Palm Beach County Sports Commission

 

Over the last few decades, many things have helped mold college football into the game 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.

 

NC State Kicker Christopher Dunn Wins

the 2022 Lou Groza Award 

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – During the Home Depot College Football Awards, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced NC State graduate Christopher Dunn as the 2022 National Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award winner.

"Being the recipient of this award is a tremendous honor,” said Dunn. “I am incredibly grateful and proud to represent the Lou Groza Award and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. This is a dream I have worked for ever since I became a kicker.”

Dunn capped a record-setting career with his finest single season, going 24-for-25 on field goals. Both the total field goals and the 96% hit rate rank second in FBS this season, while his accuracy mark is the best by any kicker with at least 20 attempts. Dunn was perfect over his first 22 attempts, going all the way into the regular season’s final game without a miss, drawing comparisons to 1996 Groza Award winner Marc Primanti’s perfect season. He made multiple field goals in eight games this year, most notably in the Wolfpack’s 19-17 win over Florida State. In that game, he went 4-for-4 on field goals, scoring the last 9 points of the game to turn a four-point deficit into a two-point win. That game also featured his longest field goal of the season, a 53 yarder in the fourth quarter. Long field goals were one of his hallmarks this year, tied for second in the country with 17 field goals from at least 30 yards out and one of just four FBS kickers with at least 10 kicks from 40 yards or more. The fifth-year starter entered the year already NC State’s program leader in field goals and points, but this year’s performance put him over the top in the ACC record books and among the top performers in FBS history. His 93 career field goals are second all-time only to 2016 Groza winner Zane Gonzalez, while his 479 career points are the fourth-most by any FBS kicker ever.

Dunn beat out Stanford junior Joshua Karty and Michigan graduate Jake Moody for the award. Karty was the only FBS kicker to stay perfect on field goals, going 18-for-18, while Moody led the nation in field goals made and points scored.

Dunn is NC State’s second Lou Groza Award recipient, joining Primanti’s 1996 win. The national panel of voters is comprised of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers. Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 28 finalists, including 16 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 13 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home seven Super Bowls.

National College Football Awards Association

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker 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 and @NCFAA on Twitter 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, the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches, and the annual Holiday Basketball Classic of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.