Tag: Jared Zirkel

Here are the Top 5 incoming offensive transfers to watch out for during spring football

Here are five of the incoming transfer portal members on offense for Texas A&M to watch during the start of spring football next month.

It may be early in the offseason, but Texas A&M’s spring football season is less than a month away, and all eyes will be on how new head coach Mike Elko and his impressive coaching staff will help the offense, especially quarterback Conner Weigman, take the next step in their development.

While Weigman is coming off his season-ending injury after just four games last season, it may take some time to readjust, meaning every offensive playmaker available, especially the veterans coming out of the transfer portal, must step up to make his help him reach his potential.

Gaining 22 experienced players from the portal this offseason, additions including wide receivers Cyrus Allen and Jabre Barber could be key contributors next season, with the chance to show out next month during the spring football period.

However, after Texas A&M’s horrific blocking last season directly resulted in multiple quarterback injuries, including Weigman’s, several newcomers in the trenches will also be players to watch next month.

Here are five offensive transfer portal players to look out for during the spring football period.

Georgia kicker announces SEC transfer destination

Georgia football’s kickoff specialist transfers closer to home after playing in the Orange Bowl

Georgia Bulldogs kicker Jared Zirkel is transferring to Texas A&M. Zirkel handled kickoff duties for the Bulldogs in 2023 and played in the Orange Bowl for the Bulldogs.

The junior kicker was busier than he expected in the Orange Bowl as Georgia scored touchdowns on nine separate drives. Zirkel did not attempt a field goal this season. He lost the starting role behind true freshman Peyton Woodring, so it is hard to blame Zirkel for wanting to transfer to see regular playing time.

Zirkel had 62 touchbacks on over 60% of his kickoffs in 2023. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound kicker made his only career field goal in 2022, when he hit a 21-yard attempt.

Zirkel is a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining. He graduated from Georgia this fall and announced his intentions to transfer to Texas A&M via social media:

Zirkel is moving closer to home in Texas. We wish him the best of luck at his new home.

Former Georgia kicker Jared Zirkel will reportedly transfer to Texas A&M

It has been reported that former Georgia kicker Jared Zirkel will transfer to Texas A&M as a grad transfer in 2024.

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko will have a new kicker making his way to College Station (TX) in 2024, as former Georgia placekicker Jared Zirkel will officially transfer to Texas A&M with one year of eligibility remaining, bringing a big leg and championship experience.

Current Aggies’ junior kicker Randy Bond, who struggled numerous times during the 2023 season, will have new competition this offseason, though Zirkel’s strength remains as a kickoff specialist.

In four seasons with the Bulldogs, Zirkel only attempted one field goal but earned the full-time kickoff specialist job during the 2023 season, recording 103 kickoffs for 6,534, 67 touchbacks, and only three kicks out of bounds, and finishing in the top 3 of kickoff specialists nationwide.

A native of Kerrville, Texas, and Tivy High School, yes, the home of Texas A&M Heisman-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel, Zirkel played behind future NFL kickers such as Jake Camarda and Rodrigo Blankenship, so dealing with adversity is nothing new as he enters his final collegiate chapter with the Maroon & White.

Speaking with Kicking World owner Brent Grablachoff, who has worked with Zirkel since high school, Elko and his staff, including new Special Teams coordinator Patrick Dougherty, are in good hands going forward.

“Out of high school, Jared had, without a doubt, the biggest kicking leg in the country. At our private lessons in Austin, he hit a 70-yard field goal off the crossbar and could easily kick 60+ yard field goals swinging lightly.

His kickoffs are even more impressive. At UGA, he routinely smashed the ball out of the back of the end zone and would routinely crank out 4.3+ second hang time kickoffs and occasionally even reach 4.5 seconds, which less than a couple dozen kickers in the world can do. Jared has an elite leg and will be a weapon for the Aggies.”

While Randy Bond will likely remain the Aggies’ starting placekicker, Jared Zirkel is simply a plug-and-play option for kickoffs. his presence should drastically improve A&M’s porous special teams unit in the process. Zirkel received offers from Oklahoma, Indiana, North Texas, Texas State, UIW and several PWO offers before committing to Texas A&M.

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UGA kicker enters transfer portal, plans to play in Orange Bowl

Georgia football’s kickoff specialist has entered the transfer portal, but plans to play against Florida State in the Orange Bowl

Georgia Bulldogs kicker Jared Zirkel is entering the transfer portal. Zirkel is the seventh Georgia player to enter the portal. Zirkel still plans to play in the Orange Bowl against Florida State.

The junior kicker handled kickoff duties for the Bulldogs in 2023. Zirkel did not attempt a field goal this season. He lost the starting role behind true freshman Peyton Woodring, so it is hard to blame Zirkel for wanting to transfer. He’s good enough to be a starting kicker at a Power Five school.

Zirkel had 62 touchbacks on 95 kickoffs in 2023. He kicked three kickoffs out of bounds. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound kicker made his only career field goal in 2022, when he hit a 21-yard attempt.

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Zirkel will be a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining. He announced his intentions to transfer from Georgia football via social media:

Zirkel notes he is hoping to move closer to home in Texas. We wish him the best of luck at his new home.

Kirby Smart explains where Georgia is at kicker ahead of 2023 season

‘They’re (Zirkel, Woodring) both talented guys. I could make the case for both of them, either one of them to start right now.’

Georgia’s Kirby Smart has yet to name a starting kicker with the Sept. 2 season opener versus UT Martin quickly approaching.

Three-year starter Jack Podlesny is an NFL free agent, leaving a chance for junior Jared Zirkel and freshman Peyton Woodring to take the starting role in 2023.

Zirkel has the upper hand in experience, while Woodring didn’t get a chance to preform in front of coaches in Athens until fall camp.

Zirkel was the No. 4 ranked kicker out of the 2020 recruiting class and Woodring comes to Athens as the No. 1 kicker in the 2023 class.

Zirkel had a productive spring game in April going 2-of-2 on his field goal attempts in the scrimmage, with the longest being a 42-yard attempt. Kennesaw State transfer Liam Badger also connected on a 51-yard attempt at G-Day.

Smart gave an update on where the competition stands after Saturday’s second scrimmage.

“One was 3-for-3, one was 3-for-4,” Smart said. “I thought they (Zirkel, Woodring) both kicked much better than what they did last week. The conditions were a little better today. They kicked better throughout the week. They’re both talented guys. I could make the case for both of them, either one of them to start right now.”

The Bulldogs’ kickoff duties are also up for grabs.

“I don’t know how they did with kickoff. I don’t know the numbers on that. I got to put a lot of thought into that and hang times, and I don’t know what that was. They both had a really good fall camp, and we don’t have to make a decision on that.”

Georgia’s kicking has been steady during Smart’s tenure and the talent is there in Zirkel and Woodring, but we likely won’t know will lineup to tee-it-off in Sanford Stadium until kickoff.

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Georgia football: Kirby Smart talks competition at kicker

Jared Zirkle and Peyton Woodring will battle it out for starting kicker…

Who will be Georgia’s starting kicker is an underlying storyline as the Bulldogs prepare for fall camp.

Three-year starter Jack Podlesny is a Minnesota Viking, leaving a chance for junior Jared Zirkel and freshman Peyton Woodring to take the starting role in 2023.

Zirkel was the No. 4 kicker out of the 2020 recruiting class, and Woodring comes to Athens as the No. 1 kicker in the 2023 class.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart talked about the competition at SEC media days this week.

“The problem is we haven’t had the young kid there (Peyton), we know what he can do but we don’t get to go out there and work with him over the summer,” Smart said. “They kick, and they work amongst themselves, but we don’t go out there and say ‘OK, who hit what from where?’”

“It will be a big focus for fall camp because we will have some pressure kicks in practice to try and decide,” he continued. “It goes back to the year of Rodrigo Blankenship for the last time we had an opening at that position. There will be some battles in fall camp and there will be, ‘OK, we’re on the line and we’re going to run sprints if he doesn’t make’ to try and put pressure on that guy to decide who that guy is’. I will say this. I was very pleased with Zirkel. He had his best spring by far, and it will be a good competition.”

The Bulldogs also have to find a new holder to replace Stetson Bennett, who held the role last season.

“We have had some, I can’t say competition. We’re trying to determine who our field goal kicker is before the holder. I usually defer to the kicker to decide who the holder is,” Smart said. “I like for it to be a quarterback, not necessarily THE quarterback, but we’ve opened up this year to try Ladd, and other guys back there. Stetson had done it for so long and he made me comfortable with his athleticism and speed. Of course, he could throw, but we don’t know who it is yet. We’ll decide it in fall camp.”

While kickers don’t get quite the recognition as other position groups, having a security blanket while in opponents’ territory should be emphasized.

The Bulldogs have been efficient at the position during Smart’s tenure. Both Zirkel and Woodring have the talent, but kicking under pressure is a different animal.

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Georgia football player card: K Jared Zirkel

Georgia Bulldogs kicker Jared Zirkel will be a key player to watch next season. He went to the same high school as Johnny Manziel.

Jared Zirkel, Kicker:

Class: Freshman

Height: 6-3

Weight: 185 pounds

Hometown: Kerrville, Texas

High School: Tivy High School

Georgia Bulldogs kicker Jared Zirkel will be a key player to watch next season. The incoming freshman is expected to takeover Rodrigo Blankenship’s role as starting kicker.

Zirkel came to Athens as a three-star recruit. He’s regarded as one of the top kicker prospects in the class of 2020. In addition to kicking, Zirkel gained some experience as a punter in high school. He additionally made a career long field goal of 59 yards at Tivy, which is also the high school of SEC legend Johnny Manziel.

Zirkel was on a high school team that didn’t need him much. He only attempted six kicks as a senior at Tivy. Over 90% of his kickoffs resulted in a touchback as a junior.

Zirkel will compete with Brooks Buce for the starting job next season.

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CFN identifies key player for UGA to have successful season

College Football News recently identified the key player in order for UGA to have a successful season.

College Football News recently identified Georgia placekicker Jared Zirkel as the key player in order for the Bulldogs to have a successful season.

For the first time in four years Georgia will be without record-breaking kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, which means until we see Zirkel’s first kick split the uprights, there’s uncertainty at the position among fans.

From Fiutak:

Zirkel, though, is the big-legged recruit out of Texas who might just be the difference between a national championship season and another really, really good campaign.

No matter who it is, replacing Rodrigo Blankenship is asking a lot. All he did was hit 80-of-97 field goals and connect on all 200 extra point attempts in his four years.

Zirkel, at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, hails from Kerrville, Texas, where he played for Tivy High School.

Elite kicker signs with Georgia football

Georgia football has a signature from kicker Jared Zirkel

On Wednesday, Jared Zirkel, a kicker out of Kerrville, Texas, signed with Georgia.

Zirkel ranks as the nation’s No. 5 kicker in the class of 2020 and has been committed to the Bulldogs since June.

Rodrigo Blankenship’s replacement was also considering Air Force and Navy.

He nailed a 59 yarder as a junior in high school.