UNLV Loses Star Kicker Caden Chittenden to USC Trojans

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UNLV Wins 2024 LA Bowl / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

UNLV had one of the best Special Teams in the Mountain West Conference. However, now that Ricky White III declared for the NFL Draft and Caden Chittenden is headed to USC, the Rebels will need to rebuild heading into the 2025 season.

The USC Trojans have made a significant move to bolster their kicking game with the acquisition of Caden Chittenden, a standout kicker from UNLV. During his freshman season, Chittenden proved to be one of the most productive kickers in college football, nailing 26 of 33 field goals, which ranked as the second-highest total in the nation. He showcased impressive range with a long of 52 yards, although his performance on longer attempts saw him convert just 1 of 4 from beyond 50 yards. However, consistency was his hallmark; he made 86.2% of his kicks from within 50 yards and successfully converted 55 of 56 extra-point attempts.

𝐌𝐖 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫@CadenChittenden | @MountainWest pic.twitter.com/00JRKRXzDS
— UNLV Football (@unlvfootball) December 3, 2024

Additionally, he demonstrated his kicking prowess on kickoffs, registering 58 touchbacks out of 87 attempts. And perhaps most importantly, he put the LA Bowl out of reach for the California Golden Bears when he extended the lead to 24-13 after a 48-yard field goal.

Hailing from Las Vegas, Chittenden earned accolades as a first-team All-Mountain West selection and was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. Impressively, he was the highest-scoring placekicker in college football this past season, racking up 133 points—sixth among all players, regardless of position.

USC's need for a reliable kicker became evident with the departure of Michael Lantz, who has exhausted his eligibility after a solid season that saw him connect on 14 of 20 field goal attempts. The Trojans faced further uncertainty when former starter Denis Lynch entered the transfer portal after losing the job to Lantz.

Chittenden represents USC's fifth transfer addition this offseason, joining a class that includes cornerback DJ Harvey (from San Jose State), running back Eli Sanders (from New Mexico), defensive tackle Keeshawn Silver (from Kentucky), and defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett (from Georgia). As the Trojans look to strengthen their roster ahead of the upcoming season, Chittenden's addition could provide a crucial boost at a key position. The Rebels will be looking for a solid replacement so their Special Teams doesn’t miss a beat in 2025.

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