University of Houston Athletics
Houston Kicker Named To Lou Groza Watch List
8/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 6, 2003
HOUSTON, Texas - University of Houston junior kicker Dustin Bell (Houston, Texas) today was named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List. He becomes the second Cougar football player to be named to a postseason watch list, as senior center Rex Hadnot is on both the Rimington Award (nation's best center) and Outland Trophy (nation's best interior linemen) Watch lists.
Bell joins three other Conference USA players among the 30 preliminary candidates for the 12th annual Lou Groza Award, given to the nation's top collegiate placekicker. South Florida's Santiago Gramatica, TCU's Nick Browne and UAB's Nick Hayes, as well as Bell, represent C-USA on the list of preseason honorees.
Last season, Bell became the first placekicker in UH history to successfully convert his first seven field goal attempts of the season. He went on to finish 12-of-14 on the year, including a perfect 10-for-10 inside of 41 yards, posting the top field goal percentage in Conference USA. Bell drilled 32-of-35 extra point attempts to finish with 68 points on the season.
Started in 1992, the Lou Groza Award is named after Lou "The Toe" Groza, the Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame placekicker who is credited with elevating the role of placekicker to one of an offensive weapon and scoring machine. Groza, who played 21 seasons in the NFL, set NFL records for field goals and extra points in a season as a rookie and he ended his career with 10 league records and 24 Cleveland Browns marks.
Four times players from Conference USA schools have won the award. Memphis' Joe Allison was the first-ever recipient in 1992 and TCU's Michael Reeder won it in 1995. C-USA produced back-to-back winners in 2000 and 2001, when Cincinnati's Jonathan Ruffin and Tulane's Seth Marler won the award, respectively. Other winners include: Judd Davis of Florida in 1993, Arizona's Steve McLaughlin in 1994, Kansas State's Martin Gramatica in 1997, Sebastian Janikowski of Florida State in both 1998 and 1999, and Iowa's Nate Kaeding last season.
For more information about the Lou Groza Award, please visit www.palmbeachsports.com/Groza
