‘Ice Man’ – Consistency Fuels Radicic’s Kicking Accuracy
By Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The evolution of kickers finds Nico Radicic on the cusp of record-setting field goal accuracy, and perspective.
Indiana’s fourth-year standout is part of a wave of elite kickers at basically every level of the game. The combination of distance and accuracy is unprecedented. In college, there have been at least seven field goals of 60 or more yards since 2020, with a long of 64 yards by Temple’s Maddux Trujillo in 2024.
Last year, NFL kickers made 12 field goals of 60 or more yards. In 2024, there were four. In 2014, it was zero.
As far as accuracy, no one at the college level has ever done it better than Radicic. He’s made 29-of-31 career attempts, a 93.5 percent success rate. He’s 19 attempts away from reaching the required record minimum.
Radicic’s record quest resumes on Saturday when No. 6 IU hosts North Texas in its season opener at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium.
Still, he downplays the possibility.
“I’ve said it before. I’m focused on one kick at a time. I’m focused on the first extra point or field goal in Game 1. After that, I’ll be focusing on the second kick.”
The record belongs to the University of Louisiana’s Brett Baer, who went 45-for-50 (90 percent) from 2009 to 2012.
If you consider major college kickers, Wake Forest’s Nick Sciba leads at 89.9 percent (80-for-89), with Nebraska’s Alex Henery (68-for-76, 89.5 percent), Florida State’s Roberto Aguayo (69-for-78, 88.5 percent) and Florida’s Eddy Pineiro (38-for-43, 88.4 percent) right behind him.
Why are kickers so good now?
“It's a great question,” Radicic says. “I see the same thing. Young guys are hitting balls from 65 (yards) in high school.
“I don't know why. The training is getting better. There are a lot of people getting involved in kicking and special teams. It's just about making kicks and being consistent.”
Resilience under pressure helps. Radicic made all three of his field-goal attempts during IU’s three-game playoff run that culminated in a national championship. He’s also made all 158 of his college extra point attempts. His father, Tom, calls him “Iceman” on social media posts. Head coach Curt Cignetti says Radicic is “money in the bank.”
“He’s really focused,” Cignetti says. “His technique is good. He's had a great fall camp.”
Last season, Radicic made 18-of-19 field goal attempts and was named Big Ten Bakken-Anderson Kicker of the Year, as well as All-Big Ten honors. For the first time, he’s made the preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Award, which goes to the nation’s best kicker.
Radicic says that won’t change his approach.
“It's a preseason watch list. It's based on what I did last year. Last year doesn't matter to me. I'm looking forward to this season.”
What’s the secret to his success?
Consistency in everything.
“I have a consistent routine with everything, including treatment. When I go to class, I take care of class, then come in (to Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium). I do the same thing treatment-wise every day down to the T. Then when I go to meetings and go out to the field for warmups. I do everything down to the T again -- warm up, kicking. Everything I do is consistent.”
Exceptional kickers are common under Cignetti. At James Madison, that included Ethan Ratke, who became the first kicker in NCAA history to surpass 500 career points. He has national record totals of 542 points and 101 field goals. Cignetti says Ratke and Radicic are “very similar.”
“I have a lot of confidence in (Radicic).”
That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. Radicic has never made a field goal longer than 46 yards. That reflects his 2023 knee injury, IU’s dynamic, touchdown-producing offense and the strong legs of teammates such as Brandon Franke, who made a 58-yarder last season. This year, it’s Paddy McAteer, a fifth-year transfer from Troy. The Ireland native grew up playing Gaelic football and didn’t start playing American football until 2024 at age 20. He has a 53-yard field goal on his resume.
Radicic insists he can handle 50-plus-yarders.
“That’s something that I’ve worked on since I got back after surgery. I’m pretty comfortable right now anywhere on the other side of the 50-yard line.
“At the end of the day, it’s the big boss’s decision upstairs who will take those. I hope it’s my name that’s called. I’ve done a lot to get my name called.”
As for McAteer, Radicic adds, “He has a huge leg. He’s a great guy with a big leg on kickoffs. I hope it will be 100 percent touchback rate for him.”
Powerhouse special teams are among the reasons why IU has thrived under Cignetti and his staff. Grant Cain coaches special teams as well as tight ends. Ryan McInerney is the senior assistant for special teams.
“Grant does a great job of evaluating kickers,” Cignetti says. “We’ve had quite a few portal guys at kickoff and punter and long snapper.”
Adds Radicic: “I think Coach Cain and Coach Mac are elite at their jobs. The amount of time that they spend upstairs scheming about punt or kickoff. It's crazy to me how many kickoff formations we have and punts.
“(Cain) has an answer for every scenario. Seeing that in meetings, you start to realize how elite he is at his job.