Noah Ruggles named to Lou Groza Award preseason watch list
COLUMBUS — The preseason award watch lists feature more and more Ohio State talent by the day, and one more Buckeye saw his name featured for an award Wednesday.
Noah Ruggles was named to the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s top placekicker, preseason watch list. Ruggles transferred to Ohio State from North Carolina ahead of the 2021 season and proved to be a nice addition to an impressive offensive machine.
Ruggles completed 20/21 field goals last season with his longest-made field goal from 46-yards out in Ohio State’s 26-17 win over Nebraska last November. The sixth-year placekicker also made all 74 of his extra points last season for the Buckeyes.
He was a finalist for the award last season but lost out to Jake Moody of Michigan.
Noah Ruggles would be the second Ohio State player to win the Lou Groza award after Mike Nugent won in 2004. The award itself has a special tie to the Buckeyes as Lou Groza played at Ohio State.
Other Buckeyes on preseason watch lists, All-American teams
Quarterback C.J. Stroud, Smith-Njigba and running back TreVeyon Henderson were all named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is given annually to the top player in all of college football, on Monday. Stroud, the Buckeyes second-year starting quarterback, was among 35 quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list, and he is among the preseason favorites to win the award. That watch list came out Tuesday.
TreVeyon Henderson and Smith-Njigba were both named preseason first-team All-Americans by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Another pair of Buckeyes, tackle Dawand Jones and kicker Noah Ruggles, were second-team selections. That list came out at the beginning of July. Stroud was not on that list. He was beat out by Alabama’s Bryce Young and USC’s Caleb Williams for the two quarterback spots.
Henderson was also named to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the country’s top running back, on Wednesday. And Smith-Njigba was listed as a preseason player to watch for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the top receiver each year.
Ohio State center Luke Wypler was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list last week.
The Buckeyes had offensive tackles Paris Johnson and Dawand Jones named to the Outland Trophy watch list on Tuesday.
Defensive end Zach Harrison and safety Ronnie Hickman were named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list on Tuesday.
