Arlington to TCU: Kicker Griffin Kell’s journey with dream school leads to the big game

Senior Griffin Kell made his only field goal attempt and all six extra points as TCU beat Michigan in the College Football Playoff national semifinal on Saturday.

It helped the Horned Frogs (13-1) into the national championship against No. 1 Georgia (14-0) at 6:30 p.m. central time on Monday at SoFi Stadium in California.

When Kell’s time is up at TCU, he will be among the best kickers in Horned Frogs history.

But it should come to no surprise.

He’s always been a clutch kicker.

Even during his days in Arlington.

“Always believed Griffin would make the big kick,” Arlington football coach Scott Peach said. “It’s in his DNA. He has ice in his veins.”

A three-year starter for Peach and the Arlington Colts, Kell made 25 career field goals in high school, including 13 as a senior when he would be named an all-state selection. During that season, Kell also went 68 of 69 on extra points and finished 97 of 99 in his career.

This season with TCU, Kell is 17 of 19 on field goal attempts with a long of 54 against Iowa State on Nov. 26.

He has converted 61 of 63 extra points with eight coming against Iowa State.

He kicked the game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired to beat Baylor 29-28 on Nov. 19.

“I’ve had the opportunity to text Griffin a couple of times this season,” Peach said. “After they beat Baylor and obviously after the Michigan game. He’s always been gracious about texting back right away and share the moment with me. I’m really appreciative of him doing that.

“I’ve always watched the national championship, but I’ve never been this close to the game before.”

Following in his footsteps

When Kell was a freshman at Arlington, he was looking up to senior Chris Naggar, who was district special teams player of the year and made 55 of 56 extra points during the 2015 season.

Naggar would go on to play at Texas, SMU and spent time in the NFL, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys.

Kell recalled the moment he first interacted with Naggar.

He was a freshman practicing on the grass fields at Arlington while Naggar and the varsity were on the turf field. Peach called Kell over and Naggar began working with Kell.

“I knew he was good,” Kell said. “He taught me the basics. It was really cool because we were both doing what we wanted to do, and go on to do what we wanted to do...kick and play D1 football.

“We will text now and then and during the off-season whenever we’re both in town, we’ll go train and work out together. It was really special to have him there when I was a freshman.”

Kell also was the team punter during his three years on varsity and was a two-time district special teams player of the year and one-time Star-Telegram all-area first-team kicker.

“He was always geared up for the big moment. When the game came down to Griffin Kell, I always bet on us. He was just an elite kicker and his accuracy was incredible,” Peach said.

Peach knew Kell was talented from Day 1, but Kell wouldn’t start right away.

As a sophomore, there were two kickers in front of Kell on the depth chart, one a senior and the other a junior. The senior at the time decided not to kick that season. An injury to the junior gave Kell his opportunity.

“Moved Griffin to a varsity role and the rest is history. He ran with it. He did it all,” Peach said. “He was a tremendous worker for our program. He’s a competitor and wasn’t afraid of the big moment.”

Dream school

Kell always loved TCU football. He was raised to love the Horned Frogs.

His grandfather went to TCU. His dad, uncle and sister all went to TCU.

His mother, Meghan, recently shared a memory on Facebook. It was Kell in a TCU jersey when he was 9.

“If you told me then that I’d be playing for a national championship with TCU, I don’t know if I would have believed you,” said Kell, who chose TCU over Colorado, Texas Tech and Houston. “Coach Peach is a big reason I had a chance at playing for TCU. I appreciate him for doing that for me. I’m blessed to have him as my high school coach.”

“Watching him live out a childhood dream is so surreal and getting to have so many experiences through football and TCU,” Meghan Kell added. “He has worked really hard for everything and made it happen. Proud is an understatement.”

In 46 career games, Kell has made 46 field goals, 140 extra points and has accounted for 278 points.

As it stands, Kell ranks in the Top 5 all-time in points by kicking in a season, points kicking in a career, extra points in a season, extra points in a career and is in the Top 10 for a handful of other kicking records.

At one point, he made 75 straight extra points, fourth all time and his 0.986 career PAT percentage is third all time and second best with at least 100 attempts.

“I’m extremely proud of what he’s accomplished at the high school and collegiate level. It was his dream to play for TCU,” Peach said. “Now to do it on the biggest stage, it’s really special. I knew he had it in him. To make it to that level, but to also have a role in their success and play for a national championship, it’s phenomenal to watch.”

“I am just super blessed to have everyone in my life. They have helped me get to where I am today,” Kell added. “It’s surreal. Playing for a national championship with TCU...it’s pretty crazy.”