Alabama kicker Will Reichard named to Lou Groza Award watch list
The Lou Groza Award revealed its preseason watch list for the 2023 season on Wednesday, continuing off two weeks of watch list unveilings, and one Alabama player made the cut.
Crimson Tide senior Will Reichard was one of 30 players on the watch list for the Groza Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top college placekicker as determined by a voting panel of D-1 head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and previous winners. The award was established back in 1992.
Alabama received a pleasant surprise when Reichard changed his mind about entering the NFL draft and chose to return to UA for a fifth season, taking advantage of a free year. He became the program’s all-time leader in career points (417) and extra points (234) last season and is up to fourth in career field goals. Now, he will have a chance to pad his lead and take over the top spot on just about all of the Tide’s kicking records. But in addition to the record books, Reichard adds efficiency and effectiveness to Alabama’s special teams for another year.
Reichard ranks fourth on the Alabama list for career field goals (61). Last year, he was second in the SEC and fourth nationally in total points scored with 121. Good on 21 field goals across 25 tries and 58 made PATs in as many attempts during the Tide’s 2022 campaign, Reichard also kicked off 86 times for a total of 5,439 yards (63.2 yards per kick) with 45 touchbacks.
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Reichard was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2020 after not missing a single field goal or extra point all season long. Also on Wednesday, the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s best punter, revealed its preseason watch list. No Alabama player has ever won either award.
Alabama players/coaches on preseason watch lists:
Lott IMPACT Trophy – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Malachi Moore
Dodd Trophy – Nick Saban
Maxwell Award – Jase McClellan
Patrick Mannelly Award – Kneeland Hibbett
Outland Trophy – Tyler Booker, JC Latham, Jaheim Oatis
Bronko Nagurski Trophy – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Malachi Moore, Dallas Turner
Lou Groza Award – Will Reichard
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