Bert Auburn named to the Lou Groza Award watch list
Texas kicker Bert Auburn was added to the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award watch list on Friday, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced. The Groza Award is given annually to the top kicker in college football.
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Last year, Auburn was 29-for-35 on field goals and a perfect 56-for-56 on extra point attempts. He was a perfect 10-for-10 on field goals longer than 30 yards but shorter than 39 yards. He made 19 consecutive attempts during the course of the season, one where Texas was 12-2. He became the first UT kicker to score 21 points in a game against Texas Tech.
Auburn was recently placed on scholarship. In recent weeks, he earned preseason first-team All-SEC honors.
In his career Auburn is a perfect 114-for-114 on PAT attempts and is 50-for-61 on field goals. He is in position to finish at or near the top of many school records associated with place-kicking.
No Longhorn has ever won the Groza. Miami (Ohio) kicker Graham Nicholson won the award last year. He has since transferred to Alabama.
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.
Finalists will be announced on November 26. The Winner will be announced on December 12 at the Home Depot College Football Awards show.
Groza Award watch list
Chase Allen, UTSA
Bert Auburn, Texas
Will Bettridge, Virginia
Aidan Birr, Georgia Tech
Randy Bond, Texas A&M
Andres Borregales, Miami (Fla.)
Noah Burnette, North Carolina
Jonah Dalmas, Boise State
Matthew Dapore, Air Force
Caden Davis, Ole Miss
Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State
Grady Gross, Washington
John Hoyland, Wyoming
Michael Hughes, Appalachian State
Dragan Kesich, Minnesota
Michael Lantz, USC
Tyler Loop, Arizona
John Love, Virginia Tech
Dylan Lynch, Fresno State
Alex McPherson, Auburn
Chase Meyer, Penn State
Graham Nicholson, Alabama
Todd Pelino, Duke
Mason Shipley, Texas State
Trey Smack, Florida
Drew Stevens, Iowa
Nathanial Vakos, Wisconsin
Peyton Woodring, Georgia
Dominic Zvada, Michigan
