Sep. 8—EL PASO — Fort Hill graduate Danny King kicked the go-ahead 33-yard field goal in overtime to lead Southern Utah to a 27-24 upset of FBS University of Texas at El Paso on Saturday.
King’s make gave the Thunderbirds, coached by former Frostburg State head coach DeLane Fitzgerald, the lead in the first overtime.
UTEP’s Buzz Flabiano missed a 32-yard field goal on the ensuing possession to give Fitzgerald his first victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in his third season in Cedar City, Utah.
UTEP (0-2) is a member of Conference USA and is led by first-year head coach Scotty Walden.
King also made a 38-yard field goal with 2:39 left in the fourth quarter to give Southern Utah a 24-17 lead. The make proved vital, as UTEP put together a 77-yard drive and tied the game on the final play of regulation.
King was 2 for 3 on field goals for the game, missing a 39-yard try in the third quarter. The redshirt junior also made an extra point and had a 41-yard punt.
At Fort Hill, King was one of the top placing-kicking recruits in the country for coach Todd Appel. He was a three-time All-Area kicker and also punted and played quarterback.
In his junior year, King had 86 touchdowns and made 10 of 11 field goals with a long of 54 yards. He made 118 of 119 extra points over his first two years at Fort Hill.
King chose to stay local and play for West Virginia University, but he never got his chance in Morgantown, West Virginia, and transferred to Southern Utah before the 2024 season with two years of eligibility remaining.
He reunited with Fitzgerald, who amassed a 62-19 record at Frostburg State from 2014-21, overseeing the Bobcats’ rise from Division III to Division II.
In his final campaign, Fitzgerald led FSU to a 10-1 finish and No. 22 ranking in the country, though Frostburg was unable to compete in the postseason due to NCAA transition rules after jumping divisions in 2019.
Fitzgerald is 12-12 in two-plus seasons at Southern Utah, a Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision team that competes in the United Athletic Conference.
The Thunderbirds are 1-1 so far this year, dropping their opener to then-No. 12-ranked Utah, another FBS foe, 49-0.
Southern Utah was 5-6 in Fitzgerald’s first season and 6-5 last year.
Another Fort Hill graduate played for Southern Utah Saturday. Mikey Allen, the 2022 area Offensive Player of the Year, made a tackle on defense.
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Publish date : 2024-09-08 02:16:00
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