Michael Lantz needs to give USC one key ingredient

USC kicker Michael Lantz has a simple task for the Trojans in 2024. If you have followed USC football closely, you probably know what we are going to say next: He needs to be dependable. More precisely, he needs to make the kicks a kicker is absolutely supposed to make.

Lantz was named to the 2024 Lou Groza Award Watch List. The award is given to the nation’s top collegiate placekicker. Lantz doesn’t need to win an award; he just needs to do what is reasonably expected of a kicker. Denis Lynch missed a lot of kicks under 40 yards for USC. The Trojans need someone who is relentlessly consistent under 40 yards and reliable under 47 yards. If Lantz misses 50-yarders, that’s one thing, but USC can’t waste points when it gets inside an opponent’s 25-yard line and sets up for a 38- or 40-yard kick.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Lantz began his career at Minnesota, then moved on to Georgia Southern and will now finish his career with the Trojans. In 2023, Lantz connected on all 45 of his extra-point attempts and went 23-for-28 on field goals. He went 17-for-18 from inside 40 yards, 6-for-9 from between 40 and 49 yards and missed his only attempt from beyond 50 yards.

He also handled kickoffs for the Eagles, forcing 43 touchbacks on 61 kickoffs. Georgia Southern’s touchback rate ranked No. 22 nationally last season. Lantz was named to the Pro Football Focus All-Sun Belt First Team, the College Football Network All-Sun Belt Second Team as both a kicker and kickoff specialist. He was also named to the Phil Steele All-Sun Belt Fourth Team.

The Groza Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954.

For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow @LouGrozaAward on X.

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