Caden Costa replacement? Record-setting Charlotte kicker Jonathan Cruz to play final college season at Ole Miss
Ole Miss football has added some much-needed competition to its special teams room.
The Rebels, on Friday, landed a commitment from Charlotte kicker Jonathan Cruz. Cruz, who has one year of eligibility remaining, is the Charlotte school-record holder in career field goal percentage (.719).
“I would like to say thank you to Charlotte for the past four years,” Cruz wrote, in announcing his Ole Miss pledge through social media. “It has been an unforgettable experience that I’m forever thankful for. The bonds and relationships that I have created over this period of time is what I will cherish the most.
“It has been a fun ride, and Niner Nation will always hold a special place in my heart. With that being said, I’m blessed and excited to announce that I will be playing my last year at Ole Miss. Hotty Toddy.”
Ole Miss will be without second-year kicker Caden Costa for an undisclosed amount of time.
There’s even a chance Costa never kicks for Ole Miss again, though sources indicate the most likely outcome is he redshirts in 2022 and rejoins the roster next spring.
The NCAA ruled Costa ineligible for the final two games of the 2021 season after a failed test for a performance-enhancer. He’s currently suspended and being held out of spring practices. Ole Miss will wrap its third full week with a scrimmage on Saturday.
Costa won the starting job at Ole Miss as a true freshman and went 14 of 17 on his attempts. He made 46 of 48 extra points and was 9 for 9 on field goals shorter than 40 yards. Costa set a career-long with a 50-yard field goal and had 88 points on the year.
“I am heartbroken to announce that I am ineligible to play the rest of my freshman season due to NCAA protocol involving an endurance substance most likely found in a contaminated supplement,” Costa wrote in November.
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“It is important to know that I would never do anything to intentionally give myself a competitive advantage and pride myself on integrity and dedication with my work ethic. I will be appealing this case and will be back even better in 2022. Thank you Rebel Nation for the love and support through this difficult time.”
Costa’s appeal is still under review.
Cruz, meanwhile, was successful on a school-record five field goals of 50-plus yards during his time at Charlotte. He handled all kicking duties in 2021 and was 10 of 15 on field goals and 40 for 41 on point-after attempts.
Cruz shares the school-record for longest field goal made with his game-winning 56-yarder at Florida Atlantic in 2018. He had another against Western Kentucky, which was the longest in Conference USA last season. It tied for the fourth-longest in the country.
Cruz owns the single-season (2018) school records for 40-plus field goals made (8) and 50-plus field goals made (3). He’s 16 for 25 (.640) all-time from 40 yards or more. He tied a school record with 10 consecutive made field goals spanning the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
