Tag: lou groza award

Texas A&M’s Randy Bond has been named a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist

Graduate kicker Rand Bond has been named a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist.

On Tuesday morning, the Groza Award committee announced the 2024 Lou Groza Award Semifinalists. Texas A&M’s graduate kicker Randy Bond made the cut as one of the remaining 20.

Bond is having his best season so far as an Aggie going 17 of 19 through eight weeks with his last miss coming against Florida in Week 3. He has a season long of 55 yards and his accuracy saw a huge jump from around a 75% rate to nearly 90% compared to last season.

Questions floated around early about whether another kicker could push for the job, but Bond rewarded the coaching staff with a career year to this point in the season.

Below is the social media announcement that Randy Bond has been named a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist.

The national panel of voters is composed of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers. Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 28 finalists, including 16 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 13 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home 7 Super Bowls.

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Michigan State football kicker named Lou Groza Award semifinalist

Michigan State football kicker named Lou Groza Award semifinalist

Michigan State football officially has one of the best kickers in the entire country. On Tuesday, it was announced that Michigan State kicker Jonathan Kim has been named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. The Lou Groza Award honors the top kicker in college football.

Jonathan Kim has been superb this season, hitting 18 of 20 field goals with his longest being a 55-yard bomb in his record-breaking night against Iowa.

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Michigan State football kicker named a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week

Michigan State football kicker named a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week

Don’t look now, but Michigan State football has a rising star on their hands, and it’s their kicker. In a week where Jonathan Kim set a Michigan State record on his way to being named the Big Ten Specialist of the Week, Kim also received another honor, being named one of the Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week for week eight of the college football season.

The Lou Groza Award is given to the top kicker in college football, and each week they honor three players who stood out in the position.

Jonathan Kim was an easy addition this week, as he hit a remarkable six field goals in the win over Iowa.

This week, the list included:

  • Jonathan Kim, Michigan State
  • Damon Ramos, LSU
  • Peyton Woodring, Georgia

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Week 1 perfection nets UNC kicker Noah Burnette another weekly award

Noah Burnette outscored his UNC teammates in last week’s 19-17 victory over Minnesota. That performance alone earned him a prestigious Star of the Week award.

After years of struggling to find a consistent kicker since Nick Weiler, the North Carolina Tar Heels finally found their gem in Noah Burnette.

Burnette was a great kicker last year, but he made a case for the nation’s best kicker in UNC’s 19-17, season-opening win over Minnesota last week, showcasing perfection by converting his lone extra point and all four field goals.

With his Week 1 perfection, Burnette was named one of the Lou Groza Award’s Stars of the Week. Burnette was previously a nominee for this annual award, given to the nation’s top kicker.

Burnette’s first make was his lone extra-point, which made it 7-0 UNC and came after North Carolina’s lone touchdown on a 3-yard, second quarter Max Johnson run. Burnette later converted a 29-yard field goal try and closed the Tar Heels’ gap to 14-10, a 52-yarder right before halftime (14-13), a 42-yard go-ahead try in the fourth quarter, plus the eventual game-winner from 45 yards out.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_gUkX4xGzA/

Burnette was nearly perfect in 2023 as a whole, converting all 42 extra-point attempts and 18-of-19 field goal tries. If last week was any indicator of UNC’s 2024 offensive outlook, Burnette’s teammates will continue relying on him for points.

The Charlotte 49ers come to Kenan Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7 for North Carolina’s home opener. Can Burnette continue his streak of perfection?

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Wisconsin kicker listed on 2024 Lou Groza Award watch list

Wisconsin kicker listed on 2024 Lou Groza Award watch list

Wisconsin kicker Nathanial Vakos was included on the 2024 Lou Groza Award watch list on Friday.

The award began in 1992 and it recognizes the best place-kicker in college football each year. Vakos joins Badger safety Hunter Wohler and Wisconsin long snapper Cayson Pfeiffer as current Badgers to earn preseason watch list recognition.

Notable recent college football alumni to receive the honor include Michigan’s Jake Moody (2021), Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship (2019), Utah’s Matt Gay (2017), UCLA’s Ka’imi Fairbairn (2015) and Tulane’s Cairo Santos (2012).

Only 30 place-kickers across the country earned a watch list nomination. Those players include Big Ten rivals Dominic Zvada (Michigan), Drew Stevens (Iowa), Dragan Kesich (Minnesota) and Grady Gross (Washington).

Vakos enters his second season in Madison after playing all 13 games in 2023. His 15-of-19 field goal conversation rate, 34-of-34 mark on extra points and 14-of-15 rate from inside 50 yards earned him a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist nod.

 

Vakos also earned Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after his perfect 3-for-3 output against Purdue and was named honorable mention All-Big Ten for his season-long performance.

Given the pool of 30 and his track record from a season ago, the Avon, Ohio native could pocket the award with another stellar performance in 2024.

Duke kicker Todd Pelino named to Lou Groza Award Watch List ahead of 2024 season

After making 26 of his 32 field-goal attempts over the last two years, Blue Devils kicker Todd Pelino made the Lou Groza Award watch list.

The 2024 Lou Groza Award watch list came out on Friday, and Duke kicker Todd Pelino finished as one of 30 names to keep an eye on.

The award recognizes the best placekicker in college football every season, and given Pelino’s resume over the last two years, it’s easy to see why he was selected. The junior has made 26 of his 32 field-goal attempts throughout his career, including 18 of his 23 tries last season. He’s also split the uprights on all 61 of his career extra-point attempts, and he’s made two field goals of 50 yards or longer.

Pelino made three field goals in two different games last season, managing that feat against Pittsburgh and in the Birmingham Bowl against Troy.

Six other ACC kickers made the watch list as well, including North Carolina‘s Noah Burnette, Florida State‘s Ryan Fitzgerald, Miami’s Andres Borregales, Georgia Tech’s Aidan Birr, Virginia’s Will Bettridge, and Virginia Tech’s John Love.

Pelino and the Blue Devils get their season underway on August 30 against Elon.

Gators placekicker named to Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List

Florida’s Trey Smack is looking to become the first Gator to earn the Lou Groza Award in over three decades.

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced on Friday its Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List, which included a member of the Florida Gators on this year’s roster. Kicker [autotag]Trey Smack[/autotag] got the nod for the first time in his collegiate career.

The junior out of Severna Park, Maryland, took over the starting job in Week 3 of the 2023 campaign at home against the Tennessee Volunteers. Smack finished out the season by going 17-for-21 (81%) in field goal attempts while boasting a 100% extra point mark on 29 attempts.

As a result of his efforts, he earned the Lou Groza Star of the Week honor twice (Week 4 and Week 7) while also being named a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist in 2023.

The Orange and Blue have just one previous Lou Groza Award winner. Judd Davis took home the award in 1993 when he went 15-for-19 (79%) on field goal attempts while also chipping in 51 of 53 (96%) extra-point attempts.

Lou Groza Award overview

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and 20 semifinalists will be announced by the commission on Tuesday, Nov. 19. From this list, a panel of FBS head coaches, sports information directors, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers will select the top three finalists for the award, to be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

The winner will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 12, during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. The 33rd Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet on December 9th in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Lou Groza Award history

The award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a specialist kicker.

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Wisconsin specialist named semi-finalist for Lou Groza Award

Wisconsin specialist named semi-finalist for Lou Groza Award

Despite Wisconsin’s disappointing 5-4 record and lack of positive buzz, Badgers kicker Nathanial Vakos is getting some national attention.

Vakos was named a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award earlier today, the award given to college football’s top place-kicker.

The former Ohio kicker is 22/22 on extra points this season and 12/14 on field goals. He is 1/1 inside of 20 yards, 2/2 from 20-29 yards, 5-5 from 30-39 yards, 3-3 from 40-49 yards and 1/3 from 50+.

Yes, you read that correctly. Vakos is 11/11 from inside of 50 yards this season. That is consistent production you rarely see at the college level.

Previous winners of the Lou Groza Award include Michigan’s Jake Moody in 2021, Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship in 2019, Utah’s Matt Gay in 2018 and UCLA’s Ka’imi Fairbairn in 2015.

Wisconsin kicker named to Lou Groza Award watch list

More Watch List news:

Wisconsin kicker Nathanial Vakos was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list yesterday. The award is given out annually to the best place-kicker in college football.

Vakos transferred to Wisconsin from Ohio this offseason, part of the sizable transfer class brought in by Head Coach Luke Fickell. The Ohio native made 22 of 27 field goals for the Bobcats last year, including 9/9 from inside 30 yards, 8/9 from 30-40 yards, 3/5 from 40-50 and 2/4 from 50+.

His inclusion is a welcome boost to the team this season, as the Badgers made only 70% of their field goals last season, including an infamous pair of misses to cost the team a win against Washington State.

Vakos will look to become the first Badger to win the award. Other notable Big Ten winners include Michigan’s Jake Moody in 2021, Maryland’s Brad Craddock in 2014, Ohio State’s Mike Nugent in 2004, Iowa’s Nate Kaeding in 2002.

Alabama kicker Will Reichard named to Lou Groza Award watch list

Alabama football’s Will Reichard named to the Lou Groza Award watch list!

Will Reichard is arguably the greatest kicker in Alabama football history and the senior from Hoover has now been named to the Lou Groza Award watchlist.

The Lou Groza Award is given annually to the nation’s top placekicker and Reichard is certainly among the best.

Reichard has been the Alabama placekicker since 2019 and was awarded an extra season due to COVID. Now in his fifth season with the Tide, Reichard has a chance to write his name in the Alabama history books.

For his career, Reichard is 240-242 on extra points and 62-75 on field goal attempts for an impressive 82.7 field goal percentage.

Reichard already holds the Alabama record for career points with 426 and winning the Lou Groza Award would just add to his already historic career with the Crimson Tide!

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