A routine practice clip from a Michigan kicker has turned into something beyond believable for the sport. There was never a question if the clean strike with a towering arc would clear the uprights. But by how much is what people are wondering about. And the kick is drawing all the attention even before the season kicks in. 

Michigan insider Brice Marich shared the screengrab of the video Butkowski posted on his IG. In the clip, the Michigan kicker, who came to Ann Arbor after spending his freshman year at Pittsburgh, can be seen casually walking into a 72-yard field goal as if it were nothing.

The current pro record for the longest field goal is a 68-yard kick from Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little. On November 2, 2025, Little surpassed his own previous record of a 67-yarder. The third place belongs to former Baltimore kicker Justine Tucker, who made a 66-yard field goal against Detroit in September 2021. Had it been a game set-up, Butkowski would have topped Little’s record by at least 4 yards. But as it turns out, the clip was from a personal practice. And Cam Little should be relieved that his record is still intact.

Surprisingly, the college football record is 69 yards, set by Abilene Christian’s Ove Johansson in NCAA Division II in 1976. None of the top five spots in the record books for longest field goals belong to this century. The Michigan kicker will have a historic opportunity once the season starts.

Trey Butkowski’s own record is a 47-yarder that he kicked in October 2025. Pitt won that game 48-7 against Boston College. But that wasn’t the only flash of that season. He recorded an 86.4% field goal percentage with 19-of-22 completions. And his extra-point percentage was 97.7%, going 43-of-44. At one point during the 2025 campaign, Butkowski had made 16 consecutive field goals. 

And with 100% accuracy inside the 40 yards, he was the semifinalist for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. However, the award ultimately went to Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell. 

Practice kicks are different from official games. There is no pressure, and you don’t have to worry about the snap, timing, or even the wind. But the magnitude of Butkowski’s kick still signals an elite range ceiling. But for Michigan, it’s not just a viral moment. The impact goes far beyond the distance it covered. 

Trey Butkowski’s arrival could reshape Michigan’s special teams unit

With the departure of Dominic Zvada, the record-setting All-American campaign, who lit it up for the Wolverines, Kyle Whittingham was staring at a gaping hole in his special teams unit. However, just like long snapper Nico Crawford, Butkowski also transferred to the Wolverines to form a solid duo that can ease the stress of Michigan’s faithful.

The long snapper joined the Wolverines on January 6, two days prior to his teammate, under new head coach Kyle Whittingham and special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs. Together, Butkowski and Crawford have a record of 16 consecutive makes for Pittsburgh. Trey has even publicly credited his teammate’s snaps for his confidence as a freshman. Now that they are both on the same team again, Michigan can skip hundreds of practice kicks. The pre-synchronized battery will reflect better chemistry on the field. 

Michigan isn’t just fixing the inconsistencies from the previous season. They are putting their faith in a reliable kicker with 3 years of eligibility. And by the looks of Trey Butkowski’s practice kick, Michigan is moving in the right direction.