Rodrigo bids goodbye to his collegiate career with Senior Bowl appearance
Game-by-game summaries listed below
Updated through July 8, 2020
Rodrigo’s storied collegiate career recorded its final chapter on Jan. 25, 2020 in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Following the 34-17 victory by the North over Rodrigo and his South teammates, the now-former University of Georgia standout began the next phase of his football odyssey–preparing to compete on the professional level, as he will attempt to become the Indianapolis Colts’ place kicker and kickoff specialist when NFL training camps open in July.
In the Senior Bowl, Rodrigo converted two extra points from the NFL distance of 33 yards and also made a 25-yard field goal. Game officials allowed only one kickoff for each team, and Rodrigo’s kickoff that started the second half sailed two yards past the back line of the end zone for his final career touchback (his 235th overall) and his 91st kickoff that went beyond the end zone.
The Marietta native capped his record-setting career by winning the 2019 Lou Groza Award, the specialist position’s version of the Heisman Trophy. He was named a Groza semifinalist three times, and during his UGA career he was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week eight times, including a mind-boggling 6 times during his senior season. He finished as UGA’s all-time leader in 10 statistical categories, including points (440), field goal percentage (82.5), consecutive PATs (200, also an SEC record), touchbacks in a season (82) and career (234), and longest field goal in a bowl game (55 yards)
He also has 10 listings in the College Football Playoff record book, including 6 firsts, 3 seconds and 1 third.
Rodrigo, senior teammates close out careers with record-tying 44 wins as Baylor falls 26-14 in Sugar Bowl
Rodrigo and his fellow senior classmates on the UGA football team went out winners in more ways than one on New Year’s Day. Not only did the Dawgs defeat Baylor 26-14 in the Sugar Bowl game in the New Orleans Superdome, but they also recorded their 44th victory as a class, equaling the all-time program record, previously held by the 2005 senior class.
For Rodrigo, his Bulldog finale was a satisfying one as he scored 8 points and launched 5 touchbacks, including his 89th and 90th career kickoffs out of the end zone. Rodrigo’s four-year contribution includes 440 points and 234 touchbacks, both all-time bests for the program.
He also etched his name into the SEC record book by converting his 199th and 200th consecutive extra points, surpassing the previous record of 198 held by Auburn’s Daniel Carlson. A glance into the UGA record book will reveal Rodrigo’s name entered 31 times, including the all-time leader in 10 categories, runnerup 10 times and third place 8 times.
Rodrigo ended his senior season with 127 points, claiming third place all-time in UGA history; he is also fourth (123 points) and fifth (122 points) while Billy Bennett still resides in first and second (131 and 130 points). Not only is Rodrigo first in career touchbacks, he is also first, second and third in single-season touchbacks with 82 (2018), 67 (2017) and 65 (2019). Rodrigo’s two field goals against Baylor upped his career total to 80, second place behind Bennett’s 87, and his 82.5 percent success rate for field goal attempts is also No. 1 all-time for UGA.
Game 1: Georgia 30, Vanderbilt 6
Kickoffs — 7 for 490 yards, 70.0 average, 5 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.34, 4.13, 4.07, 4.03, 3.94, 3.91, 3.75. Distances — 78, 68, 62, 75, 73, 60, 74.
PATs — 3 for 3. FGs — 3 for 3 (50, 37, 31).
Game 2: Georgia 63, Murray State 17
Kickoffs — 8 for 576 yards, 72.0 average, 6 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.50, 4.44, 4.40, 4.32, 4.32, 4.31, 4.19, 3.97. Distances — 80, 79, 78, 73, 71, 68, 65, 62.
PATs — 9 for 9. FGs — none attempted.
Game 3: Georgia 55, Arkansas State 0
Kickoffs — 8 for 585 yards, 73.1 average, 7 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.37, 4.34, 4.31, 4.29, 4.19, 4.11, 4.09, 3.63. Distances — 80, 79, 76, 75, 74, 73, 73, 55.
PATs — 7 for 7. FGs — 2 for 2 (29, 41).
Game 4: Georgia 23, Notre Dame 17
Kickoffs — 6 for 422 yards (1 squib), 70.3 average, 5 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.44, 4.19, 4.19, 4.16, 3.97. Distances — 80, 79, 78, 74, 73, 38.
PATs — 2 for 2. FGs — 3 for 3 (40, 31, 43).
Game 5: Georgia 43, Tennessee 14
Kickoffs — 9 for 639 yards, 71.2 average, 6 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.44, 4.34, 4.25, 4.22, 4.22, 4.19, 4.13, 4.08, 3.85. Distances — 81, 75, 75, 74, 72, 72, 65, 64, 61.
PATs — 4 for 4. FGs — 3 for 3 (50, 34, 27)
Game 6: South Carolina 20, Georgia 17
Kickoffs — 4 for 294 yards, 73.5 average, 4 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.54, 4.34, 4.21, 4.16. Distances — 79, 78, 69, 68.
PAT — 2 for 2. FGs — 1 for 3 (50 make, 53 miss-blocked, 42 miss)
Game 7: Georgia 21, Kentucky 0
Kickoffs — 4 for 238 yards, 59.5 average, 1 squib, 1 touchback. Hang times — 4.16, 4.16, 2.60. Distances — 48, 55, 63, 72. Return yards — 74.
PATs 3 for 3. FGs — none attempted.
Game 8: Georgia 24, Florida 17
Kickoffs — 6 for 445 yards, 74.2 average, 5 touchbacks. Hang times — 3.84, 3.84, 4.40, 4.59, 3.87, 4.00. Distances — 79, 79, 74, 65, 76, 72. Return yards — 17.
PATs — 1 for 1. FGs — 3 for 3 (31, 37, 31)
Game 9: Georgia 27, Missouri 0
Kickoffs — 6 for 421 yards, 70.2 average, 4 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.10, 4.03, 3.97, 3.97, 4.37, 4.00. Distances — 63, 76, 73, 74, 73, 62. Return yards — 35.
PATs — 1 for 1. FGs — 4 for 5 (20, 48, 47, 29 make, 43 miss)
Game 10: Georgia 21, Auburn 14
Kickoffs — 4 for 302 yards, 75.5 average, 4 touchbacks. Hang times — 3.84, 4.09, 4.25, 4.34. Distances — 70, 76, 79, 77. Return yards – 0.
PATs — 3 for 3. FGs — none attempted.
Game 11: Georgia 19, Texas A&M 13
Kickoffs — 5 for 364 yards, 72.8 average, 4 touchbacks. One onside kickoff, not recovered. Hang times — 3.96, 4.22, 4.47, 4.12, 4.38. Distances — 71, 77, 77, 65, 74. Return yards — 14.
PATs — 1 for 1. FGs — 4 for 4 (41, 49, 37, 31).
Game 12: Georgia 52, Georgia Tech 7
Kickoffs — 9 for 638 yards, 70.9 average, 7 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.10, 4.25, 4.56, 4.37, 4.25, 4.16, 4.16, 4.09. Distances — 70, 64, 70, 74, 72, 64, 71, 80, 73, Return yards — 34.
PATs — 7 for 7. FGs — 1 for 2 (49 make, 42 miss).
Game 13: LSU 37, Georgia 10
Kickoffs — 2 for 148 yards, 74.0 average, 2 touchbacks. One squib kick out of bounds. Hang times — 4.28, 4.40. Distances — 78, 70.
PATs — 1 for 1. FGs — 1 for 3 (52 miss, 40 make, 38 miss).
Game 14: Georgia 26, Baylor 14
Kickoffs — 6 for 423 yards, 70.5 average, 5 touchbacks. Hang times — 4.15, 4.28, 4.22, 3.97, 4.19. Distances — 76, 70, 71, 76, 71, 59. Return yards — 19.
PATs — 2 for 2. FGs — 2 for 2 (24, 31)
Game 15: North 34, South 17 (Senior Bowl)
Kickoffs — 1 for 77 yards, 77.0 average. Hang time — 4.00.
PATs — 2 for 2. FGs — 1 for 2 (25 make, 43 miss)
Annual G-Day game culminates ‘perfect’ spring for Rodrigo
Rodrigo’s fourth and final spring game for the Dawgs was brief yet auspicious on April 20 at Sanford Stadium before a weather-reduced throng of 56,000-plus.
The rising senior’s 23-yard field goal got the Red squad on the scoreboard in the first period, and his extra point tied the game at 10 in the second period. He had one kickoff out of the end zone and another 4 deep, and then reserve kickers played in the second half.
For the two intrasquad scrimmages plus G-Day, Rodrigo was a perfect 7-for-7 on field goals. Three other kickers — Brooks Buce, Jack Podlesny and starting punter Jake Camarda — were a combined 9 for 19. During the 15-day spring practice season, Rodrigo converted 21 of 22 field goal attempts during team sessions.
Summer workouts begin at the end of May.