Five games into 2025, Tripp Woody has revitalized Syracuse’s field goal unit

Days away from its season opener in Atlanta against then-No. 24 Tennessee, it was anyone’s guess who Syracuse’s starting placekicker would be in 2025.

At first, all signs pointed to veteran Jackson Kennedy reprising the role. But when it was announced by the NCAA Kennedy had run out of eligibility due his previous involvement with the Cornell sprint football team, the Orange’s plan at the position was completely flipped on its head.

A kicker competition

With returner Jadyn Oh and Iowa transfer Tripp Woody as his top two options, Fran Brown informed both kickers they would have to battle each other for the starting job, which ultimately went to Woody. Still, the two constantly remain in competition with one another today. Woody believes that their ongoing battle has only strengthened their bond.

“We’re both really competitive people, which I think we appreciate at times because we expect high execution from one another to actually push each other and make ourselves better,” Woody said of his relationship with Oh.

Thrust into the starting role for the first time in his young career, Woody has thrived. Amid a turbulent start to 2025 that’s seen the Orange pull off an upset, fall embarrassingly at home and even lose their starting quarterback to injury, Woody’s given his offense much-needed security at the placekicker position. Five games into the season, he’s knocked six-of-seven field goal attempts through the uprights and sits at a perfect 16-for-16 mark on extra point tries.

A look back

Last season, Syracuse’s struggles at the kicking position were very real, but they were often masked by the performances of soon-to-be NFL draft picks like Kyle McCord, LeQuint Allen Jr. and Jackson Meeks among others. Despite SU ending the season with its first bowl victory since 2018 and a 10-3 record, the field goal unit never fully found its rhythm.

Following early misses from Oh and Brady Denaburg — combining for a 5-for-11 mark on field goals by the season’s end — Kennedy took over the rest of the season.

Woody’s routine

In his first game of action against the Volunteers, Woody wasn’t called upon much, but he was good when he had to be. En route to a 45-26 defeat, he nailed both his extra point attempts. Since missing one of his three field goals next time out in SU’s matchup with UConn, he’s been perfect on three-point tries. Regardless, Woody still remains his harshest critic.

“I think I’ve done pretty solid," Woody said. "Obviously, there’s a miss I still think about and that I want back, but you live and you learn. That was a mistake on my extension. I didn’t finish it straight."

Woody’s kicking style wasn’t created in a vacuum. During his brief stint at Iowa, he closely studied starting kicker Drew Stevens’ daily routine and took mental notes from the sidelines when he went in for a kick.

“I was able to learn then come (into Syracuse) and just apply my own twist of what he did,” Woody said of his approach to kicking.

For Woody, following his own strict gameday routine is also paramount. Each gameday, he reads the same verse from the physical Bible he’s owned since middle school before he takes the field. During warmups, he makes sure to kick 15 to 20 balls — no more, no less. Woody says these steps help him get a feel for the field he’s playing on that day and assure that he remains mentally on track.

Woody’s mindset going forward

Following a blowout loss to Duke last weekend, Syracuse will need Woody to remain at his best as its offense looks to find its identity with Rickie Collins under center. But no matter how many touchdowns SU scores the rest of the year, the goal for Woody will always be the same.

“All I really care about is being the most reliable kicker in the country for my team,” Woody said.

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