The Daily Gamecock

Former Gamecock sets NFL record

Tennessee Titans kicker Ryan Succop connects on a fire goal in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/TNS)
Tennessee Titans kicker Ryan Succop connects on a fire goal in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/TNS)

A former Gamecock has made his way into the NFL record books.

Tennessee Titans place kicker Ryan Succop set an NFL record last Monday for the most consecutive field goals made inside the 50-yard line. 

He set the record with 47 made field goals inside the 50-yard line and has now kicked an impressive 51 straight field goals from inside the 50-yard line. That streak includes five field goals against the Colts in Week 6 and four against the Browns in Week 7.

His 47-yard field goal in overtime Sunday led the Titans to a 12-9 win over the Browns, in which he accounted for all 12 points. 

Succop played for the Chiefs from 2009-13 and started playing for the Titans in 2014. He has played in all seven games for the Titans this season, making 16 of 17 attempted field goals.

His career at South Carolina was equally impressive. 

Succop is from Hickory, North Carolina, and was ranked the fourth best kicker in the class of 2005. He played for the Gamecocks from 2005-08. In his freshman year, he was the backup kicker and was used for mainly kickoffs. In his sophomore year, he broke out completing 16 of 20 field goals. He also kicked a 55-yard field goal, which was the longest of his college career. 

He finished his sophomore season with Second Team All-SEC honors, and he finished as a semi-finalist for the Groza Award, which is awarded to the top kicker in the FBS. He also completed 95 percent of his extra points that year. 

He spent his junior season as the team’s kicker and punter, earning a preseason All-SEC First Team selection and a spot on the preseason watch list for the Groza award and the Ray Guy award, which is given to the country’s best punter. 

That year, he completed just 13 of 17 field goals. He didn’t win an award that year, but he did receive an honorable mention All-SEC commendation. In his senior year, he completed 20 of 30 field goals with a season long from 54 yards out. Despite his 10 misses in his senior season, Succop still proved to be an effective kicker inside the 50-yard line. He went on to be picked in the seventh round by the Chiefs in 2009.

Despite his field goal percentage dropping from year to year at South Carolina, Succop has clearly set himself apart in the NFL as one of 19 current NFL players from South Carolina. He might not be the most accurate kicker in Gamecock history, but he has certainly proven to be one of the NFL’s best. He finished his career at South Carolina with 251 career points, which is only 108 below the current record holder for most points in school history, Elliott Fry.


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