Palm Beach County Sports Commission

 

 

 

 

 

During the past 20 years, many things have helped mold college football into the game that it is today. Near the top of that list is the increased importance of the kicking game.

It used to be that place-kickers were local, non-scholarship athletes who made good. Now, top high school and prep kickers are as highly recruited as some quarterbacks and wide receivers.

With national championships often won or lost on one swing of the leg, the importance of having a top kicker cannot be understated.

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award annually recognizes college football’s top place-kicker.

The video below is the announcement of the 2011 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker winner during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show as broadcast live on national television on December 8, 2011. (Video supplied and used with permission of ESPN.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tulane Place-Kicker Cairo Santos

Wins the Lou Groza Award

 

 

WEST PALM BEACH—During last night’s live The Home Depot College Football Awards, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Tulane University junior Cairo Santos as the winner of the 2012 National Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award.

 

"I am honored to be the recipient of this year’s Lou Groza Award,” said Santos. “I’d like to thank the Lou Groza Committee and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission for this opportunity. This is a tremendous honor and I am very grateful, but it would not have been possible without my coaches and teammates. This award is for each of them as well.”

 

Santos converted every field goal he attempted this season, going a perfect 21-for-21. That makes him just the second kicker in FBS history to stay perfect throughout a season in which he attempted 20 or more field goals, joining 1996 Groza winner Marc Primanti. Twelve of his kicks came from 40 or more yards, the most in the nation, including scores from 57 and 54 yards. He was one of just two kickers in the country with two field goals from at least 54 yards this year. The 57 yard kick is the longest in Tulane history. Santos went 26-for-27 on PATs, with a blocked try the only blemish on an otherwise perfect season. Majoring in management, the Sao Paulo, Brazil native has twice been named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Tulane’s 3.0 Club.

 

Santos beat out Florida State’s Dustin Hopkins and University of Florida’s Caleb Sturgis for the award. Hopkins became the all-time FBS career leader in kick-scoring thanks to a 133 point season. Sturgis also had a great season, topping the SEC in field goals made and going 3-for-3 from beyond 50 yards. Both Hopkins and Sturgis were finalists for the Groza in 2011 as well.

 

Santos is the second place-kicker from Tulane to win the Groza in the 21 year history of the award, joining 2001 winner Seth Marler. The national panel of voters is comprised of college football media, FBS coaches and SIDs, and past Groza winners.

 

 

 

Click here to download the release in PDF

 

 

 

About the National College Football Awards Association

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award (www.LouGrozaAward) is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official Web site, www.NCFAA.org.

 

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 Awards program, the Sports Hall of Fame and the Kids Fitness Festival For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission go to www.PalmBeachSports.com.

 

 

 

More photos from this years banquet COMING SOON!