UW kicker Rafael Gaglianone out indefinitely to rest leg, ailing back

Jeff Potrykus | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON – Wisconsin’s Rafael Gaglianone, who has made 23 of his last 26 field-goal attempts and is No. 2 in program history in field-goal percentage at .800 (60 of 75), is out indefinitely with what UW officials termed a right leg injury.

Gaglianone kicked well early in camp but was given several days off before the Badgers placed the senior on the team’s daily injury report Thursday.

Collin Larsh, a redshirt freshman walk-on from Monona Grove High School, and Zach Hintze, a redshirt junior walk-on from Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs, have been handling field goals in camp in Gaglianone’s absence.

Neither player has attempted a field goal in college.

Gaglianone was limited to three games in 2016 because of a back injury suffered during practice.

He was not available for interviews Thursday, but the Journal Sentinel learned he is experiencing discomfort in his back.

The issue is not believed to be as serious as two years ago when Gaglianone underwent season-ending surgery and UW turned to senior Andrew Endicott, a walk-on.

Gaglianone made a combined 7 of 8 field-goal attempts in three games in ’16 before undergoing surgery.

Endicott, who entered 2016 with no field-goal attempts at UW, made 13 of 19 attempts after replacing Gaglianone.

Gaglianone returned last season and made 16 of 18 attempts. He made 4 of 4 attempts between 46 and 52 yards and his lone misses were from 37 yards against Florida Atlantic and 39 yards against Maryland.

Gaglianone has made four game-winning field goals, a program record. He has also made 168 of 170 extra-point attempts, a program-best conversion rate of .988.

Larsh, who made 9 of 13 field-goal attempts at Monona Grove, has been working with the No. 1 field-goal unit in Gaglianone’s absence.

Hintze, who possesses a more powerful leg than Larsh but appears to be less accurate overall, has been working with the No. 2 unit. He took over as UW’s No. 1 kickoff specialist last season after starter P.J. Rosowski suffered a torn quadriceps in his kicking leg.

Hintze recorded touchbacks on 68.4% of his kickoffs (54 of 79). He averaged 64.1 yards per kickoff, the No. 10 mark nationally for players with a minimum of 50 attempts.

As a senior in high school, Hintze had field goals of 61 and 49 yards during the 2014 WIAA state playoffs.

He made field goals of 27, 39 and 49 yards in a 37-28 victory over Darlington in the Division 6 title game and was named the MVP of the game.

Hintze made 15 of 20 field-goal attempts as a senior and 21 of 30 overall.