Last year it was freshman Lauren Luttrell performing well enough during a summer camp tryout to earn an invitation back to Virginia Tech’s spring practice this year.
Now, it appears another kicker of the female persuasion will attempt -- again -- to earn a spot on the 2011 BcS runners-up.
According to WDSU-TV, LSU women’s soccer player Mo Isom will get a tryout Tuesday with the Tigers football team, which began spring practice earlier this month. This would actually constitute Isom’s second “stint” with the Tigers, having practiced kickoffs and field goals with the team last September.
Isom, who while a senior would still maintain a season of football eligibility, addressed her looming opportunity in a post made to her Facebook wall late last month.
“It will finally be time to show what over a year of diligent preparation has produced,” Isom wrote by way of the Sporting News. “I would appreciate prayers for continued health, a clear and undistracted mind, and absolute faith that no matter the result, God has my best interests at heart. I will control what I can control and leave the rest to Him! Let’s rewrite history in His name.”
The tryout is not Isom’s lone hurdle, though. As a redshirt junior last season, Drew Alleman connected on 16-of-18 field goal attempts and 62-of-63 extra point tries, earning second-team All-SEC honors. Barring injury or the utter loss of ability, Alleman will be LSU’s kicker in 2012.
As for Luttrell, a Hokies spokesperson told CFT via email this afternoon that "[s]he is coming out for tryouts before spring practice starts to try and make it” through to the practices that will commence March 28.
Should they actually make the team and attempt a kick during a game, neither Isom nor Luttrell would become the first female to accomplish such a feat in major college football. That honor belongs to Katie Hnida, who dressed for games after making the roster at Colorado in the late-90s and then, after transferring to New Mexico, was successful on two extra point attempts during a 2003 game.
Hnida remains the only female to score during a Div. 1-A (FBS) football game.
(Photo credit: LSU athletics)
UPDATED 8:39 p.m. ET: LSU offered up the following update on the first day of Isom’s tryout.Miles also noted that Tuesday was the start of an on-going tryout for placekicker with former LSU women’s soccer standout Mo Isom among the participants. The tryouts will continue on Thursday.
“If she gave us an opportunity and an advantage, we will certainly consider that,” Miles said of Isom’s chances of making the squad. “There has to be an advantage to the team. The good thing about this is that she’s an athlete. She’s been through team before and she understands commitment. I would have much less reservations with her than I would with any number of other people who frankly didn’t know what they were getting in to.”
Miles said that there was no timetable placed on making a decision if Isom, or any other player taking part in the tryouts, made the team. LSU returns the most accurate placekicker in school history in senior Drew Alleman, who converted 16-of-18 field goals in his first year as a starter with the Tigers in 2011.