Brad Craddock was the winner of the 2014 Lou Groza Award. He returned for the 2015 season. Not surprisingly, he’s earned a spot on a watch list.
Given annually to the nation’s top placekicker, the Groza Award is the latest to release its watch list, with a total of 30 players littering this particular preseason grouping. Joining Craddock are Florida State junior Roberto Aguayo -- after he eschewed early entry in the NFL draft -- and West Virginia junior Josh Lambert, both finalists for the Groza in 2014.
From the Groza Award’s press release:Only five returning FBS kickers attempted at least 10 kicks and made at least 90% of them, and all are on the Watch List: Craddock (94.7), Kansas State sophomore Matthew McCrane (94.7), Oregon sophomore Aidan Schneider (91.7), two-time semifinalist Duke senior Ross Martin (90.5) and Aguayo (90.0).
The Watch List also includes all ten returning kickers who made more than 20 field goals at a rate of 75% or higher: Lambert (30), Aguayo (27), two-time semifinalist Utah junior Andy Phillips (23), Bowling Green senior Tyler Tate (23), returning semifinalist Virginia senior Ian Frye (22), two- time semifinalist Arizona State junior Zane Gonzalez (22), Oklahoma State junior Ben Grogan (22), two-time semifinalist TCU senior Jaden Oberkrom (22), and returning semifinalist Clemson senior Ammon Lakip (21).
Below is the complete list of 2015 Groza Award watch listers:
Roberto Aguayo – Florida State
Kyle Bullard – Houston
Brad Craddock – Maryland
Ka’imi Fairbairn – UCLA
Elliott Fry – South Carolina
Ian Frye – Virginia
Rafeal Gaglianone – Wisconsin
Andrew Gantz – Cincinnati
Zane Gonzalez – Arizona State
Paul Griggs – Purdue
Ben Grogan – Oklahoma State
Donny Hageman – San Diego State
Andrew Haldeman – Western Michigan
Ammon Lakip – Clemson
Josh Lambert – West Virginia
Austin MacGinnis – Kentucky
Ross Martin – Duke
Jay Mattox – UTEP
Matthew McCrane – Kansas State
Trevor Moore – North Texas
Marshall Morgan – Georgia
Cole Murphy – Syracuse
Jaden Oberkrom – TCU
Andy Phillips – Utah
Aidan Schneider – Oregon
Robert Stein – Akron
Aleem Sunanon – South Alabama
Tyler Tate – Bowling Green
Cameron Van Winkle – Washington
John Wallace – Louisville