One of the nation’s top kickers gets another year of eligibility at Utah

In the midst of the 2017 season, Utah’s special teams has received a significant boost for next season as well.

The football program announced Wednesday night that placekicker Matt Gay has received another season of eligibility, meaning he will be permitted to play for the Pac-12 school in 2018. The bonus year is related to an LDS church mission that allows his eligibility clock to be extended beyond this season.

Entering 2017, it was thought that this would be Gay’s only year of eligibility he could use with the Utes.

The school noted that because it was an eligibility clock extension uncovered by the university, they did not have to go through the NCAA to get the player another year. It was also noted that Gay, a walk-on who joined the Utes during summer camp, can actually be a part of the football team through the spring of 2019 if he so desires.

At least statistically, Gay is the best kicker in the country at the moment. From the school’s release:

Gay is the nation’s leading field goal kicker, ranking No. 1 in field goals made (14), total points (56), points per game (14.0), field goals per game (3.50) and field goal percentage (1.000). Gay, whose 56-yard field against San Jose State is the longest field goal in the nation this season, is also perfect in extra points (14-of-14).