Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Announces 2014 Preseason Watch List
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July 9, 2014 Contact: Kris Pursell, Director of Events & Operations (561) 233-3124, [email protected] Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Announces 2014 Preseason Watch List WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Looking to become just the second repeat winner in Groza history, Florida State sophomore Roberto Aguayo headlines the thirty-player Watch List for the 2014 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Aguayo won the 2013 Groza with an incredible freshman season in which he made 99.1% of all his kicks, shattering the all-time FBS record for a season with at least 15 field goals and 30 extra points. If he defends his title, he would join fellow Seminole kicker Sebastian Janikowski (1998 & 1999) as the only players to win multiple Grozas. In addition to last year’s winner, 13 other semifinalists from last season return, including South Florida senior Marvin Kloss who was a finalist for the 2013 award. Including Aguayo, 13 kickers return to FBS coming off seasons in which they connected on double-digit field goals at a rate better than 85%, and all 13 were named to the watch list: Aguayo (95.5%), Toledo senior Jeremiah Detmer (95%), Michigan State sophomore Michael Geiger (93.8%), Ohio junior Josiah Yazdani (93.3%), LSU sophomore Colby Delahoussaye (92.9%), Georgia junior Marshall Morgan (91.7%), Central Florida senior Shawn Moffitt (91.3%), Boise State senior Dan Goodale (89.5%), Oklahoma senior Michael Hunnicutt (88.9%), Memphis sophomore Jake Elliott (88.9%), Colorado State senior Jared Roberts (87.5%), Texas Tech senior Ryan Bustin (85.2%), and Utah sophomore Andy Phillips (85%). Moving from accuracy to volume, all 11 returning kickers who converted at least 20 field goals are also part of the Watch List: Arizona State sophomore Zane Gonzalez (25), Hunnicutt (24), Bustin (23), San Jose State junior Austin Lopez (22), Morgan (22), Aguayo (21), Maryland junior Brad Craddock (21), Moffitt (21), Roberts (21), Notre Dame senior Kyle Brindza (20), and Louisville junior John Wallace (20). Kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2013 season and 2014 expectations. All ten FBS conferences are represented among the 30 kickers, led by four each from the American, Big 12, Mountain West, and Pac-12. The ACC, MAC and SEC each placed three kickers, followed by a pair from the Big Ten. Conference USA and the Sun Belt each placed one kicker, along with independent Notre Dame. While the Watch List highlights thirty of the best returning kickers in the country, Aguayo, who was not on the 2013 Watch List, stands as proof that the Groza Committee will be watching all FBS kickers during the season, and releasing 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 6th. From this list, a panel of more than 300 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, and former Groza finalists selects the top three finalists for the award by Monday, November 24th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 11th during the Home Depot College Football Awards, broadcast live from Orlando, Fla. The 23rd Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl Committee, recognizes the three finalists during an early week celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet on December 9th, prior to joining ESPN in Orlando. 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. National College Football Awards Association The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 678 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story. The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Fifteen of the association’s 21 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the complete 2014 preseason watch list calendar: Mon., July 7: Bednarik Award / Maxwell Award Tue., July 8: Mackey Award / Rimington Trophy Wed., July 9: Lou Groza Award / Ray Guy Award Thurs., July 10: Bronko Nagurski Trophy / Outland Trophy Fri., July 11: Jim Thorpe Award Mon., July 14: Butkus Award / Rotary Lombardi Award Tue., July 15: Biletnikoff Award Wed., July 16: Davey O’Brien Award Thurs., July 17: Doak Walker Award Fri., July 18: Walter Camp Award About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches and the annual Sam Budnyk Student-Athlete Scholarship. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com. Roberto Aguayo – Florida State Class: Sophomore - Hometown: Mascotte, Florida FGM FGA FG% 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ LONG XPM XPA PTS 21 22 95.5 0-0 10-10 2-2 8-9 1-1 53 94 94 157 The winner of the 2012 Lou Groza Award, Aguayo converted 99.1% of his total kicks, the highest mark ever by an FBS kicker with at least 15 field goals and 30 extra points. His 157 points set the FBS single-season kick-scoring record, helped in part by his 94-for-94 PAT campaign, the most in FBS history without a miss. Only the second freshman to ever win the Groza, he made the first 70 kicks of his career, setting the all-time Florida State mark. Kyle Brindza – Notre Dame Class: Senior - Hometown: Canton, Michigan FGM FGA FG% 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ LONG XPM XPA PTS 20 26 76.9 0-0 11-11 2-4 4-7 3-4 53 38 38 98 Brindza topped his own single-season kick-scoring record in 2013 with 98 points on the year. He did it the hard way as well, setting the Notre Dame mark with three made kicks from at least 50 yards. He closed out the season going 5-for- 5 in the Pinstripe Bowl, matching the NCAA record for most field goals in a bowl game. Ryan Bustin – Texas Tech Class: Senior - Hometown: Kilgore, Texas FGM FGA FG% 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ LONG XPM XPA PTS 23 27 85.2 0-0 13-13 9-11 1-3 0-0 43 52 55 121 A 2013 Groza semifinalist, Bustin rewrote the Texas Tech record books, setting new high marks for field goals (23), attempts (27), accuracy (85.2%), and kick-scoring (121 points) in a single season. He had a pair of 4-FG games, including an 18-point effort against Kansas that set the Red Raider mark for kick-scoring in a single game. Jack Cantele – Kansas State Class: Junior - Hometown: Wichita, Kansas FGM FGA FG% 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ LONG XPM XPA PTS 11 13 84.6 0-0 4-4 3-3 4-5 0-1 44 40 41 73 In his first season after taking over kicking duties from his brother Anthony, himself a Groza semifinalist in 2012, Cantele proved up to the task in going 11-for-13 on field goals before missing the final three games. In what would end up being his final game, he went 4-for-4 with a game-winning 41-yard field goal with three seconds left on the clock. Will Conant – Air Force Class: Senior - Hometown: Edmond, Oklahoma FGM FGA FG% 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ LONG XPM XPA PTS 11 13 84.6 0-0 1-1 4-4 3-4 3-4 52 32 33 65 Taking over place-kicking duties in 2013, Conant provided a stabilizing presence for Air Force, converting 11 of his 13 attempts. He came out of the gates strong, converting a 52-yard kick for his first ever collegiate field goal. That would be the first of three 52 yarders Conant would hit on the season, making him just the second Air Force kicker ever to make three kicks from 50 or longer in a season.