Tag: lou groza award

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!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ Drew Stevens named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist

Special Teams U. Iowa freshman kicker Drew Stevens is one of the 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award.

Iowa has been known collectively across the college football world in recent years as “Tight End U.” Besides maybe Miami, no other team is more synonymous with the tight end position.

Recent success stories include new Minnesota Viking T.J. Hockenson, and current Mackey Award semifinalist Sam LaPorta.

This season, though, it seems that Iowa is trying to make their case for “Special Teams U.”

We all know just how good of a punter Tory Taylor has been this season. At times the favorite player and somewhat a meme amongst the Iowa fanbase, Taylor has built a case all season as the best punter in the nation. He is third in the nation in total yards with 2,522, averaging 45.9 yards a boot.

He is second in punts downed inside the 20-yard line with 23, and 60% of his kicks result in the opposing team starting it somewhere inside of their own 20-yard line. He is a big-time candidate for the Ray Guy Award for the best punter in the nation.

He is not the only Hawkeye special teamer earning some recognition this season, though. Freshman place kicker Drew Stevens was recently named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. Annually given out to the best place kicker in the nation since 1992, the freshman was one of 20 semifinalists.

Stevens has made 12 of his 14 field goal attempts this season. He is perfect beyond 50 yards, including a 51-yard kick at Rutgers and a 54-yarder against Northwestern. That 54-yard field goal ties as the seventh-longest in program history, per the University of Iowa Athletic’s press release.

He is the sixth Hawkeye to be named a semifinalist for The Groza Award. Last year’s kicker Caleb Shudak was a finalist in 2021. The last Iowa player to win the award was Nate Kaeding back in 2002.

Stevens, despite not being the clear starter at the position ahead of the season, is on a record-breaking freshman campaign for the Hawkeyes this year. His 12 field goals are the most for an Iowa freshman since Mike Meyer booted 14 field goals in 2010. Iowa certainly is in good hands moving forward at the place kicker, despite the position being a bit of a concern before the season.

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After best freshman season in school history, Cam Little getting national notice

Arkansas kicker Cam Little had the best first year the Razorbacks have ever seen at the position.

It took a grand total of one season for Cam Little to put his name on the shortlist of best Arkansas kickers in school history.

And while he isn’t at the top of the mountain yet, the sophomore is trending that way. On Wednesday, Little was one of just 30 players named to the Lou Groza Award watch list. The Groza Award is, as probably guessed, given to the nation’s best collegiate kicker.

Last year, in his first college season, Little went 21 for 27 on field-goal attempts for the Razorbacks and booted through all 46 extra points. His 106 points were the most for an Arkansas kicker since Zach Hocker had 118 in 2011, the season the Hogs went 11-2.

Little’s year earned him Freshman All-American honors from three different publications and an All-SEC Freshman team selection.

The list of 30 is trimmed to 20 on November 3 then three finalists on November 22. The winner of the award is announced December 8.

Potter named to Groza Award Watch List

Potter appears on Groza Award Watch List

Via Clemson Athletic Communications:

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced today that placekicker B.T. Potter has been named as one of 30 members on the 2022 watch list for the Lou Groza Award, presented annually to the nation’s top kicker. Additional information from the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association is included below.

Headlined by two past winners and three other former finalists, it’s a highly competitive year on the thirty-player Watch List for the 2022 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.

Reigning Groza winner Jake Moody joins 2018 winner Andre Szmyt as kickers with a chance to become just the second player to ever win the award multiple times, joining Sebastian Janikowski who won in 1998 and 1999. They’ll have to fend off competition from 2021 finalist Noah Ruggles, 2020 finalists Jacob Oldroyd and Will Reichard, and 15 other past semifinalists. That total includes multi-year semifinalists in Missouri junior Harrison Mevis, UTSA senior Jared Sackett, and Nevada senior Brandon Talton, who has been a semifinalist in each of his first three seasons.

Eleven returning kickers made at least a dozen field goals last season while converting at least 83% of their attempts, and all of them landed on the Watch List: Arizona sophomore Tyler Loop (12 FG, 100%), Tulsa senior Zack Long (22, 95.7), Ohio State senior Ruggles (20, 95.2), Boise State junior Jonah Dalmas (26, 92.9), Missouri junior Mevis (23, 92.0), Michigan senior Moody (23, 92.0), UNLV senior Daniel Gutierrez (16, 88.9), Maryland senior Chad Ryland (19, 86.4), Hawaii junior Matthew Shipley (18, 85.7), Texas State junior Seth Keller (15, 83.3), and Arkansas sophomore Cam Little (20, 83.3).

If you’re looking more for sheer volume of field goals, 13 returning kickers made at least 18 attempts while converting better than 75% of the time, with that group also being voted onto the Watch List: Dalmas (26, 92.9), Colorado State senior Cayden Camper (25, 78.1), Purdue senior Mitchell Fineran (24, 82.8), Mevis (23, 92.0), Moody (23, 92.0), Western Kentucky junior Brayden Narveson (23, 79.3), Long (22, 95.7), Georgia senior Jack Podlesny (22, 81.5), Northern Illinois junior John Richardson (22, 81.5), Alabama senior Reichard (22, 78.6), Clemson senior B.T. Potter (21, 80.8), Ruggles (20, 95.2), Little (20, 83.3), Notre Dame senior Blake Grupe (20, 80.0), Ryland (19, 86.4), East Carolina sophomore Owen Daffer (19, 82.6), West Virginia senior Casey Legg (19, 82.6) and Shipley (18, 85.7).

While the Watch List highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, Moody, who was not on the 2021 Watch List, stands as proof that the Groza Committee will be watching all FBS kickers throughout the season, as all FBS kickers remain eligible to be selected as semifinalists. The Committee releases a weekly “Stars of the Week” feature on www.lougrozaaward.com.

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 3rd. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, November 22nd. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 8th during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

The 31st 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 at the West Palm Beach Marriott on December 5th.

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 kicker.

For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter.

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Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic declares for the 2022 NFL Draft

After making 57 field goals in his OU career, Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic announced that he is declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft.

After a Sooner career that saw him connect on 57 field goals, Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic announced that he is declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft.

“It has been a pleasure. First off, I thank the Lord for everything. These past 4 years have been the best anyone can ask for from a fan base and a university. I would like to thank the coaching staff for giving me the opportunities I was given and believing in me. I have grown as a player and a man the past 4 years in this amazing experience. I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me in this journey whether things were up or down. I couldn’t have asked for better teammates to ride with these past 4. With that being said, I have decided to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft. Boomer Sooner 4Life!” Brkic announced on Twitter.

Brkic leaves Oklahoma as one of the most decorated kickers in the program’s history. The Chardon, Ohio, native was a Lou Groza Award finalist this season.

Brkic made 20-of-26 field goals in 2021, including five from 50-plus yards. Two of those 50-plus yard field goals came in the first two weeks when Brkic hit 56-yard field goals against both Tulane and Western Carolina.

Last night against Oregon, Brkic made his two field goal tries from 40 and 29 yards. Interestingly enough, Brkic actually missed the only extra point try of his OU career against the Ducks. Brkic had been perfect on his first 154 extra point tries before missing on his first attempt last night against Oregon.

Brkic made the game-winning 30-yard field goal as time expired against West Virginia to give the Sooners a 16-13 week four win over the Mountaineers.

Brkic was also a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons. In 2019, after going a perfect 17-of-17 on field goal tries and 52-of-52 on extra point tries, Brkic was named a a first-team All-American kicker by CBS Sports.

Brkic made 57-of-69 field goal tries and 159-of-160 extra point tries during his OU career.

Brkic joins linebacker Brian Asamoah, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto tight end Jeremiah Hall and defensive linemen Isaiah Thomas and Perrion Winfrey as Sooners that have declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.

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Oklahoma Sooners Kicker Gabe Brkic named a finalist for Lou Groza award

Oklahoma Kicker Gabe Brkic was named as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza award for the third consecutive year.

The most interesting man in the Oklahoma football program is getting some national accolade. No, we’re not talking about Caleb Williams. We’re talking about the Sooners’ mustache man, kicker Gabe Brkic.

Today, Brkic was announced as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award honoring the nation’s best kickers.

This marks Brkic’s third year in a row as a semifinalist. Only two others kickers hold the distinction of having been nominated as semifinalists three times; Wake Forest’s Nick Sciba and Nevada’s Brandon Talton.

Brkic has been excellent on the season making 17 of 20 field goals and has been perfect on his extra points this season. He is kicking at an 80 percent clip on field goals 40 yards or longer while also 5 of 6 from field goals on longer than 50 yards. His 56-yarders against Tulane and Western Carolina remain as the longest kicks of the season by any kicker in the NCAA.

He’s been clutch this season and in season’s past making game-winners like his winner against the West Virginia Mountaineers after Spencer Rattler and a struggling offense orchestrated a game-winning drive to get in Brkic’s range.

The finalists for the award will be announced on November 23rd effectively giving Brkic the rest of the Sooners regular season to make his case as one of the three finalists.  With the way the Sooner offense has been moving the ball of late, it stands to reason there will be many more opportunities for Brkic to showcase his talents.

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Cade York among the semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award

Cade York could make LSU history if he secures the Lou Groza Award.

This has the be the least shocking announcement. The Lou Groza Award, which is presented annually to the best placekicker in the country has LSU’s Cade York among the 20 semifinalists.

This season York has nailed nine of his 10 field goal attempts and a perfect 30-30 on extra points in eight games. He hasn’t missed a single extra point attempt since the 2019 season, his freshman year. Throughout his career in Baton Rouge, York has converted 97.5% of his extra-point attempts and 82.8% of his field goals.

Provided that York is presented with the Lou Groza Award, he would be the first in LSU history to do so. The Award was first presented in 1992 when Joe Allison of Memphis won the award.

You can vote for Cade York as your favorite Lou Groza Award candidate.

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Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic named semifinalist for Lou Groza Award

Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic has been named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award presented annually to the nation’s best kicker.

Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic has been named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented annually to the best kicker in college football. Brkic is one of 20 semifinalists that were named Monday afternoon.

On the season, he has made 16 of his 21 field goal attempts and hit all 40 of his extra points. He is six of ten on field goals over 40 yards and has also connected on three that were from 50 yards or longer.

Brkic is tied in leading the nation at two made field goals per game and ranks 12th in the country with 88 total points scored.

This marks the second straight season that he has been named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist. The three finalists for the honor will be named on Dec. 22nd.

Brkic will hope to keep his success going on the road this week as the Sooners head to Morgantown to face West Virginia on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CT.

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