Most freshmen college football players barely touch the field in their first season.

Even fewer have the chance to be recognized for any postseason awards.

Then, there's Patrick Durkin... the Tulane Green Wave kicker who was named the 2025 American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year on Tuesday.

There's good reason why the redshirt freshman earned the honor -- and it won't be surprising if he continues to receive similar accolades in the years to come. Durkin's just that good. 

Let's start with his success at putting the ball between the uprights. Durkin drilled 22 of his 24 field goal attempt on the season -- putting him second in school history -- and was a near-perfect 36-of-37 on extra point tries. Of those field goals, he nailed seven of eight attempts of over 40 yards; four of those came from 50 yards or more. He's got the range and the accuracy... despite being one of the few rookie players on the field.

Durkin totaled a conference-high 102 points on the year, and he's already found a spot in the Tulane record books. That sheer number of points is good for third-most in a single season for a kicker in school history... but he's outdone plenty of position players as well. Durkin already has the seventh-most points overall for the program. 

Of course, making those big kicks is only part of his job. Durkin has impressed on kickoff attempts as well, with 63 touchbacks on 71 kicks. More often than not, it was simply impossible to return the ball when he was responsible for pinning it deep. 

An American-wide accolade and a spot on the First-Team All Conference Team is a major honor, but it might not have been totally unexpected. Durkin's hard work and strong performances throughout the season haven't gone unnoticed, and he's racked up three Special Teams Player of the Week honors this year.

It's hard to be better than Durkin has been this season, but there's no doubt that he's going to try as he continues his collegiate -- and likely professional -- career. What kicker doesn't want to be perfect, or beat his longest made field goal, or make it a constant to pin opponents within the 10-yard line? 

Durkin is expected to continue playing a major part of Tulane's success as the team marches toward the postseason. The Green Wave will take on the North Texas Mean Green in the American Conference Championship Game on Friday night, and it's expected to be a close one. There's a great chance that Durkin could be the difference-maker for the team -- and by all accounts, he's ready for it.