Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Kicker John Love continues to be a key part of the Virginia Tech special teams unit this season. After a historic 2023 campaign, Love continues to demonstrate a place-kicking consistency that has earned him acclaim through four games this season. Fans can see Love and the special teams unit in action when the Hokies travel to face the Stanford Cardinal this Saturday, Oct. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Love saw a prominent role on special teams and cemented his spot as a starting placekicker. Handling field goal duties in all 13 games, the Spartanburg, South Carolina product nailed 22 of 24 field goal attempts last season for a 91.7% accuracy rate. Love’s field goal percentage ranked sixth in the country across college football and was second highest in the ACC. Love also was only one of eight kickers in the ACC to go perfect kicking extra points (47 for 47) and was an All-ACC Honorable Mention for his work last season.
Over four games this season, Love has continued to excel on special teams. The placekicker has hit 8 of 9 field goals this season and gone a perfect 16-for-16 on extra points. The redshirt sophomore has contributed over a quarter of the Hokies’ offensive production this season (40 of 152 points), the bulk of his field goals being kicked from 40 to 49 yards.
Love had the best game of not only his season but his career against Miami, drilling a career-long 57-yard field goal towards the end of the second quarter. The kick was the third longest in school history. The placekicker also sent a 52-yard field goal through the uprights at the top of the third quarter against the Hurricanes. Love became the first Tech kicker to kick and convert on two field goals of 51 yards or further, since kicker Dave Strock did so against Southern Miss in 1972. For his impressive work, Love was named ACC Specialist of the Week.
Tech will be back in Lane Stadium against Boston College on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET. While the game is sold out, fans who still want to see Love and the Hokies live should seek single-game ticket options on SeatGeek, the official fan-to-fan ticket marketplace of Virginia Tech Athletics.