Florida State University Athletics
Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2021
Graham Gano signed with Florida State in 2005 out of Tate High School in Pensacola and became one of the greatest special teams players in Seminole football history.
Gano handled kickoffs for the Seminoles as a freshman in 2005 and was FSU's starting punter and kickoff specialist as a sophomore and junior. He averaged 40.8 yards per punt as a sophomore in 2006 and posted his career-high average of 43.4 yards as a junior with 16 punts over 50 yards.
He entered his senior season as a preseason All-American and Ray Guy Award watch list member and was slated to become the first player in school history to handle all kicking duties (punt, KOs and field goals). A preseason injury forced coaches to limit him to field goals. After missing the first two games, he became the best kicker in the country, winning the 2008 Lou Groza Award. He led the FBS in field goals made (24 ), field goals made from 50 yards or more (5), and field goal percentage (92.3). Remarkably, he capped his career as the Most Valuable Player in FSU's Champs Bowl win over Wisconsin when he added punting duties and kept the Badgers pinned all day, dropping four punts inside their 10.
Gano is in his 13th season as one of the premier kickers in the NFL.
