Palm Beach County Sports Commission

College football’s top kicking award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl recognizes three of the top kickers each week from FBS division teams as the “Stars of the Week.”

Notre Dame relied on the powerful leg of junior Jonathan Doerer to defeat USC 30-27 in South Bend, Ind. on Saturday night. The Charlotte, N.C. native doubled his season total by going 3-for-3 with field goals of 52, 45 and 43 yards. All three surpassed his previous career long, and marked the first time an Irish kicker made three field goals from 40 or more yards in a game since 1996. He added three PATs for a 12-point game, giving him 45 on the season to lead the Fighting Irish in scoring.

Sophomore Will Mobley was critical to Temple’s 30-28 upset of Memphis in front of a Homecoming crowd in Philadelphia on Saturday. The Lititz, Pa. native went 3-for-3 on field goals, converting from 44, 31 and 29 yards to help the Owls get out to a big early lead. With the win, Temple has defeated two ranked teams in the same season for the first time in program history. Mobley also converted his three extra point tries, improving to a perfect 20-for-20 on the year. He is 7-for-8 on field goals, for a team-leading 41 points.

Kent State sophomore Matthew Trickett kicked four field goals for the second time this season in the Golden Flashes’ 26- 3 defeat of rival Akron on the road on Saturday. The win puts Kent State in first place in the MAC’s East division and brings the coveted Wagon Wheel back to Kent. Trickett, a Cleveland, Ohio native, converted from a season-long 45 yards to go along with two kicks from 43 and one from 36 yards out. He added two PATs for a 14-point game and a team-leading 47 for the season.

The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.

For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter.

The Lou Groza Award will be presented live as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, Ga. on Thursday, December 12. The three finalists will be honored during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with the 28th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate
Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the Orange Bowl, on Monday, December 9.

National College Football Awards Association

The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit NCFAA.org to learn more about the association.

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