Award watch list season continued Wednesday with a nod to the kicking game. The watch lists for the Lou Groza Award and Ray Guy Award were on the agenda for the day, giving special teams players their day in the sun. First up is the Lou Groza Award, which is awarded to the best place-kicker in the country by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Last year’s Lou Groza Award went to Florida State’s Roberto Aguayo. He headlines this year’s watch list as he looks to become the first player since Sebastian Janikowski, also from Florida State, to win the award in consecutive seasons. Janikowski won the award in 1998 and 1999. No school has more Lou Groza Award winners than Florida State. In addition to Janikowski and Aguayo, Graham Gano won the award in 2008. Joining Aguayo on the watch list is 2013 Lou Groza Award finalist Marvin Kloss of USF.
Semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award will be announced November 6 and the finalists will be unveiled on November 24. The winner will be named at the award’s banquet on December 9.
Here is this year’s Lou Groza Award watch list:
Roberto Aguayo, Florida State
Kyle Brindza, Notre Dame
Ryan Bustin, Texas Tech
Jack Cantele, Kansas State
Will Conant, Air Force
Brad Craddick, Maryland
Colby Delahoussaye, LSU
Jeremiah Detmer, Toledo
Jake Elliott, Memphis
Kyle Fischer, Louisiana Tech
Elliott Fry, South Carolina
Michael Geiger, Michigan State
Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State
Dan Goodale, Boise State
Michael Hunnicutt, Oklahoma
Maxwell Johnson, New Mexico State
Marvin Kloss, USF
Austin Lopez, San Jose State
Shawn Moffitt, UCF
Marshall Morgan, Georgia
Jaden Oberkrom, TCU
Will Oliver, Colorado
Andy Phillips, Utah
Jared Roberts, Colorado State
Niklas Sade, North Carolina State
Carl Salazar, Tulsa
Tyler Tate, Bowling Green
John Wallace, Louisville
Jordan Williamson, Stanford
Josiah Yazdani, Ohio
Catch up on your watch lists released this week:
Maxwell Award (best player)
Bednarik Award (best defensive player)
Hornung Award (most versatile player)
Mackey Award (best tight end)
Rimington Trophy (best center)