In 1992, The Palm Beach County Sports Commission established the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker award. This award, presented for a number of years by the FedEx Orange Bowl, is given annually to the nation’s top collegiate place-kicker as determined by a voting panel of Division 1 head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters from across the county, conference representatives, professional kickers and previous winners.

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award has become the most prestigious college football award for kickers.

Prior to the start of each college football season, the Lou Groza Award Watch List consisting of 30 players is released. This Watch List is determined based on statistics from the previous season and preseason expectations. Information is received from national media, school sports information directors and other ranking sources. However, all Division I-A kickers are eligible for the coveted award. During the season the Groza Awards committee monitors the success of all kickers on a national level. Weekly, beginning in early September the award recognizes the three outstanding kickers of the week based on the previous week’s play.

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award committee announces its 20 semi-finalists in early-November. From this list, a panel of over 300 experts selects the top three finalists for the award in late November. That same group then selects the national winner.

The three finalists are invited to Palm Beach County, Florida after the end of the college season for the Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl. This gala three-day program recognizes the accomplishments of the kickers in a variety of community outreach activities culminating with an awards banquet that is the start of the South Florida holiday football season.

The announcement of the winner is made during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show broadcast live from Orlando, Florida in early December.

The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award is a program of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The program is directed by the Groza Committee consisting of William Davis, Chairman; John DeMott, Vice Chairman and members Hamid Faquir, Jason Myers, Jim Watt,Sean Alveshire, Sam Budnyk, Ken LaVicka, Paul Mangia, Richard Ellington, Steve Dorsey,Tom D’Angelo, Donald Dufresne, Dr. Edward Eissey, Eric Poms, Bob Vanatta and Mike Weild.

ABOUT LOU

Honors one of the
all-time great kickers

The award is named in honor of one of the all-time great kickers in football history, Lou Groza. After serving in World War II, Groza signed with the Cleveland Browns in 1946. A six-time all-pro tackle, Groza really earned his fame, and his famous nickname, “The Toe,” as a kicker. In 1950 Groza won the NFL championship game for the Browns by kicking a field goal with 28 seconds left. That was just the first of what would turn out to be four championships that Groza and the Cleveland Browns shared.

PLAYED FOR 21 SEASONS Groza would go on to play for 21 seasons with Cleveland until he retired in 1967 as the last of the “original” Browns. During his career, Groza set numerous franchise records, including most games played, most points scored, and an amazing 107 consecutive games in which he scored a point. The 1,608 career points he scored is still a Browns’ franchise record, and he ranks third all-time in league history.

Lou was a nine-time all-pro and won an amazing eight championships, four in the AAFC (1946-1949) and four in the NFL (1950, 1954-1955, 1964). He was named as NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Groza was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974, and is one of only five Cleveland Browns to have his number, 76, retired. After a long and illustrious life, Groza passed away in 2000 at the age of 76.

Lou left a legacy that is still unmatched in NFL history. The name, Lou Groza is etched into football immortality. The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award is a tribute to his life, his accomplishments and the challenge he left to aspiring kickers today. www.lougrozaaward.com

Lou Groza National Collegiate Place Kicker Award
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