Click Here for 2012 Watch List

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Finalists for the award in 2011, Florida State senior Dustin Hopkins and Florida senior Caleb Sturgis headline the thirty-player Watch List for the 2012 Lou Groza College Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.

Hopkins has led the ACC in kick-scoring per game each of the past two seasons and enters this year 68 points away from becoming the conference’s all-time leading scorer. Not to be outdone by his in-state rival, Sturgis averaged 1.83 field goals per game last year, the most by any kicker returning this season. In addition to the two finalists, 16 other semifinalists from last season return, including the only four kickers who finished the season with better field goal percentages than 2011 Groza winner Randy Bullock. Louisiana-Lafayette senior Brett Baer (90.0%), LSU senior Drew Alleman (88.9%), Southern California sophomore Andre Heidari (88.2%) and Oklahoma State senior Quinn Sharp (88.0%) all bested Bullock’s 87.9% mark, though none came closest to matching the former Texas A&M kicker’s 29 made field goals. That distinction goes to Ohio senior Matt Weller, whose 25 field goals were the most by any kicker returning this year.

Kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2011 season and 2012 expectations. Ten conferences are represented among the 30 kickers, led by seven from the Big Ten. The SEC follows with six, along with four each from the ACC and the Pac-12. The Big 12, Conference USA and Sun Belt each placed two representatives, while the Big East, MAC and Mountain West each had a kicker recognized. While the Watch List highlights thirty of the best returning kickers in the country, 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.

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award announces its 20 semifinalists on Monday, November 5th. From this list, a panel of more than 300 experts selects the top three finalists for the award by Monday, November 19th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 6th during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Award Show, broadcast live from Orlando, Fla. 

The 21st 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 on December 4th, prior to joining ESPN in Orlando.

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.