Nebraska Football: Connor Culp rightfully Big Ten Kicker of the Year

The Nebraska football kicker got some deserved recognition Thursday.

Awards season has begun, and one Nebraska football player was the recipient of a major conference award. Connor Culp was named the Big Ten Kicker of the Year.

To me, this is well-deserved. He brought stability to the kicking game, and also was automatic every time he stepped on the field. In comparison to last year, the kicking game was night and day. He allowed for the coaching staff to feel comfortable when sending out the kicking team, and he allowed Scott Frost and the coaching staff some leeway on offense.

Last year, Nebraska often went for it on fourth down because they did not have confidence in the kicking game. This year, they could send out Culp and have confidence that he would be able to get the job done.

He has made all of his kicks from 20-29 yards out and was 8-of-10 from 30-39 yards out. In total, he is 13-of-15 on field goals and made all 16 extra points he attempted. In total, he recorded 55 points. That’s two more than in the 2017 season he had with LSU.

It’s awesome to see that he won this award, because it was so great to know that he was able to make these kicks with tremendous accuracy as well as being reliable when it mattered. As the team gets set to take on Rutgers Friday, he will have another chance to show his skills. It’s interesting how Nebraska football’s kicking game has come full circle. From not having stability last year to having a kicker win the Big Ten Kicker of the Year Award, that’s truly a paradox.

Hopefully, this is the start of some kicking stability for Nebraska football. In what has been a difficult year overall, Culp was able to provide the program with something they could hang their hat on in terms of special teams. Culp rightfully won this award, and I hope it’s the start of bigger things for him overall.