Sam Ficken

Samuel James Ficken (born December 14, 1992) is the starting placekicker for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team. He was promoted to the starting kicker position after Anthony Fera, the Nittany Lions' starting punter and placekicker, transferred to the University of Texas following the announcement of NCAA sanctions relating to the Penn State child sex abuse scandal.

High School
Ficken, a former soccer player, was born in Valparaiso, Indiana, and attended Valparaiso High School, where he was named first-team Associated Press Class 5A all-state kicker. He also was a member of the all-area team. Ficken made 13 field goals during his senior year, including a school-record 52 yard kick. He also had 45 touchbacks on kickoffs.

2011
Ficken saw little action in 2011 behind Fera. He hit a point after touchdown in the opener against Indiana State, as well as kicking off once. He missed his first collegiate field goal attempt in a game against Temple, but rebounded with a completed field goal against Eastern Michigan. Besides two more kickoffs, Ficken did not play for the remainder of the year.

2012
Ficken started the year off poorly, missing 7 of his first 11 field goals (including one from the one yard line in a game against Illinois, as well as missing 4 out of 5 in a one point loss to Virginia ). However, after being mentored by starting Chicago Bears placekicker Robbie Gould, he finished the year by hitting ten straight successful field goals, putting him 14 for 21 on the year. Ficken also completed 39 of 41 extra-point attempts (one was blocked, the other one was a miss). He was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on November 26, 2012, after a 3 for 3 game against the Wisconsin Badgers, one of which was the game-winning kick in overtime.