent teamed up with All-American punter B.J. Sander to once again form one of the best kicking duos in the country and the glory days of Tressel Ball continued.
While 2002 and 2003 were great years for Mike Nugent and the special teams in general, 2004 was Nugent’s crowning achievement at Ohio State.
Faced with massive personnel losses following the NFL Draft, the Buckeyes had a rough year in 2004. Despite plenty of difficulties across the board as the offense and defense struggled to find an identity, one player stepped up and had a season for the ages, winning games practically by himself on several occasions in the process.
Not too bad for a placekicker.
Lou Groza Award Winner, 1st Team All-American, Ohio State’s most valuable player (the first ever awarded to the placekicker), 5 field goals in a single game against NC State, 5 field goals of 50+ yards for the season including an ultra-clutch 55 yard game winner against Marshall as time expired, 2004 was a good year for Mike Nugent.
Beyond the outstanding year in 2004, Nugent is everywhere in Ohio State’s record books, including but not limited to scoring 356 career points, the most ever by a Buckeye. The career mark is not surprising considering Nugent led the team in scoring for three straight years from 2002 through 2004.
Nugent has the 1st (25), 2nd (24), and 8th (16) most field goals made in a season, the most field goals in a career (72), the most career 50+ yard field goals (8 out of 9), the highest career field goal percentage (.818, 72/88) including the 1st (.893, 25/28), 2nd (.889, 24/27), and 5th (.842, 16/19) most accurate seasons for a kicker.
Beyond the kicking categories that Nugent is first in, it is difficult to find a single record that he is not in the top 5 for.
Given his accomplishments, Nugent is another player I would consider moving higher on my list if we were to redo the voting for this countdown.
Nugent was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the N.Y. Jets. After playing four season with the Jets, he bounced around from team to team last season, and is currently on the Cincinnati Bengals roster.
For being the best placekicker ever at Ohio State, for his unbelievable season in 2004, for his role in making Tressel Ball so successful during the early years, and for allowing me to scream NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE! during extra points and field goals in my first season as a student, Mike Nugent is #12 on our list of the top 25 Buckeyes of the last decade.
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