JULIAN RAUCH – K

HEIGHT – 5-11

WEIGHT – 207

COLLEGE – Appalachian State

BIRTHDATE – July 23, 1985

BIRTHPLACE – Gastonia, N.C.

HOW ACQUIRED – FA-‘08

NFL EXPERIENCE – Rookie

 

PRO: Signed as a rookie free agent by the Steelers on April 28, 2007.

COLLEGE: Ranks first in school history in career PATs (247) and career scoring for kickers (373)…is also tops on ASU’s single-season list for scoring by a kicker (127 in 2007) and extra points (76 in 2007)…initially went to East Carolina for one year, but did not see action, and then transferred to Appalachian State…majored in advertising. 2007: Second-team All-America selection by The Sports Network...garnered first-team all-Southern Conference recognition from the league’s coaches and media...finished second the SoCon and tied for fifth nationally with 127 total points on the season...8.47 points per game were good for a tie for 20th in the nation...127 points shattered his own school record for kick scoring in a season...also broke his own school record for extra points in a season with 76 to close his career holding each of the top four single-season extra-point totals in ASU history...drilled 17-of-21 field goals on the season...17 field goals tied for the second-most in ASU single-season history, while .809 field-goal percentage is the second-highest in school history...kicked at least one field goal in 12 of the season’s 15 games...opened campaign by drilling two field goals at Michigan, including 24-yarder with 26 seconds left that proved to be the game-winning points in ASU’s 34-32 upset victory at the Big House…made multiple field goals in each of the first three games of the season...booted a career-long 49-yard field goal in win over Gardner-Webb...made a critical 44-yard field goal, the fourth-longest in ASU postseason history, in the fourth quarter of 28-27 win over James Madison in the NCAA Division I Championship first round...despite the kickoff spot being moved back to the 30-yard line, forced at least one touchback in 12-of-15 games and 18 total on the season. 2006: First-team all-Southern Conference place kicker as voted by the league’s coaches and second team by the SoCon media...set school records at the time for kicking points (99), extra points (69), extra-point attempts (70) and consecutive extra points (61) in a season...ranked ninth nationally in kick scoring (6.67 ppg.)...despite the plethora of points, his greatest value to the team may have a booming leg on kickoffs...42-of-93 kickoffs (.452) went for touchbacks and the opponents’ average starting field position after a kickoff was its own 22...was 10-of-14 (.714) on field goals for the season...drilled a season-long 46 yarder versus Mars Hill...also did a yeoman’s job handling much of the punting duties following a season-ending knee injury to starting punter Neil Young...Rauch punted 22 times on the season for a 37.2 average...eight of his kicks had to be fair caught and five pinned the opponent inside their own 20. 2005: Made 58-of-59 extra points and 9-of-17 field goals for 85 points, good for second in the SoCon among kickers...85 points fell just short of ASU record for kickers (87 by Jay Sutton in 1995)...59 PATs obliterated the previous school record of 46 set by Drew Wood in 1968 and tied by Rauch in ‘04...stepped up when it mattered most, splitting the uprights on all 18 kicks that he attempted in the playoffs (15 PATs and three field goals)...went 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts — including season-long 39-yarder — in opening-round win over Lafayette...was good from 32 yards in quarterfinal victory over Southern Illinois...averaged 34.5 yards per attempt while serving as Mountaineers’ punter early in the campaign...blasted a 62-yard punt versus Coastal Carolina...earned All-America accolades from Jewish Sports Review for the second straight year. 2004: Served as Appalachian’s starting place kicker all season...inherited punting duties for the final four games of the campaign...ranked fourth in the SoCon in kick scoring at 5.6 points per game...5.6 ppg. were good for second on the team and eighth in the conference in overall scoring...led the league in extra-point percentage, converting 44-of-46 attempts on the season (.957)...fell just one extra point shy of school record of 45, set by All-American Jay Sutton in 1995...made 6-of-9 field-goal attempts, including season-long 48 yarder in season finale at archrival Western Carolina...two of his three misses came from beyond 40 yards, including a 53-yard attempt that fell just short as time expired at WCU...downed five of his 14 punts inside the 20-yard line, good for an impressive 35.7 percent...earned all-America accolades from Jewish Sports Review. 2003 (East Carolina): Did not see game competition in one year at East Carolina.

PERSONAL: Attended Ashbrook High School…converted 13 field goals and 41 PAT kicks as a senior...split the uprights on 10 field goals in five playoff games, including the game-winner in three of the last four playoff games...named the Most Valuable Player of the 2002 3A state title game…son of Victoria and Peter Rauch…Full name: Julian Ross Rauch.