Pitt HC Praises True Freshman Kicker

PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers true freshman kicker Trey Butkowski has been as steady as can be through the first half of the regular season.

The last time Butkowski spoke to the media was after playing his fourth-ever collegiate game, and his confidence was palpable. He was 8-for-9 on field goal attempts and 17-for-18 on PATs, with the lone PAT miss being a blocked kick.

"I've rep'd so many kicks in practice, and I've got so many kicks up with this operation, that it's kind of hard not to feel great about it," Butkowski said on Sept. 30. "When you see a perfect snap every day, see a perfect hold every day, then I just know it comes down to me, and I'm confident in myself and my ability."

Three games later, and Butkowski has yet to miss another kick. The former walk-on is now 15-for-16 on field goal attempts, with a new career-long of 47 yards that he made against Boston College, and is 30-for-31 on PATs. This time, it's his head coach expressing confidence.

"He's been really consistent," Pat Narduzzi said in a press conference.

Aug 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers place kicker Trey Butkowski (93) kicks a field goal from the hold of punter Caleb Junko (91) against the Duquesne Dukes during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt is currently the No. 10 team in the country in field goal percentage at 93.8%. If Butkowski keeps it up, he will hold the new Pitt record for highest field goal percentage in a season. The current record holder is Chris Ferencik, who made 92.3% of his kicks (12-for-13) in 1995.

Butkowski is also on pace to break one of Ben Sauls' records. Sauls currently holds the record for most consecutive field goal makes with 15, from 2023-24. Butkowski is just four field goal conversions away from breaking the record with five games remaining, and averaging just over two makes per game.

Had Butkowski made the only missed kick of the season against West Virginia, he would already have the record with 16 consecutive makes as a true freshman. Butkowski has the opportunity to place his name as one of the greatest kickers in Pitt history by the end of the season.

Five games are remaining, and they could be the five toughest games for the freshman.

Butkowski has only been a kicker since his sophomore year of high school, and now he is kicking in the longest season he has ever played. He also has had the luxury of kicking during a temperate western Pennsylvania fall at the beginning of the year, and now in Tallahassee, Fla., and in the JMA Wireless Dome the last two weeks. But now he'll have road trips to Atlanta and California and two November home games coming up.

"He's a strong kid," Narduzzi said. "For high school kids, this is a long season. You get to game eight, Week 9, they're usually in the playoffs already."

As the season continues, the Pittsburgh weather will continue to change. Butkowski said he has talked with Sauls about adjusting to the changing conditions, while Narduzzi focuses on developing his young kicker in the homestretch.

"It's a challenge every week," Narduzzi said. "We've just got to keep staying on him and the details along the way."

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