Even without its two-time Ray Guy Award winner, some pundits still suggest Utah might have the best specialist in the country.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach took a crack at a way-too-early All-American team for the 2016 season, and said Utah senior Andy Phillips could be the top kicker in the nation this upcoming year.
Citing Phillips’ 84 percent career accuracy while hitting all four of his 50-plus yard attempts, Schlabach designated the 27-year-old as the spiritual successor to Tom Hackett, who was a two-time All American as the nation’s best punter.
Not that tapping Phillips to have a big year is a stretch: The former US ski team member is a three-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist, and was a third-team All American according to CBS Sports last year.