USC football countdown to kickoff—Chase McGrath in focus
Position: Kicker
Years played at USC: 2017-2020
Career highlights: Arriving on campus as a walk-on in 2017, McGrath won the starting kicker job immediately as a true freshman. The first two field goal attempts of McGrath's career were dramatic ones, as he hit the game-tying field goal at the end of regulation and the game-winner in double overtime to take down Texas at the Coliseum. After the season, he was awarded a scholarship.
In 2018, McGrath redshirted after suffering a knee injury chasing down a defender after a blocked kick in the third game of the year. He returned from the injury in 2019, hitting a career-high 82.6% of his field goals and earning USC's Special Teams Player of the Year award, in addition to All-Pac-12 honorable mention. Prior to the 2020 season, however, McGrath was beaten out for the starting job by true freshman Parker Lewis.
After USC: After losing the starting job at USC, McGrath transferred to Tennessee in 2021. He spent the next two years as the Volunteers starting kicker. In 2022, he hit another iconic game-winning field goal to help Tennessee take down Alabama for the first time in 16 years.
In April, McGrath got engaged in the Coliseum to his longtime girlfriend, former USC Song Girl and recruiting staffer Adrianna Robakowski. The two met during McGrath's time playing for the Trojans.
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