Pound for pound, this could very well be the most decorated watch list you’ll read this offseason.
Thursday, the Lou Groza Award became the latest to release its 2016 preseason watch list, unveiling a group that’s 30 kickers strong. And, the pedigrees of this group are unquestioned.
Included in the list are two finalists for last year’s award, Auburn junior Daniel Carlson and Memphis senior Jake Elliott, won by UCLA’s Ka’imi Fairbairn. A finalist for the 2014 award, West Virginia senior Josh Lambert, is included as well.
Additionally, 16 other kickers on the list have previously been semifinalists in various years. One of those 16, Utah senior Andy Phillips, has been a semifinalist each of the past three seasons.
And the award’s namesake?
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.
Below is the complete 2016 preseason Lou Groza Award watch list:
Matt Anderson – California
Michael Badgley – Miami (FL)
Jonathan Barnes – Louisiana Tech
Drew Brown – Nebraska
Daniel Carlson – Auburn
Trent Domingue – LSU
Jake Elliott – Memphis
Elliott Fry – South Carolina
Andrew Gantz – Cincinnati
Zane Gonzalez – Arizona State
Adam Griffith – Alabama
Ben Grogan – Oklahoma State
Clayton Hatfield – Texas Tech
Greg Huegel – Clemson
Josh Lambert – West Virginia
Cole Murphy – Syracuse
Griffin Oakes – Indiana
Andy Phillips – Utah
Bobby Puyol – UConn
Tyler Rausa – Boise State
Austin Rehkow – Idaho
Ryan Santoso – Minnesota
Aidan Schneider – Oregon
Austin Seibert – Oklahoma
Joey Slye – Virginia Tech
Nick Smith – Marshall
Cameron Van Winkle – Washington
Nick Weiler – North Carolina
Justin Yoon – Notre Dame
Brent Zuzo – Nevada