PHILADELPHIA, Penn. — Flowery Branch fans already knew about him. The rest of the football world got introduced to Maddux Trujillo on Saturday.
Trujillo, a redshirt-senior for Temple, blasted a 64-yard field against Utah State on Saturday, the longest kick in college football in 16 years. And it had room to spare.
After playing three seasons at Austin Peay in Tennessee, Trujillo transferred to Temple for his final season. But that was after a successful run as Flowery Branch’s kicker for three seasons before graduating in 2020.
Former Branch coach at the time Ben Hall, now at Oconee County, was not surprised at Trujillo’s rise and recognition.
“Maddux always worked extremely hard in all areas. He was a great student in the classroom,” Hall said. “He was an undersized 9th and 10th grader with an incredible internal motor. But he always pushed himself to get bigger and stronger for football. It is fun to watch his hard work pay off.”
According to the Temple football website, Trujillo’s kick is the longest at the top level of college football since 2008 when UTEP’s Jose Martinez hit a 64-yard field goal. It’s also the longest kick in the history of Lincoln Financial Field (where the Philadelphia Eagles play) in either a college football or NFL game. Eagles kicker Jake Elliott held the previous record with a 61-yard field goal.
At Branch his senior season, he connected on 6-of-8 on field goals and 48-of-50 on PATs. He also lettered three times in golf and once in soccer for the Falcons and earned Honor Roll all four years.
While at Austin Peay, he drilled a program-record-tying 55-yard field goal in his sophomore season. He hit 38 of 53 field goal attempts in his three seasons for the Governors before transferring to play for the Owls this season.
Trujillo’s 64-yard field goal also is 1-yard shy of the FBS record without a tee. Former NFL and Kansas State kicker Martin Gramatica holds that record with a 65-yard field goal in 1998.
The longest field goal in NCAA history is a 69-yard kick by Ove Johansson of Abilene Christian in 1976, but kickers were able to kick off a holding tee until 1989.
Hall said he doesn't think Trujillo is done, either. When asked if he felt he would at least get a look from NFL teams once his college days are over, Hall responded:
“Absolutely!”
