MICHIGAN FOOTBALL FINDS ITS PORTAL KICKER IN DOMINIC ZVADA

Michigan coaches have been zeroing in on a portal kicker to battle for the starting job this fall after losing James Turner. The Wolverines seem to have found a very good one, having received a pledge from Arkansas State’s Dominic Zvada.

Coincidentally, Zvada was scheduled to kick in the Big House Sept. 14 when the Red Wolves took on U-M. Instead, he’ll be wearing the winged helmet with two years of eligibility remaining.

Zvada made 34 of 40 field goals in his first two seasons at Arkansas State as well as 71 of 72 extra points. He also connected on 14 of 17 of his field goals from 40-plus yards, proving his leg strength.

From his bio:

“A Lou Groza Award semifinalist and freshman All-American (as a frosh), Zvada broke the Sun Belt Conference single-season record by a true freshman for points by kicking in a season with 81. He finished his first year with the Red Wolves going 30-for-31 on PATs with the lone miss being blocked. Zvada was 17-for-18 on field goals, including 4-for-5 on field goals over 45 yards.

“He made a 56-yard field goal at Texas State, the second-longest in FBS last season and second-longest field goal in program history. He is the only kicker since at least 2000 to go 4-for-4 on field goals in a game at Ohio State.”

His kicking coach, Steven Rausch, said in a 2022 article on NWAOnline.com he saw this coming.

“Even after a first session, I saw the talents, the leg swing, the leg extension, the foot position,” he said. “Dom had all the stuff that you have to have … and we never looked back.

“His ball elevation — the way it climbs — and his ball flight are as good, if not better than [any kicker],” Rausch said. “I don’t care if it’s college, NFL. It’s that elite. … You could see a dozen guys, and his ball stands out.”

Watch for more on Zvada in the hours and days to come …

The post Michigan football finds its portal kicker in Dominic Zvada appeared first on On3.

2024-04-27T00:19:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd