Phil Steele

The Lou Groza Award Phil Steele is proud to be on the voting Commitee for the Lou Groza Award!

2015 LOU GROZA AWARD CANDIDATES
Roberto Aguayo, Florida State	Ben Grogan, Oklahoma State	Marshall Morgan, Georgia
Kyle Bullard, Houston	Donny Hageman, San Diego State	Cole Murphy, Syracuse
Brad Craddock, Maryland	Andrew Haldeman, Western Michigan	Jaden Oberkrom, TCU
Ka’imi Fairbairn, UCLA	Ammon Lakip, Clemson	Andy Phillips, Utah
Elliott Fry, South Carolina	Josh Lambert, West Virginia	Aidan Schneider, Oregon
Ian Frye, Virginia	Austin MacGinnis, Kentucky	Robert Stein, Akron
Rafael Gaglianone, Wisconsin	Ross Martin, Duke	Aleem Sunanon, South Alabama
Andrew Gantz, Cincinnati	Jay Mattox, UTEP	Tyler Tate, Bowling Green
Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State	Matthew McCrane, Kansas State	Cameron Van Winkle, Washington
Paul Griggs, Purdue	Trevor Moore, North Texas	John Wallace, Louisville

	2014 LOU GROZA AWARD WINNER:
	Brad Craddock Maryland

	2014 Finalists: Roberto Aguayo, Florida ST Josh Lambert, West Virginia

THE AWARD Established in 1992
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.
HOW THE AWARD IS DETERMINED
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 AWARD Established in 1992

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.

HOW THE AWARD IS DETERMINED

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.

ABOUT LOU GROZA	PAST AWARD WINNERS 2013 Roberto Aguayo- Florida ST 2012 CAIRO SANTOS - TULANE 2011 Randy Bullock, Texas A&M 2010 DAN BAILEY, OKLAHOMA STATE 2009 Kai Forbath - UCLA 2008 graham gano - fsu 2007 Thomas Weber - Arizona State 2006 Arthur Carmody - Louisville 2005 Alexis Serna - Oregon State 2004 Mike Nugent - Ohio State 2003 Jonathan Nichols - Mississippi 2002 Nate Kaeding - Iowa 2001 Seth Marler - Tulane 2000 Jonathan Ruffin - Cincinnati 1999 & 1998 Sebastian Janikowski - FlA St 1997 Martin Gramatica - Kansas St 1996 Marc Primanti - NC State 1995 Michael Reeder - TCU 1994 Steve McLaughlin - Arizona 1993 Judd Davis - Florida 1992 Joe Allison - Memphis
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.
GROZA COMMITTEE
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. www.lougrozaaward.com

ABOUT LOU GROZA

PAST AWARD WINNERS
2013
Roberto Aguayo- Florida ST
2012
CAIRO SANTOS - TULANE
2011
Randy Bullock, Texas A&M
2010
DAN BAILEY, OKLAHOMA STATE
2009
Kai Forbath - UCLA
2008
graham gano - fsu
2007
Thomas Weber - Arizona State
2006
Arthur Carmody - Louisville
2005
Alexis Serna - Oregon State
2004
Mike Nugent - Ohio State
2003
Jonathan Nichols - Mississippi
2002
Nate Kaeding - Iowa
2001
Seth Marler - Tulane
2000
Jonathan Ruffin - Cincinnati
1999 & 1998
Sebastian Janikowski - FlA St
1997
Martin Gramatica - Kansas St
1996
Marc Primanti - NC State
1995
Michael Reeder - TCU
1994
Steve McLaughlin - Arizona
1993
Judd Davis - Florida
1992
Joe Allison - Memphis

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.

LOU 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.

GROZA COMMITTEE

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.

www.lougrozaaward.com


The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award is presented annually through the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. For additional information on the award contact: Palm Beach County Sports Commission 1555 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd, Suite 1410, West Palm Beach, FL 33401