Submitted by ACC Football News on Wed, 08/12/2009 - 23:00
WEST PALM BEACH, FL – The 18th annual quest to name the finest place
kicker in college football’s FBS division (Division1-A) begins as the
Palm Beach County Sports Commission unveils its pre-season watch list
of thirty. Headlining the group are 2008 finalist Josh Arauco of
Arkansas State and 2007 Lou Groza Award recipient Thomas Weber of
Arizona State.
Three ACC place kickers made the watch list. They are Matt Bosher of Miami, Josh Czajkowski of NC State, and Nick Magio of Duke.
Nine 2008 semi-finalists are named to the list including seniors,
Arauco, Leigh Tiffin of Alabama, Sam Glusman of Troy State and Jonathan
Phillips of Florida. Eighteen of the kickers listed are under classmen.
The SEC is the most recognized conference with five members included.
The Big Ten and Big Twelve each placed four kickers on the list. The ACC had three kickers listed.
More than three hundred media representatives, coaches, past
recipients, conference and university officials make up the voting
panel which selects the recipient of the Lou Groza Collegiate Place
Kicking Award. The Award will be presented on Dec. 10, 2009, as part of
the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards program. The three
finalists will be honored at the 18th annual Lou Groza Award Banquet to
be held at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday
Dec. 8.
To download the watch list, click here
| 2009 Preseason Lou Groza Award Watch List | ||||||||
|
Last |
First Name | School | Year | 2008 FGM | 2008 FGA | 2008 FG% | 2008 Total PTS | Notes |
| Arauco | Josh | Arkansas St | Sr. | 17 | 19 | 89.5 | 88 | A 2008 Lou Groza Award Finalist, Arauco was a four-time Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. He tied his career high with four field goals made in ASU’s victory over Texas A&M and made multiple field goals in five games. |
| Aho | James | New Mexico | So. | 18 | 24 | 75 | 79 | A surprising walk-on who joined the team in the spring of 2008 and went on to turn in the most productive freshman season ever by a UNM kicker. Is the top returning field goal kicker in the Mountain West Conference in 2009, also a 2-time MWC Special Teams Player of the Week and Academic All-MWC honoree as well. |
| Bosher | Matt | Miami | Jr. | 18 | 20 | 90 | 94 | A semifinalist for the 2008 Lou Groza Award, named second team All-ACC as a kicker and punter, also awarded Miami's Jack Harding Award, given to the team's most valuable player. Led Miami with 94 points, Two-time 2008 Lou Groza Award national star of the week after performances against Wake Forest and Virginia Tech. |
| Brotzman | Kyle | Boise St | Jr. | 17 | 26 | 65.4 | 101 | Has never missed an extra point in two seasons as starting place kicker, hitting school-record 116 consecutive PATs, including all 50 in ’08 . Named Boise State’s co-Special Teams Player of the Year with punt returner Kyle Wilson by vote of teammates , leads team in scoring with 17 field goals and 50 extra points for 101 points. |
| Czajkowski | Josh | NC State | Jr. | 16 | 19 | 84.2 | 81 | All-Star candidate at placekicker, he ranked fourth in the ACC in field goals (1.23 per game) and ranked third in field goal percentage (.842). His 16 field goals made in 2008 ties as the sixth-best single-season mark in school history, while his percentage ranks ninth. A 2009 preseason second-team All-ACC choice according to Athlon Sports and a fourth-team pick by Phil Steele's College Football Preview. |
| Evans | Ross | TCU | So. | 16 | 20 | 80 | 97 | The only freshman to be included among the 20 semifinalists for the 2008 Lou Groza Award, honoring the nation's top placekicker, made a 50-yard field goal on his first collegiate attempt in the season-opening 26-3 win at New Mexico, it was the sixth-longest made kick by a freshman in 2008 while tying for the 12th-longest field goal in TCU history. |
| Fangmeier | Clark | Rice | Sr. | 6 | 10 | 60 | 91 | Rice's career kick scoring leader with 217 points, including a career-best 91 last season, also set season and career marks for PAT conversions and attempts. He has converted 154 of 155 in his career, including a perfect 73 of 73 last year and has converted 86 straight since missing his first attempt vs. SMU in 2007 (had converted the first 68 in his career). 73 PATs smashed his previous season record of 47 set in '07. |
| Forbath | Kai | UCLA | Jr. | 19 | 22 | 86.4 | 78 | Figures to be a top All-America and Lou Groza Award candidate in 2009 after earning third-team honors from the Associated Press a year ago ... Has displayed a strong, accurate leg ... Became the first Bruin to record five field goals of at least 50 yards in length during a season as a freshman and has made all six career attempts from 50 yards or more. Enters his junior year with 44 field goals to rank fifth on UCLA's career list and his percentage is .846 and a string of 13 consecutive made field goals. |
| Glusman | Sam | Troy | Sr. | 20 | 29 | 69 | 108 | Former walk-on who was named as a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award during the fall in his first season as the Trojans placekicker. Was a second team All-Sun Belt performer, started the season by making his first 12 field goal attempts as well as his first 19 PAT kicks. After a mid-season slump, made three straight field goals before having an attempt blocked in the Arkansas State game. Finished the season with 24 consecutive PAT’s made, 7-of-9 from 40-49 yards. |
| Goessling | Kevin | Fresno State | So. | 15 | 22 | 68.2 | 91 | Goessling struggled in his first two games of his college career but came on strong, showing that his leg strength puts him among the top kickers in college football. His three field goals against Utah State, including a 58 yarder in a two point win, showed he has the strength and the composure to be a top kicker. Goessling's coaches have alot of faith in himand believe this could be a huge break out year for the young sophmore. |
| Hartman | Ben | E Carolina | Sr. | 21 | 31 | 67.7 | 87 | Officially joined East Carolina program as a walk-on in the fall of '05, leg strength also enables service as kickoff specialist, made four field goals aginst Marshall in a 19-16 win including a 51 yarder, also connected for 4 field goals in a 53-21 win over UTEP. |
| Henery | Alex | Nebraska | Jr. | 18 | 21 | 85.7 | 110 | 2008 Second-Team All-Big 12, Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. Colorado), Alex Henery returns for his junior season after putting together two of the finest seasons for a place-kicker in Nebraska school history. Henery was perfect on field goal and extra-point attempts as a freshman in 2007, then proved to be one of the nation’s top kickers as a sophomore. |
| Lawrence | Hunter | Texas | Sr. | 10 | 12 | 83.3 | 90 | Fourth-year kicker who has appeared in 32 career games, tabbed second-team All-Big 12 by the league's coaches in 2008. Led the team in scoring with 90 points, converted 10-of-12 FGs, making his first nine including 4-of-5 from beyond 40 yards. |
| Lincoln | Daniel | Tennessee | Jr. | 10 | 18 | 55.6 | 52 | Booted 47-yarders at UCLA and Auburn for season bests, made two field goals in a game versus Auburn, Northern Illinois, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, also connected against Alabama with 31-yarder. Riding streak of 33 consecutive made PATs dating to Vanderbilt 2007. Already tied for 10th on UT's career field goal chart with 31 made after just two seasons. |
| Maggio | Nick | Duke | Jr. | 11 | 14 | 78.6 | 61 | Returning starting placekicker, preseason second team All-ACC selection by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. Begins junior season having made all 41 of his career PAT attempts and 13-of-19 (.684) field goal attempts, Duke’s all-time leader in PAT percentage (minimum 40 attempts), Duke’s active scoring leader with 80 career points. Stands five PATs and two field goals shy of cracking the school’s all-time top 10 charts. |
| Pettrey | Aaron | Ohio State | Sr. | 7 | 8 | 87.5 | 22 | A walk on in 2005, made such a favorable impression that he was converted to scholarship at the end of winter quarter 2006. Career long field goal is 51 yards. Pettrey has a live, accurate leg…hampered by a hip flexor injury for the first half of 2008, Pettrey is a gifted athlete who has no problem hitting from 50+ yards. |
| Phillips | Jonathan | Florida | Sr. | 12 | 13 | 92.3 | 114 | A 2008 Groza semi-finalist, his 78 extra points during the 2008 season set a new single-season school record and is also a new SEC record, finished third in the SEC in 2008 in scoring, with 114 total points (12 FG, 78 PAT). Converted on his only field goal attempt from 29-yards in the BCS National Championship Game against Oklahoma. |
| Rogers | Jake | Cincinnati | Jr. | 16 | 23 | 69.6 | 82 | This 2008 Groza semi-finalist has one of the strongest legs in college football, Rogers was 3 of 4 from beyond 50 yards last year, two of those kicks were in games decided by three points or less. His 55-yarder in 2007 is the second longest in the history of the Bearcats stadium. |
| Salerno | Mike | N Illinois | Sr. | 18 | 24 | 75 | 88 | An All-MAC second team selection in 2008 by both the conference and Phil Steele's Magazine, and honored as NIU's special teams MVP. Led the MAC with 16 touchbacks and a 64.9 yards/kickoff average. Earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after booting the game-winning 30-yard field goal with 11.9 seconds left against Bowling Green (10-25). Made 3-of-4 field goals versus the Falcons, including a career-long 52-yarder that tied the school record for the longest field goal. |
| Shene | Joshua | Ole Miss | Sr. | 17 | 21 | 81 | 103 | Named Preseason All-American Third Team by NationalChamps.net, SEC active career leader in field goals (42), earned first team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and was a second team selection by the SEC Coaches and Phil Steele, named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award in 2008. Current streak of 74 consecutive PATs is the second-longest in school history. |
| Steigerwald | Alex | Toledo | Sr. | 16 | 21 | 76.2 | 77 | Maybe the most accurate kicker on this years watch list, Alex has only missed a total of 6 field goals throughout his tenure as Toledo's top place kicker, named MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance vs. UM. Also earned honorable mention honors for Lou Groza Award National Kicker of the Week, career field goal percentage of 85.7 percent (36-of-42), connected on MAC-record 23 straight field goals over the 2007 and 2008 seasons. |
| Stevens | Jimmy | Oklahoma | So. | 8 | 12 | 66.7 | 118 | All-Big 12 Academic first team, handled placekicking duties, converting 8-of-11 field goals and 92-of-97 extra points, set OU program records for most extra points made and attempted. Tallied a total of 116 points in the season, ranking No. 2 at OU for the most ever kicking points in a season. Converted two field goals, the longest a 30-yarder, in the Big 12 Championship against Missouri, booted season-long field goal of 42 yards against Texas A&M. |
| Swenson | Brett | Mich St | Sr. | 22 | 28 | 78.6 | 100 | Three-year letterman ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in field goals (tied for third with 52 made), points scored (fourth with 276) and extra points (fifth with 120 made). His 52 career field goals rank second among all-active NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision kickers heading into the 2009 season, has made 66 straight extra-point attempts. |
| Teggart | Dave | Uconn | So. | 13 | 15 | 86.7 | 55 | Teggart started 2008 as the back up kicker for UCONN, but half way through the season, Teggart got a chance and took full advantage of the opportunity. In his first start he went 4 for 4 including a 47 yarder and was perfect on all 4 extra points, finished the '08 regular season only missing one kick that was well beyond 50 yards. Teggart shows alot of upside heading into the '09 campaign with a strong and accurate leg that has the potential to place him near the top of a long list of talented kickers this year. |
| Tiffin | Leigh | Alabama | Sr. | 20 | 29 | 69 | 106 | A 2008 Lou Groza semi finalist, Tiffin ranks fifth on the Tide's career kick-scoring list with 253 career points, just 92 points behind career leader Phillip Doyle (345). As a sophomore in 2007, Tiffin set the UA single-season record for points (111) by a kicker and most field goals (25) made, followed that up with 106 points in 2008, the second-best kick-scoring season in school history, a 2008 SEC Academic Honor Roll selection. |
| Walker | Brandon | Notre Dame | So. | 14 | 24 | 58.3 | 81 | After a slow start, Walker came on strong to finish off the '08 season, connecting on 14 field goals over the last 7 games. That stretch included a 4 field goal effort against Pitt and a 3 field goal effort against Syracus. With Notre Dame expecting to have a high powered offense this year, expect Walker to see alot of attempts this year, setting him up for a potentially big season in '09. |
| Walsh | Blair | Georgia | So. | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 95 | Named Freshman All-SEC by SEC Coaches in 2008, made Bulldog debut vs. Georgia Southern connecting for a 52-yard field goal on his first-career FG attempt. |
| Weber | Thomas | Arizona St | Jr. | 19 | 25 | 76 | 86 | 2007 Lou Groza winner,in 2008 Weber was named a Second-Team Sophomore All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com. Was an Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 selection, earned Second-Team all-conference honors from PhilSteele.com, was a Pac-10 All-Academic Second-Team selection, the second straight year he earned all-conference academic honors. |
| Welch | Philip | Wisconsin | Jr. | 20 | 24 | 83.3 | 99 | 2009 preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection by Lindy’s, preseason second team pick by Phil Steele and Athlon, 2008 Lou Groza award semifinalist, 2008 First-Team Freshman All-American (Sporting News, CollegeFootballNews.com, Phil Steele, FWAA), 2008 consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten, third-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele. He made a career-high four field goals and hit a career-long 52-yarder at Michigan last year. |
| Wiggs | Carson | Purdue | So. | 8 | 11 | 72.7 | 43 | In 2008 Wiggs made eight of last nine field goals, made all six field goal attempts under 40 yards, first successful field goal was school-record 53-yarder at Ohio State on Oct. 11, made two field goals at Northwestern on Oct. 18 (20 and 37 yards), vs. Minnesota on Oct. 25 (31 and 40 yards) and vs. Indiana on Nov. 22 (24 and 38 yards). |
About the NCFAA
The Groza is a member of the National College Football Awards
Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997, as a coalition of
the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance
the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards.
The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the
administration of its member awards and the selection of their
candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the
association’s official website, ncfaa.org.
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 Awards program, the
Sports Hall of Fame, the Kids Fitness Festival and awards the annual
Sam Budnyk Student-Athlete Scholarship. For more information on the
Palm Beach County Sports Commission go to www.palmbeachsports.com
