Is Elliott Fry the next great Gamecocks kicker in the NFL?

Less than 24 hours after watching former Gamecock placekicker Ryan Succop boot possibly the most dramatic game-winning field goal of the 2016 NFL season, Elliott Fry contemplated his future.

Succop’s booming 53-yarder in frigid temperatures at the buzzer lifted Tennessee over his former employer, the Kansas City Chiefs, in dramatic fashion, 19-17, at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday.

“I saw it all over Twitter,” Fry told reporters earlier this week. “That was awesome. I don’t know how he kicked it that far in seven degrees. That was a pretty impressive kick.”

Per reports, the wind chill factor in Kansas City on Sunday was a balmy minus-nine degrees at kickoff.

Succop, named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Tuesday, is now in his eighth NFL season. He is the first Titans kicker to win since the award since Rob Bironas in 2007.

Clearly, Succop has enjoyed a solid NFL career. Is Fry the next great NFL kicker from South Carolina?

Fry declined to confirm whether he had talked with NFL scouts, but he didn’t deny it either. He did acknowledge he had spoken with former Gamecock kickers, including Succop and Spencer Lanning, in order to get a vibe for life in the NFL.

With the Gamecocks having so few seniors this season, Fry could be one of the most scrutinized players during USC’s Pro Day in March.

“I was just asking about what you have to do,” Fry said. “Kickers going into the league is a lot different than a lot of other positions. When you’re a kicker, you have to take some time off after the season to get your legs back. Your legs really take a hit. But you also have to get ready for the kicking combines that go on all over the country. You have to train for those. And you have to get used to NFL footballs too.”

Fry, South Carolina’s all-time leading scorer with 352 career points, needs just three points in the Dec. 29 Birmingham Bowl to move into the Top 10 on the SEC’s all-time scoring list. He is currently 12th, a single point behind Georgia’s Kevin Butler (1981-84) and two points behind former Arkansas kicker Zach Hocker (2010-13).

Fry is 12-of-16 on field goal attempts this season (75.0 percent) and has connected on a school record 151 consecutive PATs. He has made almost 75 percent of his career field goal attempts (65-87), including better than 80 percent from inside 50 yards.

Clearly, Fry’s long-lasting legacy in Columbia has been cemented.

“It’s been a good ride,” Fry said. “It’s been fun here. I’m looking to go out on a high note.”

A key question for spring practice is who succeeds Fry on field goals and kickoffs (Fry took over that duty from Landon Ard this season)?

Redshirt freshman Joseph Charleston from AC Flora High School in Columbia and true freshman Alex Woznick from Eastside High in Greenville will likely be two major competitors for the jobs.

Fry spoke highly of Woznick several weeks ago, and continued that theme this week.

“Alex Woznick is a pretty good kicker,” Fry said. “As I said a few weeks ago, he’s probably going to come in here and start and he’ll shatter all my records. He’ll be on a progressively good team with a very good offense the next four years. He’ll end up with a bunch of points. I have no worries about us kicking in the future.”

BOWL GAME ITINERARY

Mon., Dec. 26

Depart for Birmingham – 9 a.m.

Arrive at Team Hotel – 11 a.m.

Practice at Birmingham Southern College – 3:15 p.m.

Bowling and BBQ Team Challenge – 7 p.m.

Tue., Dec. 27

Practice at Birmingham Southern – 11:10 a.m.

Visit to Children’s Hospital – 2:30 p.m.

Team Dinner and Stardome Comedy Club – 7 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 28

Practice at Birmingham Southern College – 11 a.m.

Bowl Luncheon at Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom – 1 p.m.

Pre-game Press Conference – 4:30 p.m.

Team Walk-Through at Legion Field – 5 p.m.

Uptown Street Festival and Pep Rally – 6 p.m.

Thur., Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl – 2 p.m. (Legion Field)

Team Returns to Columbia – Postgame/Early Evening

SEC BOWL SCHEDULE:

Dec. 26 – Mississippi State vs. Miami (OH), 11 a.m. (St. Petersburg Bowl)

Dec. 26 – Vanderbilt vs. NC State, 5 p.m. (Independence Bowl)

Dec. 28 – Texas A&M vs. Kansas State, 9 p.m. (Texas Bowl)

Dec. 29 – South Carolina vs. USF, 2 p.m. (Birmingham Bowl)

Dec. 29 – Arkansas vs. Virginia Tech, 5:30 p.m. (Belk Bowl)

Dec. 30 – Georgia vs. TCU, noon (Liberty Bowl)

Dec. 30 – Tennessee vs. Nebraska, 3:30 p.m. (Music City Bowl)

Dec. 31 – LSU vs. Louisville, 11 a.m. (Citrus Bowl)

Dec. 31 – Kentucky vs. Georgia Tech, 11 a.m. (TaxSlayer Bowl)

Dec. 31 – Alabama vs. Washington, 3 p.m. (Peach Bowl)(Playoff Semifinal)

Jan. 2 – Florida vs. Iowa, 1 p.m. (Outback Bowl)

Jan. 2 – Auburn vs. Oklahoma, 8:30 p.m. (Sugar Bowl)