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The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns player Lou Groza. It has been presented since 1992, with Joe Allison of Memphis State receiving the inaugural award. The incumbent award holder is Chris Dunn of NC State. The award is part of the National College Football Awards Association coalition.
In gridiron football, the placekicker, or simply kicker, is the player who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist and/or less frequently also acts as the punter.
Louis Roy Groza, nicknamed "the Toe", was an American professional football player who was a kicker and offensive tackle while playing his entire career for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Groza was professional football's career kicking and points leader when he retired after the 1967 season. He played in 21 seasons for the Browns, helping the team to win eight league championships in that span. Groza's accuracy and strength as a kicker influenced the development of place-kicking as a specialty; he could kick field goals from beyond 50 yards (46 m) at a time when attempts from that distance were a rarity. He set numerous records for distance and number of field goals kicked during his career.
Mark DeWayne Moseley is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played for Philadelphia Eagles (1970), the Houston Oilers (1971–72), the Washington Redskins (1974–86), and the Cleveland Browns (1986). A native of Livingston, Texas, Moseley played quarterback at Texas A&M University and Stephen F. Austin State University before switching to kicker for his senior season at Stephen F. Austin.
Alexis Serna is a former placekicker and punter who played in the Canadian Football League from 2008 to 2010 for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He graduated from A. B. Miller High School in Fontana, California. He was the starting placekicker and punter for the Oregon State University football team, the Oregon State Beavers, from 2004 to 2007. He won the 2005 Lou Groza Award which recognized him as the best placekicker in the United States. On June 3, 2008, Serna signed a contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League and was the team's starting kicker, replacing Troy Westwood. On August 10, 2010, Serna was released by the Blue Bombers.
Van Leigh Tiffin, Jr. is a former American football kicker. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Alabama. Named for his father, he is called Leigh to distinguish him from Van Tiffin.
David Allen is a gridiron football running back who played with the Jacksonville Jaguars and St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football for Kansas State University, and earned All-American honors. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jaguars, and spent one season with the Rams.
Kevin Patrick Kelly is a former American football placekicker. He played college football at Penn State and is the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten football history.
Joshua Norwood Jasper is a former American football placekicker.
Marc Primanti is a former American football kicker who played college football for North Carolina State University. He won the Lou Groza Award and earned consensus All-American honors in 1996 after successfully completing 20-of-20 field goals during the season.
Joe "747" Adams is a former Canadian football quarterback who played three seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Toronto Argonauts and Ottawa Rough Riders during 1982 to 1984. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the twelfth round of the 1981 NFL Draft, but remained a practice squad member during his one year with the team. He played college football at Tennessee State University. Adams garnered the nickname "747" in reference to the Boeing 747 aircraft.
Brad Craddock is an Australian-born American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He played college football for the University of Maryland, College Park.
Rafael Gaglianone is a Brazilian gridiron football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Raymonn Doniciansher "Goldie" Adams is a former gridiron football running back and return specialist who played for the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Renegades of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Stampeders in 2002 and played six regular season games for them, primarily serving as a punt and kick returner. He continued in this role with the Renegades, playing 18 games during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. He returned 43 punts and 52 kickoffs before retiring from the CFL. In 2003, he was signed by the New York Jets but was released before the start of the regular season.
Richard Adams, known as Dick or Dickie, was a gridiron football defensive back who was drafted and tried out for the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL), and later played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Adams was released at the end of the first week of the Oilers' 1971 training camp before the first preseason game.
José Borregales is a Venezuelan American football placekicker for the Orlando Guardians of the XFL. He played college football at Florida International and the University of Miami.
Cade F. York is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU.
Will Reichard is an American football placekicker and punter for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Mitchell Fineran is an American football placekicker for the Purdue Boilermakers of the Big Ten Conference. Prior to enrolling at Purdue as a graduate transfer in 2021, he attended and played football at Samford University in the Southern Conference (SoCon) of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Anders Carlson is an American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn. As a placekicker, he has been recognized as both a high school and collegiate All-American, as well as an All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) First Team and Lou Groza Award semifinalist selection.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Reed, William F. (1993-10-04). "Joe Allison". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved 2008-07-31.
- ↑ Maher, Tod; Gill, Bob (2013). The Canadian Pro Football Encyclopedia: Every Player, Coach and Game, 1946–2012. Maher Sports Media. p. 144. ISBN 978-0983513667.
- ↑ Lou Groza Award, Previous Winners. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
- ↑ Maher, Tod; Gill, Bob (2013). The Canadian Pro Football Encyclopedia: Every Player, Coach and Game, 1946–2012. Maher Sports Media. p. 590. ISBN 978-0983513667.