45 in 45: No.20 Andrew Ritter

Andrew Ritter

Kicker

Senior

6’3 216 Lbs.

Jackson, Miss.

(Clarion Ledger)

2012 Season: Ritter redshirted in 2012 after three years of handling kickoff duties. During his time at Ole Miss he has been buried under Joshua Shene and Bryson Rose. An opportunity to redshirt in 2012 and take over the field goals was too much to pass up.

Value: In high school Ritter booted a four 50-plus-yard field goals including 58-yarder. The problems are that those occurred five years ago and he was only 8-12 on the season.

That said, he has a rocket for a leg and has gone above 60 yards with the wind. Field goal kickers win games (see: 2012 Arkansas game) and help to lose them (see: 2003 LSU game) which makes them a vital part of every team. He has gotten praise from the coaches who have a lot of faith in him after he spent his redshirt year habitually practicing field goals. Hugh Freeze is not expecting a Sebastian Janikowski-like game changer, but a reliable kicker who you know can make the big 40-yarder to win at the horn, that is who he will need to be.