2002 Football Roster
Roster
Matt Piotrowicz
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 203
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Chicago, Ill.
- High School:
- Mount Carmel
Handled the kick off duties for four years….A rare conventional straight-on kicker…Played with an aggressive style and had 38 career special teams tackles….Last name is pronounced pah-TROH-vitch…A two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection…
CAREER: Played in 49 games and the 2002 Orange Bowl for 312 plays…
2004: Named the Co-Outstanding Special Teams Player at the conclusion of the 2004 season…A kicker for UF who has played in all 12 games…Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll…Participated in the second-most plays on special teams, recording 72…Handled kickoff duties all but two times…Only allowed three kickoff returns to cross the 30-yard line, while recording 28 touchbacks and eight special teams tackles before the 25-yard line…His eight special teams tackles led the squad…Had 72 total kickoffs for 4,462 yards, an average of 62.0 yards per kick…Took care of seven of his eight kicks against Arkansas, making two special teams tackles and notching five touchbacks…Was part of a kickoff team that limited Eastern Michigan to an average starting field position inside of the 18-yard line…Four of his five kickoffs against Tennessee resulted in touchbacks…Put only three kicks out of bounds…
2003: Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll…Played in all 13 games for 78 plays…Had 78 kickoffs for the season, including 57 that traveled 60+ yards with 26 touchbacks…Had 11 kickoffs against San Jose State, seven of which reached the end zone, while three were downed as touchbacks…All 10 kickoffs against FAMU went 60+ yards and six were downed as touchbacks…Ranked fourth on the team with eight special teams tackles…
2002: Handled the kickoff duties for the second-consecutive year…Had 65 kickoffs with 13 touchbacks…48 of his 65 kickoffs were 60-plus yards with an average starting position at the22-yard line…Played in every game for 65 plays…Tied for second on the team with 12 special teams tackles…Had nine kickoffs vs. UAB, including seven 60-plus yards and two touchbacks…All six kickoffs were 60-plus yards, including a season-high four touchbacks, in the Outback Bowl…Had three assisted tackles on special teams vs. Ohio and Kentucky…
2001: Handled the bulk of the kickoff duties… Played in all 11 regular-season games and the Orange Bowl…Had a remarkable six special teams tackles (three solo) vs. Maryland in the Orange Bowl…Had 76 kickoffs on the season with an average opponent starting position at the 25-yard line…All but 15 kickoffs were returned (10 touchbacks, two downed, one on-side and two kicks out of bounds)…Won UF's post-season award for Best Effort on Special Teams…
2000: Did not see any game action and was redshirted…Worked with the scout team as a place kicker and punter…
PREP: Considered one of the nation's top prep kickers…Received All-America recognition from USA Today…Rivals.com Network named him one of the nation's top four kickers…A first-team all-state selection in '99 as both a placekicker and punter…A straight-on kicker who also played nose guard for a Mt. Carmel High School squad that captured Illinois state championships in '98 and '99…Set Illinois state records for most extra points (160) and total kicking points (214)…Was 16-of-23 on field goal attempts during his junior and senior seasons…A team captain in '99 who converted on 54-of- 55 PATs and 8-11 field goals…56 of his 65 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks…Averaged 38.5 yards per punt and opponents managed just 74 total return yards on 45 punts (just 1.64 average per punt)…Made 84 tackles on defense, with 24 behind the line of scrimmage (nine quarterback sacks)…A member of the National Honor Society and Students Against Drunk Driving…Also visited Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee…High school coach was Frank Lenti…
MAJOR: Graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration in the summer of 2004…Plans to pursue a master's degree in Sports Administration.
