Lambert Named To Groza Award Watch List
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – (July 9, 2015) – West Virginia University junior placekicker Josh Lambert was one of 30 kickers from across the nation named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List today by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
A finalist for last year’s award, Lambert joins 2014 Groza Award winner Brad Craddock, Maryland, and finalist Roberto Aguayo (Florida State) on the list.
Last year, Lambert became just the third kicker in FBS history to make 30 field goals in a single campaign, while Aguayo, who won the award as a freshman in 2013, leads the nation in field goals over the past two seasons.
In 2014, Lambert hit 30-of-39 field goal attempts and was perfect on all 45 of his extra point tries. He set an NCAA record for hitting 16 field goals of 40 yards or more and tied the records for most games with two or more field goals made in a game (10) and most with three or more (6). His 30 field goals in 2014 tied the school record for most field goals hit in a season with Paul Woodside, who did it in 1982. Lambert also set the school’s kick scoring season record with 135 points last year. For his efforts, he earned All-Big 12 Conference honors by several organizations and was named All-American by four different groups.
The three former finalists are joined on the Watch List by a dozen other kickers who were named semifinalists last season, as well as by 15 new faces. Only five returning FBS kickers attempted at least 10 kicks and made at least 90% of them, and all are on the Watch List: Craddock (94.7), Kansas State sophomore Matthew McCrane (94.7), Oregon sophomore Aidan Schneider (91.7), two-time semifinalist Duke senior Ross Martin (90.5) and Aguayo (90.0).
The Watch List also includes all 10 returning kickers who made more than 20 field goals at a rate of 75% or higher: Lambert (30), Aguayo (27), two-time semifinalist Utah junior Andy Phillips (23), Bowling Green senior Tyler Tate (23), returning semifinalist Virginia senior Ian Frye (22), two-time semifinalist Arizona State junior Zane Gonzalez (22), Oklahoma State junior Ben Grogan (22), two-time semifinalist TCU senior Jaden Oberkrom (22), and returning semifinalist Clemson senior Ammon Lakip (21).
Kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2014 season and 2015 expectations. All 10 FBS conferences are represented among the 30 kickers, led by the ACC with six, the Pac-12 with five, and the Big 12 with four. The Big Ten, MAC and SEC each placed three kickers, followed by a pair each from the American and Conference USA. The Mountain West and the Sun Belt each placed one kicker.
While the Watch List highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, all FBS kickers are eligible for this year’s award. In fact, two of the past three winners were not on that year’s Watch List. The Groza Committee will be watching all FBS kickers during the season, and releasing a weekly “Stars of the Week” feature on www.lougrozaaward.com.
Semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award will be announced November 5, 2015, while the three finalists will be unveiled November 23, 2015. The winner of the 2015 Lou Groza Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2015.
The 24th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl Committee, recognizes the three finalists during an early week celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on December 7th, 2015, prior to joining ESPN in Atlanta.
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.
For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow@LouGrozaAward on Twitter.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – (July 9, 2015) – West Virginia University junior placekicker Josh Lambert was one of 30 kickers from across the nation named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List today by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
A finalist for last year’s award, Lambert joins 2014 Groza Award winner Brad Craddock, Maryland, and finalist Roberto Aguayo (Florida State) on the list.
Last year, Lambert became just the third kicker in FBS history to make 30 field goals in a single campaign, while Aguayo, who won the award as a freshman in 2013, leads the nation in field goals over the past two seasons.
In 2014, Lambert hit 30-of-39 field goal attempts and was perfect on all 45 of his extra point tries. He set an NCAA record for hitting 16 field goals of 40 yards or more and tied the records for most games with two or more field goals made in a game (10) and most with three or more (6). His 30 field goals in 2014 tied the school record for most field goals hit in a season with Paul Woodside, who did it in 1982. Lambert also set the school’s kick scoring season record with 135 points last year. For his efforts, he earned All-Big 12 Conference honors by several organizations and was named All-American by four different groups.
The three former finalists are joined on the Watch List by a dozen other kickers who were named semifinalists last season, as well as by 15 new faces. Only five returning FBS kickers attempted at least 10 kicks and made at least 90% of them, and all are on the Watch List: Craddock (94.7), Kansas State sophomore Matthew McCrane (94.7), Oregon sophomore Aidan Schneider (91.7), two-time semifinalist Duke senior Ross Martin (90.5) and Aguayo (90.0).
The Watch List also includes all 10 returning kickers who made more than 20 field goals at a rate of 75% or higher: Lambert (30), Aguayo (27), two-time semifinalist Utah junior Andy Phillips (23), Bowling Green senior Tyler Tate (23), returning semifinalist Virginia senior Ian Frye (22), two-time semifinalist Arizona State junior Zane Gonzalez (22), Oklahoma State junior Ben Grogan (22), two-time semifinalist TCU senior Jaden Oberkrom (22), and returning semifinalist Clemson senior Ammon Lakip (21).
Kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2014 season and 2015 expectations. All 10 FBS conferences are represented among the 30 kickers, led by the ACC with six, the Pac-12 with five, and the Big 12 with four. The Big Ten, MAC and SEC each placed three kickers, followed by a pair each from the American and Conference USA. The Mountain West and the Sun Belt each placed one kicker.
While the Watch List highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, all FBS kickers are eligible for this year’s award. In fact, two of the past three winners were not on that year’s Watch List. The Groza Committee will be watching all FBS kickers during the season, and releasing a weekly “Stars of the Week” feature on www.lougrozaaward.com.
Semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award will be announced November 5, 2015, while the three finalists will be unveiled November 23, 2015. The winner of the 2015 Lou Groza Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2015.
The 24th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl Committee, recognizes the three finalists during an early week celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on December 7th, 2015, prior to joining ESPN in Atlanta.
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.
For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow@LouGrozaAward on Twitter.