It’s been 14 years since a placekicker has won back-to-back Lou Groza Awards. Cairo Santos, you’re officially on the clock.
The Tulane kicker was one of 30 players named to the 2013 preseason watch list for the Groza Award, named in honor of the Hall of Fame kicker/offensive lineman from the Cleveland Browns. In addition to Santos, 10 other semifinalists for last year’s award appear on this year’s watch list.
Santos, who was not listed on last year’s preseason watch list, connected on all 21 of his field goal attempts in 2012. The only other kicker to hit on every field-goal attempt, San Jose State’s Austin Lopez (17-for-17), is one of the 30 preseason watch players as well.
The Big Ten, ACC, Conference USA and MAC all placed four kickers each on the list. The Mountain West was next with three.
The Groza Award was first handed out in 1992 and won by Joe Allison of Memphis State (now Memphis). Florida State’s Sebastian Janikowski won the award in 1998 and 1999.
Chris Boswell – Rice
Kyle Brindza – Notre Dame
Jeff Budzien – Northwestern
Chandler Catanzaro – Clemson
Brian Davis – Arkansas State
Jeremiah Detmer – Toledo
Nick Diaz – Utah State
Mitch Ewald – Indiana
Nate Freese – Boston College
Andrew Furney – Washington State
Brendan Gibbons – Michigan
Warren Harvey – East Carolina
Michael Hunnicutt – Oklahoma
Cody Journell – Virginia Tech
Ty Long – UAB
Austin Lopez – San Jose State
Ross Martin – Duke
Mike Meyer – Iowa
Tony Miliano – Cincinnati
Dylan Mulder – Eastern Michigan
Jaden Oberkrom – TCU
Cody Parkey – Auburn
Kaleb Patterson – Miami (OH)
Jared Roberts – Colorado State
Trevor Romaine – Oregon State
Cairo Santos – Tulane
Will Scott – Troy
Mathew Sims – Northern Illinois
Carey Spear – Vanderbilt
John Wallace – Louisville