Josh Huston
Encyclopedia
Josh Huston is an American football
placekicker
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
at Ohio State
.
Huston has also been a member of the Las Vegas Gladiators
and Cincinnati Bengals
.
at Findlay High School
, where he earned first-team All-Ohio honors as a junior. His holder
at Findlay was current National Football League
quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger
. His high school play ended as the Findlay Trojans lost in the Division I regional semifinals to Grove City
, 59-41.
in 2000, and lost the kicking job to Mike Nugent
in 2001
. In 2002
, he was injured again, prompting him to petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt, giving him a sixth year of eligibility. This petition was eventually granted, and after being a backup to Nugent in 2003
and 2004
, he took over the starting
duty for the Buckeyes in 2005
. During that season, he established himself as one of the nation's top kickers, hitting 22 of 28 field goal
s and 44 of 45 extra point
s to score 110 points for the Buckeyes.
During a September 10, 2005 game against the 2005 Texas Longhorn football team
, Josh Huston made five field goals and attempted a sixth. The five field goals by Josh Huston tied an Ohio State school and stadium record. He now shares the school record with Mike Nugent (at North Carolina State, September 19, 2004) and Bob Atha
(vs. Indiana
, 24 October 1981 in Ohio Stadium).
, but was not selected. He signed on April 30 with the Chicago Bears
. He was released by Chicago on August 24, 2006.
, of the Arena Football League. However, before ever playing in an AFL game, the New York Giants
signed him to their roster on January 12, 2007.
Jay Feely
signing with the Miami Dolphins
on March 7, 2007, the Giants were willing to hand their placekicking duties over to Huston. However, on May 22, 2007, the Giants traded for Kansas City Chiefs
kicker Lawrence Tynes
. After Tynes won the job, Huston was cut from the Giants on September 1, 2007.ref>http://www.bigblueview.com/story/2007/9/1/12522/67849
on October 10, 2007, only to be cut five days later.
during halftime of the 2008 BCS National Championship, against former LSU
kicker David Browndyke. Huston won $100,000 for the general scholarship fund of Ohio State.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
.
Huston has also been a member of the Las Vegas Gladiators
Las Vegas Gladiators
The Cleveland Gladiators are an arena football franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio which plays in the Arena Football League. The team is part of the East division of the AFL's American Conference. The Gladiators play all of their home games at Quicken Loans Arena, which they share with the NBA's...
and Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
.
Early years
Huston played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Findlay High School
Findlay High School
Findlay High School is a public high school in Findlay, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Findlay City School District, and the second largest high school in northwest Ohio. Their nickname is the Trojans. They are members of the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. The new conference is going to...
, where he earned first-team All-Ohio honors as a junior. His holder
Holder (American football)
In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand farthest from the line of...
at Findlay was current National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
. His high school play ended as the Findlay Trojans lost in the Division I regional semifinals to Grove City
Grove City High School (Ohio)
Grove City High School is a high school in Grove City, Ohio, United States. It is one of the four high schools in the South-Western City Schools district. It houses about 1,900 students in grades 9-12. Formerly Jackson High School, Grove City High School moved from the former Park Street building...
, 59-41.
College career
After graduating in 2000, he signed to play for Ohio State. He was redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
in 2000, and lost the kicking job to Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
in 2001
2001 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis...
. In 2002
2002 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning...
, he was injured again, prompting him to petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt, giving him a sixth year of eligibility. This petition was eventually granted, and after being a backup to Nugent in 2003
2003 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2003 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2003-2004. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. Ohio State finished the season with a record of 11-2 and placed second in the...
and 2004
2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
, he took over the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
duty for the Buckeyes in 2005
2005 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2005 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented The Ohio State University in the college football season of 2005-2006. The team's head football coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a win-loss record of 10 and 2, and...
. During that season, he established himself as one of the nation's top kickers, hitting 22 of 28 field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
s and 44 of 45 extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
s to score 110 points for the Buckeyes.
During a September 10, 2005 game against the 2005 Texas Longhorn football team
2005 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2005 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Big 12 Conference championship and the national championship. The team was coached by Mack Brown, led on offense by quarterback Vince Young, and played...
, Josh Huston made five field goals and attempted a sixth. The five field goals by Josh Huston tied an Ohio State school and stadium record. He now shares the school record with Mike Nugent (at North Carolina State, September 19, 2004) and Bob Atha
Bob Atha
Robert Atha was an American football placekicker, punter, and backup quarterback who played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and NFL football For the Miami Dolphins and played for the Arizona Cardinals....
(vs. Indiana
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
, 24 October 1981 in Ohio Stadium).
Chicago Bears
Huston entered the 2006 NFL Draft2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
, but was not selected. He signed on April 30 with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was released by Chicago on August 24, 2006.
Las Vegas Gladiators
On November 2, 2006, Huston was signed by the Las Vegas GladiatorsLas Vegas Gladiators
The Cleveland Gladiators are an arena football franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio which plays in the Arena Football League. The team is part of the East division of the AFL's American Conference. The Gladiators play all of their home games at Quicken Loans Arena, which they share with the NBA's...
, of the Arena Football League. However, before ever playing in an AFL game, the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
signed him to their roster on January 12, 2007.
First stint with Giants
With former New York Giant placekickerPlacekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Jay Feely
Jay Feely
Thomas James "Jay" Feely is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. Jay played for the Temple Terrace Spirit Soccer team that won the National Championships when he was 16....
signing with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 7, 2007, the Giants were willing to hand their placekicking duties over to Huston. However, on May 22, 2007, the Giants traded for Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
kicker Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence James Henry Tynes is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2001.-Early years:...
. After Tynes won the job, Huston was cut from the Giants on September 1, 2007.ref>http://www.bigblueview.com/story/2007/9/1/12522/67849
Cincinnati Bengals
Huston was signed to the practice squad of the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on October 10, 2007, only to be cut five days later.
Second stint with Giants
On August 15, 2008, Huston was re-signed by the Giants. However, due to his struggles in preseason the Giants waived him on August 30, 2008.Personal
On January 7, 2008, Huston won the "Alumni Kicker Challenge" for his alma mater OSUOhio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
during halftime of the 2008 BCS National Championship, against former LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
kicker David Browndyke. Huston won $100,000 for the general scholarship fund of Ohio State.