Palm Beach County Sports Commission

Lou Groza National Collegiate Place Kicker Award
Announces Top 20 Semi-Finalists

West Palm Beach, Fla. -- The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has released its 20 semi–finalists for the 2011 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl Committee. These twenty place-kickers have all excelled throughout the season in earning their places as semi-finalists.
 
This year’s list of candidates includes just two former semi-finalists, both hailing from schools in the Sunshine State.  Florida State junior Dustin Hopkins is the only member of the final twenty to have been a semi-finalist last year, while 2009 semi-finalist Caleb Sturgis of the University of Florida returns to the list after an injury sidelined him last season.

At this writing, Sturgis and Texas A&M senior Randy Bullock shared the national lead in field goals per game, each going 15-for-16 in seven games to stand alone as the only kickers in the country averaging better than two field goals per contest. With 32 extra points as well, Bullock leads the nation in kick-scoring, just percentage points ahead of Oklahoma State junior Quinn Sharp, who looks to make it consecutive Cowboys taking home the Groza, after 2010 winner Dan Bailey.

The only semi-finalist yet to miss a field goal this season is Washington State sophomore Andrew Furney, whose nine perfect tries include a 51-yarder and a 4-for-4 performance.  The only semi-finalists with longer kicks are Hopkins and University of Washington senior Erik Folk, who have each connected from 53 yards.

Semi-finalists will be voted on by FBS Head Coaches and SIDs, along with national and regional football writers, past Groza winners and others who will select the three (3) finalists.  These finalists will be honored at the 20th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 6 in West Palm Beach, Florida.  The presentation will be featured on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday December 8, 2011.
 
The award is named in honor of one of the all-time great kickers in football history, Lou Groza.  Groza played 21 seasons for the Cleveland Browns setting numerous franchise records, including most games played, most points scored, and an amazing 107 consecutive games in which he scored a point. Groza was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.
 
Past Groza finalists include current NFL kickers Nate Kaeding, Sebastian Janikowski, Mike Nugent, Mason Crosby, Graham Gano and Dan Bailey.

For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to follow the season progress, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com.  Additional information can be obtained by contacting Kris Pursell, Director of Event Operations at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission at (561) 233-3124 or kpursell@palmbeachsports.com. 

National College Football Awards Association

The Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award 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 website, ncfaa.org.

The presentation of the Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award will be featured on The Home Depot College Football Awards live on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.  The show, hosted by ESPN’s Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard will feature the live presentation of nine player awards, along with the recipients of Disney’s Spirit Award; The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award, the NCFAA (National College Football Awards Association) Contributions to College Football Award; and student-athletes selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team.  Fans can visit the show’s dedicated Web site at www.espncollegefootballawards.com to find the latest college football awards news, including show details, previous winners, fan voting, a photo gallery and video highlights.