Awarded for | the top college football placekicker in the United States |
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Location | Palm Beach County, Florida |
Country | United States |
Presented by | Palm Beach County Sports Commission |
History | |
First award | 1992 |
Most recent | Graham Nicholson, Miami (OH) (2023) |
Website | http://www.lougrozaaward.com |
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 Graham Nicholson of Miami University. The award is part of the National College Football Awards Association coalition.
Louis Roy Groza, nicknamed "the Toe", was an American professional football offensive tackle and placekicker 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.
Alexis Serna is a former placekicker and punter who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) 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 CFL 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.
John Vaughn is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football for the Auburn Tigers.
Joe Allison is a former American football placekicker. He won the inaugural Lou Groza Award in 1992, the award presented to honor the top placekicker in college football.
Kai August Forbath is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning consensus All-American honors and winning the Lou Groza Award as the best college kicker in the country in 2009. He played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Rams.
Thomas Edward Weber is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Judd Dillon Davis is an American former football player who was the 1993 recipient of the Lou Groza Award recognizing the best placekicker in college football.
Caleb James Sturgis is a former American football placekicker. He played college football at Florida, setting team records for field goals completed in a season and a career, and was recognized as a first-team All-American. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Roberto Jose Aguayo is a former American football placekicker. He played college football at Florida State University, where he was the most accurate kicker in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history and third in NCAA history. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, unusually high for a special teams player. Despite an accomplished collegiate career at Florida State, Aguayo is considered to be among the biggest "busts" in recent NFL history. Aguayo served as the starting kicker for the Buccaneers for one season in 2016. He then had stints with the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots between 2017 and 2021 without seeing any regular season game action.
Brad Craddock is a former Australian-born American football placekicker. He played college football for the University of Maryland, College Park.
Griffin Oakes is an American football placekicker for the Indiana Hoosiers.
John Christian Kaʻiminoeauloamekaʻikeokekumupaʻa "Kaʻimi" Fairbairn is an American 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.
Chris Sailer is an American football trainer of kicking specialists. He works with high school placekickers and punters and evaluates them for college football programs. Sailer was named an All-American as both a kicker and a punter while playing college football for the UCLA Bruins. He played professionally in the Arena Football League (AFL).
Holden Fortunato "Zane" Gonzalez is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Arizona State University and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Gonzalez holds the NCAA Division I record for field goals made in a career. He was a unanimous All-American in 2016. He was awarded the Lou Groza Award in 2016.
José Borregales is a Venezuelan American football placekicker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Florida International and the University of Miami.
Cade York is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, and selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Will Reichard is an American football placekicker and punter for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He is the all-time NCAA Division I FBS scoring leader.
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 Bjorn 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.
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