Press release:
Three Conference USA kickers have been named among the 20 semifinalists for the 2015 Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Thursday. Louisiana Tech junior Jonathan Barnes, Marshall sophomore Nick Smith and WKU senior Garrett Schwettman represent C-USA on the list of potential winners.
Barnes ranks second in the nation in points scored (90) and points per game (10.0) among kickers, while ranking tied for fifth in the nation in points scored (90) and 20th in points per game (10.0) among all players. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native was named one of three Lou Groza Stars of the Week following Louisiana Tech’s triple overtime game at Kansas State where he forced overtime with his game-tying 45-yard field goal as regulation expired. That was one of his four field goals in that game, a number that is fourth-best for a single game in the country this year and second-best all-time at LA Tech. He set a new career-long mark with a 50-yard field goal on Oct. 3 during the Bulldogs’ 43-14 rout of Louisiana-Lafayette and hit the game-winning 32-yard field goal with 10 seconds left at UTSA the next week.
Smith has connected on 13-of-15 field goals this season and has made all 34 of his extra point attempts. The Plain City, Ohio native has made 12 consecutive field goals this season, the second-longest streak in school history behind Craig Ratanamorn’s 16 straight that spanned the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Entering Saturday’s game at Middle Tennessee, Smith also has a streak of 137 successful extra-point attempts.
Schwettman has been clutch for the Hilltoppers this season, making 11-of-12 (91.7) field goal attempts, including a career-long 46-yarder, and splitting the uprights on 48-of-49 extra points. For the season, the Murray, Kentucky native ranks third in Conference USA and second among kickers with 81 points, while his 91.7 field goal percentage is the best in the league. Schwettman became the school’s all-time leading scorer in the win over Miami (Ohio), and he has made the most extra points in WKU history with 205. He also needs just two successful field goals to move into first all-time in program history in career field goals made.
Semifinalists will be voted on by FBS Head Coaches and SIDs, a panel of kicking experts including all previous Groza finalists, and national and regional football writers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on Nov. 24 and honored at the 24th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 7 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The winner will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 10.
The award is named in honor of one of the all-time great kickers in football history, Lou Groza. Groza played 21 seasons for the Cleveland Browns setting numerous franchise records, including most games played, most points scored, and an amazing 107 consecutive games in which he scored a point. Groza was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 20 finalists, including 11 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning eight trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home five Super Bowls. That list includes current NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Mason Crosby, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Dustin Hopkins, Sebastian Janikowski, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, Caleb Sturgis, and Blair Walsh.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen.
Three Conference USA kickers have been named among the 20 semifinalists for the 2015 Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Thursday. Louisiana Tech junior Jonathan Barnes, Marshall sophomore Nick Smith and WKU senior Garrett Schwettman represent C-USA on the list of potential winners.
Barnes ranks second in the nation in points scored (90) and points per game (10.0) among kickers, while ranking tied for fifth in the nation in points scored (90) and 20th in points per game (10.0) among all players. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native was named one of three Lou Groza Stars of the Week following Louisiana Tech’s triple overtime game at Kansas State where he forced overtime with his game-tying 45-yard field goal as regulation expired. That was one of his four field goals in that game, a number that is fourth-best for a single game in the country this year and second-best all-time at LA Tech. He set a new career-long mark with a 50-yard field goal on Oct. 3 during the Bulldogs’ 43-14 rout of Louisiana-Lafayette and hit the game-winning 32-yard field goal with 10 seconds left at UTSA the next week.
Smith has connected on 13-of-15 field goals this season and has made all 34 of his extra point attempts. The Plain City, Ohio native has made 12 consecutive field goals this season, the second-longest streak in school history behind Craig Ratanamorn’s 16 straight that spanned the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Entering Saturday’s game at Middle Tennessee, Smith also has a streak of 137 successful extra-point attempts.
Schwettman has been clutch for the Hilltoppers this season, making 11-of-12 (91.7) field goal attempts, including a career-long 46-yarder, and splitting the uprights on 48-of-49 extra points. For the season, the Murray, Kentucky native ranks third in Conference USA and second among kickers with 81 points, while his 91.7 field goal percentage is the best in the league. Schwettman became the school’s all-time leading scorer in the win over Miami (Ohio), and he has made the most extra points in WKU history with 205. He also needs just two successful field goals to move into first all-time in program history in career field goals made.
Semifinalists will be voted on by FBS Head Coaches and SIDs, a panel of kicking experts including all previous Groza finalists, and national and regional football writers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on Nov. 24 and honored at the 24th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 7 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The winner will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 10.
The award is named in honor of one of the all-time great kickers in football history, Lou Groza. Groza played 21 seasons for the Cleveland Browns setting numerous franchise records, including most games played, most points scored, and an amazing 107 consecutive games in which he scored a point. Groza was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 20 finalists, including 11 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning eight trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home five Super Bowls. That list includes current NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Mason Crosby, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Dustin Hopkins, Sebastian Janikowski, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, Caleb Sturgis, and Blair Walsh.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen.
