Nick Sciba

Last updated

Nick Sciba
Personal information
Born: (1999-10-02) October 2, 1999 (age 24)
Clover, South Carolina, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:191 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school: Clover (SC)
College: Wake Forest
Position: Placekicker
Undrafted: 2022
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Field goals made:2
Field goals attempted:2
Longest field goal:38
Player stats at PFR

Nick Sciba (born October 2, 1999) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Wake Forest.

Contents

Early life

Sciba was born on October 2, 1999, and grew up in Clover, South Carolina, United States. He attended Clover High School, where he played football and soccer. As a sophomore in football, he went 2-for-4 on field goals and had a long of 25, while earning a spot in the USA Football International Bowl as a U-16 team member. He was successful on 5-of-7 field foals in his junior season and recorded a long kick of 38 yards. He also had 34-of-54 kickoffs being touchbacks and made 21 of his 25 extra point attempts. [1]

As a senior, Sciba served as team captain and recorded 8 successful field goals and 11 attempts, while making all but one of his 32 extra point attempts and sending 34 out of 49 kicks for touchbacks. He also punted for the Clover Blue Eagles and averaged 38-yards-per-punt in his final season. A three-star recruit according to 247Sports and Rivals.com, Sciba committed to Wake Forest University after being named the seventh-best kicker nationally by the former. [1]

College career

As a freshman at Wake Forest, Sciba recorded 19 successful field goals on 22 attempts, marking the team record for highest field goal percentage (86.4). With 107 total points scored, he became the first freshman in school history with over 100 and the fourth overall. [1] He became well-known for an embarrassing moment against Notre Dame in the fourth game of the 2018 season. [2] On third down, the Wake Forest quarterback ran for what Sciba thought was a first down, but was short. When the field goal team went on to the field, Sciba stayed on the sideline, not realizing that he was supposed to be on the field. Eventually, after hearing his name repeatedly called, he sprinted onto the field and quickly went through his pre-kick routine. When the ball was snapped, Sciba kicked it and the 37-yard attempt bounced off the left upright. The moment was featured on ESPN's C'Mon Man!, SportsCenter's Not-Top 10 Plays of the Week, and was widely circulated on Twitter. [2]

Sciba responded to the missed kick by successfully making his next 34 attempts, an all-time college football record. [2] He began his streak in October 2018, and it continued until the end of his sophomore year, when he missed a 48-yard attempt against Syracuse. He finished his sophomore year with 24 field goals made on 25 attempts, setting the all-time record in accuracy at the school (.940). At the end of the year, Sciba was named first-team all-conference, Pro Football Focus (PFF) Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Kicker of the Year, and a first-team All-America selection by ESPN, as well as second-team by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Sports Illustrated and Phil Steele, and third-team by Associated Press and Athlon Sports. [1] He was also selected a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given to the best kicker in all of college football. [2]

Sciba began the 2020 season by being named preseason first-team all-conference by several different publications. He was also named preseason All-American by Sporting News , Lindy's Sports, Athlon Sports, and Street & Smith. He ended the COVID-19-shortened season having made 14-of-17 field goals, including a streak of 12-consecutive starting with October 2 against Campbell. He was a third-team all-conference pick at the end of the year. [1]

In 2021, Sciba made 23-of-25 field goals, earning first-team all-conference honors. [1] Although he had one year remaining of eligibility, Sciba elected to declare for the NFL Draft. [3] He finished his collegiate career with 80 field goals made on 89 attempts, setting the all-time record for accuracy at 89.9%. He also made all 193 of his extra point attempts, for a total of 433 points, on his way to becoming the all-time leader scoring in Wake Forest history. [1]

Professional career

Pittsburgh Steelers

After going unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft, Sciba was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent, following a successful tryout. [4] He was waived during roster cuts, on August 23. [5] After Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was ruled out prior to a Week 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sciba was re-signed as an emergency replacement on October 29. [6] [7] Sciba made his NFL debut against the Eagles on October 30, 2022, and made all three of his kicks, including field goals of 38 and 28 yards and one extra point in the 13–35 loss. [8] Up until two days prior to making his NFL debut, Sciba had worked for a fish market. [8] He was released on November 8. [9]

New Jersey Generals

On January 31, 2023, Sciba signed with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL). [10] The Generals folded when the XFL and USFL merged to create the United Football League (UFL). [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Vinatieri</span> American football player (born 1972)

Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest placekickers of all time, he is the NFL's all-time leading scorer at 2,673 points. He also holds the NFL records for field goals made (599), postseason points (238), and overtime field goals made (12).

In American football, a touchback is a ruling that is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to travel over or across the goal line but did not have possession of the ball when it became dead. Since the 2018 season, touchbacks have also been awarded in college football on kickoffs that end in a fair catch by the receiving team between its own 25-yard line and goal line. In the 2023 season, the NFL adopted the same rules as college football in regards to awarding touchbacks on kickoffs that end in a fair catch. In 2024, the NFL moved the placement of the ball after a touchback on a kickoff to the receiving team's 30-yard line; this was part of a radical change to the league's kickoff procedure. Such impetus may be imparted by a kick, pass, fumble, or in certain instances by batting the ball. A touchback is not a play, but a result of events that may occur during a play. A touchback is the opposite of a safety with regard to impetus since a safety is scored when the ball becomes dead in a team's end zone after that team — the team whose end zone it is — caused the ball to cross the goal line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punter (gridiron football)</span> Gridiron football special teams position

A punter (P) in gridiron football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts (kicks) the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a third down in Canadian football. Punters may also occasionally take part in fake punts in those same situations, when they throw or run the football instead of punting.

Paul T. Ernster is a former American football punter. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football in Northern Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Scobee</span> American football player (born 1982)

Joshua Taylor Scobee is a former American football placekicker. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Louisiana Tech, setting several school records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaun Suisham</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1981)

Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian-born former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Bowling Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Gostkowski</span> American football player (born 1984)

Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. A member of the New England Patriots for most of his career, he is the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Gostkowski played college football for the Memphis Tigers and was selected in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Patriots, where he spent his first 14 seasons. In his final season, he played for the Tennessee Titans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Prater</span> American football player (born 1984)

Matthew Phillip Prater is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for longest field goal from 2013 until 2021 and holds the NFL record for most 50+ yard field goals in a career, 80 as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Folk</span> American football player (born 1984)

Nicholas Alexander Folk is an American football placekicker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Arizona, where he received first-team All-Pacific-10 honors, and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL draft. Folk was named to the 2008 Pro Bowl as a rookie with the Cowboys before playing his next seven seasons with the New York Jets and becoming the franchise's second-leading scorer. Following an unsuccessful stint on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Folk spent a year away from football before pursuing a comeback in 2019 with the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). Folk returned to the NFL the same year as a member of the New England Patriots and led the league in scoring during the 2021 season. He joined the Titans in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Buehler</span> American football player (born 1987)

David Jonathan Buehler is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He was selected by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Succop</span> American football player (born 1986)

Ryan Barrow Succop is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at South Carolina and was the 2009 Mr. Irrelevant by virtue of being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the final pick of the 2009 NFL draft. Succop was the Buccaneers starting placekicker in their 31–9 victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to play and win a Super Bowl as a starter and an active player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dustin Hopkins</span> American football player (born 1990)

Dustin Hopkins is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punt (gridiron football)</span> Kick downfield to the opposing team in gridiron football

In gridiron football, a punt is a kick performed by dropping the ball from the hands and then kicking the ball before it hits the ground. The most common use of this tactic is to punt the ball downfield to the opposing team, usually on the final down, with the hope of giving the receiving team a field position that is more advantageous to the kicking team when possession changes. The result of a typical punt, barring any penalties or extraordinary circumstances, is a first down for the receiving team. A punt is not to be confused with a drop kick, a kick after the ball hits the ground, now rare in both American and Canadian football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Bullock</span> American football player (born 1989)

Randy Bullock is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Texas A&M, and was recognized as the nation's best college football kicker and a consensus All-American. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, after winning college football's Lou Groza Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Tucker</span> American football player (born 1989)

Justin Paul Tucker is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Texas and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Regarded as one of the greatest placekickers of all time, Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history at 90.2 percent and holds the record for the longest successful NFL field goal at 66 yards. He has also been named to seven Pro Bowls and five first-team All-Pros, and was a member of the Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Maher (gridiron football)</span> American football player (born 1989)

Brett Maher is an American professional football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Since turning professional in 2013, Maher has been a member of nine different National Football League (NFL) teams, and three Canadian Football League (CFL) teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Boswell</span> American football player (born 1991)

Christopher Lynn Boswell is an American football placekicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rice and was signed by the Houston Texans in 2014 as an undrafted free agent and has also spent time with the New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Wright (American football)</span> American football player (born 1996)

Matthew Wright is an American football placekicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Wright is known for breaking the Jacksonville Jaguars' 20-game losing streak, when he scored two fourth quarter field goals, including a game-winning 53 yarder in an NFL International Series game against the Miami Dolphins in London. Wright played college football at UCF where he was a member of the undefeated 2017 team that was selected as National Champions by the Colley Matrix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evan McPherson</span> American football player (born 1999)

Evan McPhersonmick-FEAR-suhn; is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida before being drafted by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the only kicker to be selected that year.

Jordan Connor Stout is an American football punter for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech and Penn State.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Nick Sciba". Wake Forest University . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Zeitlow, Alex (December 13, 2020). "Blunder didn't change Wake Forest kicker's life". The State . p. B1, B13 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ Hodgkinson, Oliver (May 1, 2022). "Top kickers and punters in the 2022 NFL Draft include Michael Turk, Cade York". Pro Football Network . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  4. ↑ Ritter, Joe (May 16, 2022). "Steelers sign 4 players from rookie tryout camp, including Wake Forest kicker Nick Sciba". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Nick Sciba: Cut by Pittsburgh". CBS Sports . RotoWire. August 23, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  6. ↑ Odjakjian, Christian (October 30, 2022). "Rookie Nick Sciba to kick for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  7. ↑ Rutter, Joe (October 29, 2022). "Steelers add emergency kicker for Chris Boswell; T.J. Watt is not activated from IR". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Adamski, Chris (October 30, 2022). "From fish market job to NFL game in 48 hours, Nick Sciba makes all kicks as Steelers fill-in". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  9. ↑ Varley, Teresa (November 8, 2022). "Steelers make multiple roster moves". Steelers.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  10. ↑ @USFLGenerals (January 31, 2023). "Free Agent Signing" (Tweet). Retrieved January 31, 2023– via Twitter.
  11. ↑ Seifert, Kevin (January 1, 2024). "Newly formed United Football League sets 8 markets, tabs coaches". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.