Taking Stock of UNC Kicker Rece Verhoff’s Record-Breaking Outing

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Rece Verhoff’s program-record field goal of 57 yards makes for one of the few, and perhaps only, aspects that North Carolina will want to remember from its loss at Wake Forest during the weekend.

The kicker broke UNC’s previous benchmark by 2 yards, a feat Dan Orner from with his 55-yarder in 2002 at Syracuse’s former Carrier Dome. Verhoff also established a new long for an outdoor field goal. Kenny Miller (in 1985 against Florida State), Connor Barth (in 2006 against NC State) and Nick Weiler (in 2016 at Florida State) connected on 54-yard field goals.

Verhoff, who spoke with reporters after the Wake Forest game, said he first knew his record-breaking boot was good by the reaction of long snapper Spencer Triplett.

“He was in the end zone because there was a returner back, and he was holding his hands up,” Verhoff said. “I was like, ‘there’s no way.’ It was awesome.”

That achievement, along with the three other field goals Verhoff converted, produced all of the Tar Heels’ points in their 28-12 loss to the Demon Deacons. Verhoff’s outing became a topic of discussion for UNC general manager Michael Lombardi on Monday night’s Carolina Football Live radio show.

With UNC unable to score a touchdown in a game for the first time since October 2016, Verhoff was called on six times to kick field goals. Which included his 57-yarder from extra long distance, with the ball squeaking over the crossbar as the first half expired. That provided a much-needed jolt of momentum as the Tar Heels went to the halftime locker room, but ultimately they couldn’t capitalize on it.

“It was a great kick,” Lombardi said Monday night on the show. “I thought it was going to propel us to come out and win the ‘middle eight’ — the last four minutes of the first half, the first four minutes of the second half — where if we could have scored three points there, then come back and got a touchdown or move the ball. Unfortunately, we didn’t.”

Though Verhoff did tie a career high with four made field goals, he also had two attempts blocked by Wake Forest. The first occurred after UNC recovered a fumble by the Demon Deacons on Wake Forest’s 31-yard line, but came away with no points from the turnover.

Carolina trailed 7-3 in the first half, when Nick Andersen jumped over the UNC offensive line and made an athletic play for the Demon Deacons to block Verhoff’s attempt from 39 yards. Lombardi said that happened due to poor communication from the Tar Heels’ special teams unit.

“We have a call that we make when a small guy is there, and they scream it out,” Lombardi said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the call. And of course, the kid jumped, and we didn’t really react to it. It was a total team fault.”

On the second blocked attempt, Verhoff put the blame on himself. He said he didn’t get enough air under his kick, this one from 45 yards at the end of the third quarter, with the Tar Heels behind 21-9. And as a result, Wake Forest’s Mateen Ibirogba was able to raise up high enough to get a hand on the ball.

“I’ll take all the blame for it,” Verhoff said after the game. “That was on me. I kicked it a little low.”

With 16 successful field goals and 17 extra points on the season, the Marshall transfer Verhoff leads UNC in scoring with 65 points. He’s 16-for-20 on field goals this season (80 percent), including 8-for-9 on kicks between 40 and 49 yards.

Verhoff’s school-record kick is tied for the longest field goal made by an ACC player this season. Louisville’s Nick Keller connected on two 57-yarders across back-to-back weeks in September.