File:Leigh Tiffin fg.JPG Tiffin kicking an extra point for Alabama | |
No. -- Free Agent | |
Placekicker | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Date of birth: | August 3, 1988|
Place of birth: Muscle Shoals, Alabama | |
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | Weight: 212 lb (96 kg) |
Career information | |
College: Alabama | |
Undrafted in 2010 | |
No regular season or postseason appearances | |
Career history | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
Van Leigh Tiffin (born August 3, 1988 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama) is an American football kicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Alabama.
College career[]
Tiffin, who wore number 99 for the Alabama Crimson Tide, got his chance to kick as a freshman following a groin injury to starting kicker Jamie Christensen. Tiffin was a hero, kicking the game-winning 47–yard field goal, in Alabama's 13–10 win over Vanderbilt on September 9, 2006.[3] However, two weeks later against a very strong Arkansas team, he would miss three field goals in a 24–23 overtime loss, including the game-tying extra point.[4] Christensen returned to the role the following week against Florida and except for two extra points against Florida International. Tiffin would be benched for the remainder of the season.
In 2007, he won the starting placekicking role over Christensen. The highlight of his sophomore year was when he went 4–4 in field goal attempts (39, 51, 29, 50) in a losing effort against Mississippi State. He was only the second kicker in Alabama football history to make two 50+ yard field goals in a game, the other being his father.[citation needed] His four kicks were Alabama's only points of the game.[5]
In the 2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff, Tiffin kicked a 54–yard field goal, his career long, in a 34–10 victory over #9-ranked Clemson.[6] He finished the season with 20 of 29 field goals and a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.
For the 2009 season, he was 30 for 35 for 87.9 percent. After kicking a field goal against LSU, he became Alabama's all-time leading scorer with 350 points. This year, he was named Lou Groza Award "Star of the Week" three times and was a finalist for the Groza. In mid-December, Tiffin was named to the Associated Press All-American Team along with five other Crimson Tide players.
Professional career[]
Cleveland Browns[]
Tiffin was given a tryout with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent[7] and agreed to a rookie free agent deal on May 3, 2010.[8] He was waived/injured on May 18 and reverted to injured reserve. He was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement on May 26.
Personal[]
Tiffin, born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is the son of Mia Michelle Tiffin (née Self) and Van Tiffin, a former Crimson Tide kicker who was the hero of the 1985 Iron Bowl against rival Auburn. He graduated from Muscle Shoals High School. Tiffin has a daughter, Ava Bayleigh, with his wife, Baylee Ann Tiffin (née Ellson). Their second child, Van Leigh III, was born January 5, 2013.
References[]
- ↑ "All-SEC Football Team Announced" (PDF). SEC. 2009-12-09. http://www.secsports.com/news/all-sec-football-team-announced.aspx. Retrieved 2009-12-23.[dead link]
- ↑ "2009 AP All-SEC Team". SEC. 2009-12-07. http://www.secsports.com/news/2009-ap-all-sec-team.aspx. Retrieved 2009-12-23.[dead link]
- ↑ "Freshman walk-on's 47-yard FG lifts 'Bama over Vandy". ESPN. 2006-09-06. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=262520333. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ "OT kicking woes doom Alabama". ESPN. 2006-09-23. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=262660008. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ "Miss. State earns second straight win over Bama". ESPN. 2007-11-10. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273140344. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ↑ "No. 24 Alabama limits No. 9 Clemson's ground game in upset victory". ESPN. August 30, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282430228.
- ↑ http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2010/04/alabamas_leigh_tiffin_is_heade.html
- ↑ http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2010/05/tides_leigh_tiffin_agrees_to_f.html