Kickers are frequently underappreciated when precise and recurrently critiqued when inexact. Austin MacGinnis was arguably the team’s Most Outstanding Player in 2016. The senior from Wedowee, Alabama booted game winning field goals in two of the Wildcats' biggest victories against Mississippi State and Louisville respectively.
MacGinnis’ name litters the University of Kentucky’s record books. But, it doesn’t feel as if the senior receives the proper accolades for what can only be described as a monumental stay in Lexington. Let’s take a quick look where he ranks in Wildcat football history:
Austin MacGinnis in the Kentucky Record Books
-- 2
nd in program history with 257 career points. He’s only 48-points shy of becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer.
-- 2
nd in most career points by a kicker (257-points).
-- 1
st in points by a kicker in a season with 104 in 2014. He’s also 3
rd in this category with 92 points in 2016.
-- 2
nd with 50 career made field goals; 7 behind Joey Worley’s 57.
-- 1
st in FGs made in a season (21).
-- 2
nd in most FG’s made in a single game with 4 vs. Mississippi State (2016) and Louisville (2014).
-- 3
rd in most career field goals attempted (63). 2
nd in FGs attempted in a single season with 27, one shy of Joey Worley’s 28.
-- 3
rd in career FG percentage (79.3%).
-- Tied for 3
rd with an 84.2% FG percentage in a season.
-- 3
rd with 44 PAT’s in a season.
-- 1
st in longest made field goal with a 54-yarder vs. Tennessee in 2014. He’s also 2
nd in this category with a 53-yard boot vs. Ohio in 2014.
-- 1
st in PAT percentage 100% (41/41).
-- 1
st in program history with 11 consecutively made FGs.
-- Tied Randall Cobb for quickest to 200 career points in just 29 games played.
In addition to Kentucky records, MacGinnis’ 16/19 FGs (84.2%) in 2016 ranked 3
rd in the Southeastern Conference. His 14 points vs. Mississippi State a year ago was the most by a kicker in a SEC game since UK’s Doug Pelfrey in 1992. Just take a moment to think about the abovementioned numbers. MacGinnis should own the vast majority of program kicking records if he remains healthy and his consistency continues on the upward trajectory that we’ve witnessed over the course of the past three seasons.
MacGinnis is upright both on and off the field. He participated in a week long service/educational trip to Ethiopia where he interacted with residents of impoverished communities, visited imprisoned men, helped widows, cared for orphans, and helped to renovate houses. The senior graduated in May with a degree in Finance and is currently working on a master’s degree in business administration following three consecutive appearances on the SEC’s Academic Honor Roll. With every made FG and PAT in 2017, the Big Blue Nation will be witnessing history. I think it’s safe to say that Austin MacGinnis will be remembered as an all-time great Wildcat.
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