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 Kenneth Almendares of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The award is part of the National College Football Awards Association coalition.
Elisha Archibald Manning III is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1982. He also had brief stints with the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Manning is the patriarch of the Manning football dynasty, having preceded sons Peyton and Eli as a successful NFL quarterback.
The Ole Miss Rebels are the 18 men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that are funded by and represent the University of Mississippi, located in Oxford. The first was the football team, which began play in 1893.
The Ole Miss Rebels football program represents the University of Mississippi, also known as "Ole Miss". The Rebels compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Rebels play their home games at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium on the university's campus in Oxford, Mississippi.
Stewart Patridge is a former American football quarterback best known as the leader of the University of Mississippi Rebels from 1995 to 1997. He won the 1997 Conerly Trophy as the best college football player in the state.
Bobby Ray Franklin is a former American football player and coach. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Mississippi and professionally as a safety in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cleveland Browns. Franklin served as the head football coach at Northwest Mississippi Community College from 1981 to 2004, leading his teams to NJCAA National Football Championships in 1982 and 1992. He has been named to seven Halls of Fame for his athletic and coaching accomplishments.
The 2003 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. Coached by David Cutcliffe, the Rebels played their home games at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium.
The Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Tigers play in the American Athletic Conference as an all-sports member. They play home games at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. The team's head coach is Ryan Silverfield. Since their inaugural season in 1912, the Memphis Tigers have won over 500 games and appeared in seventeen bowl games.
Jonathan Ruffin is an American former football placekicker who played three seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats, where he won the Lou Groza Award and was recognized as an All-American. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2003, and he played for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe and the New Orleans VooDoo of the AFL.
The 2012 Tulane Green Wave football team represented Tulane University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by first-year head coach Curtis Johnson. The Green Wave played home games in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and competed in the West Division of Conference USA. This was their final season in Conference USA as the prepared to move to the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 2–10, 2–6 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for fifth place in the West Division.
Judd Dillon Davis is an American former football kicker who played for the Florida Gators, where he won the Lou Groza Award.
The 1962 Ole Miss Rebels football team was an American football team that represented the University of Mississippi in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1962 NCAA University Division football season. In their 16th year under head coach Johnny Vaught, the Rebels compiled a perfect 10–0 record, outscored opponents by a total of 247 to 53, won the SEC championship, and defeated Arkansas in the 1963 Sugar Bowl. To date, it is the only undefeated and untied season in Ole Miss football history.
John Christian Kaʻiminoeauloamekaʻikeokekumupaʻa Fairbairn is an American professional football placekicker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Playing college football at UCLA, he was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior, when he was also awarded the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top college kicker in 2015. After winning the kicking position as a true freshman, Fairbairn became the Pac-12 Conference record holder for the most career points scored. Undrafted out of college, he signed with Houston as a free agent and was named their starting kicker the following year in 2017.
The 2019 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented The University of Mississippi in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rebels played their home games at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by third-year head coach Matt Luke.
Zac Roper is an American football coach. He is currently the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Florida International University, and was previously the offensive coordinator at Duke University. Prior to this, Roper had spent the majority of his career as a special teams coordinator. He worked with staffs at Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Cornell before joining the Duke staff for the 2008 season.
Matthew Anthony Corral is an American professional football quarterback for the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Elijah Danilo Moore is an American professional football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ole Miss and was selected by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Will Reichard is an American professional football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he became the all-time NCAA Division I FBS scoring leader.
Mark Isaiah Robinson is an American professional football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Presbyterian, Southeast Missouri State, and Ole Miss.
Caden Matthew Davis is an American college football placekicker for the Ole Miss Rebels. He previously played for the Texas A&M Aggies.
