Arizona Football Top Five All-Time Kickers

Throughout its history, Arizona football has seen many ups and downs with the program making 22 bowl games and recording four 10-win seasons. In 1998, the Wildcats finished with a school-record 12 wins capped off with a 23-20 win over Nebraska.

As the program gears up for its 122nd season with head coach Brent Brennan entering his second season at the helm, we will be ranking the top five players at each position to get you ready for the 2025 season.

As we continue throughout this position process of breaking down the top five players of all-time, we have arrived at kickers, which has had highs and lows throughout the program’s history.

5. Jason Bondzio (2007-08)

As coach Mike Stoops was turning around the program and getting the Wildcats back to a bowl game, the team had a rock solid kicking game with kicker Jason Bondzio hardly folding under pressure when his team needed it the most.

In his two seasons with the program, Bondzio hit 98% of his extra point attempts on 93 chances. Meanwhile, he connected on 83% of his field goal attempts and during his last season went an impressive 14 of 16 on the year.

In that final season, the Wildcats ended a 10-year bowl drought by making it to the Vegas Bowl where Arizona beat BYU 31-21 where Bondzio went 1-for-1 on field goal attempts.

4. Nick Folk (2003-06)

One kicker has had the longest NFL career by an Arizona player by playing 17 years in the league for five different franchises and playing in 242 career games. During that time, he has connected on 84% of his kicks and hit 47 field goals of 50-plus yards.

While at Arizona, Folk got better each season and in his senior year he hit 75% of his chances while recording 74 punts on the season. Why do the punts matter? Well, that means he was working double the amount of time as a regular kicker.

During the 2006 season, Arizona was in a 13-13 game against BYU at home to open the season against a team that would go on to finish 11-2 and at No. 16 in the final AP Poll. In that game, Folk went 3-for-4 and hit the game-winning 48-yard field goal to complete the upset win.

3. Tyler Loop (2020-24)

One dark area of Arizona athletics was the Kevin Sumlin tenure where the program nose dived to new lows and caused a historic losing streak. However, one bright spot was the recruitment for kicker Tyler Loop, who despite the tough times stuck with the program even when a coaching change happened.

By sticking with the team, Loop would develop and become one of the most accurate and complete kickers in program history. He hit on 84% of his field goal attempts and went 126-for128 on point after attempts.

During the 2024 season against Houston, Loop lined up for a 62-yard field goal attempt. He nailed it and by doing so,he hit the longest field goal in UA football history.

2. Steve McLaughlin (1991-94)

In his first couple of seasons, kicker Steve McLaughlin struggled and only connected on 14 of 26. However, he was able to turn things around and worked his way to becoming a third round NFL Draft pick.

While with Arizona, he improved his field goal kicking rate to 79% during his senior season going 23 of 29 while helping the team score 95 points with his leg.

1. Max Zendejas (1982-85)

The golden standard of Arizona kickers is “Mad” Max Zendejas, who in his first season became an Arizona legend during a road game at No. 9 Notre Dame with things knotted up at 13 a piece. Zendejas hit a game-winning 52-yard field goal as time expired to upset the Irish.

Overall, Zendejas hit 77 career field goals and ended his time at UA hitting 74% of his field goal attempts.

Not only was Zendejas a pest to Notre Dame, he was an ASU killer. Against the in-state rival Arizona State, he hit game winning kicks during the 1983 season and then again in 1985 cementing himself as a hero and legend among Arizona faithful.

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