University of Houston Athletics
UH Kicker Named To Lou Groza Watch List
8/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON - For the second consecutive season, University of Houston junior kicker Ben Bell was named to the Lou Groza Award Watch list, as announced today by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission in Palm Beach, Fla.
Last season, Bell was chosen but was red-shirted and did not kick at all in 2007. As a sophomore in 2006, Bell was selected by the media to the Conference USA Second Team after scoring a team- and career-high 93 points, as he helped lead the Cougars to the C-USA title that season. Bell also picked up honorable mention, all-league accolades by the conference coaches and twice was named the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week.
Comprised of 30 Division 1-A kickers, each was deemed as a pre-season kicker to watch by the Lou Groza College Place-Kicker Award. Kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2007 season and 2008 preseason expectations. 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 September 8, 2008, the award recognizes the three (3) 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 announces its 20 semi-finalists on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. From this list, a panel of over 300 experts selects the top three (3) finalists for the award by Wednesday, November 26, 2008. That same group then selects the national winner which will be aired on Thursday, December 11, 2008 from 7:30PM - 9:30PM ET during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show broadcast live from Orlando, FL.
The 17th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl, recognizes the three (3) finalists during an early week celebration in Palm Beach County culminating with a gala awards banquet on December 9 prior to joining ESPN in Orlando.
Last year's Groza winner, Thomas Weber of Arizona State University, and finalists, Jose Martinez of UTEP and Austin Starr of Indiana University, again are on the Pre-Season Watch List of hopefuls competing for the coveted 2008 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award.
In addition to last year's winner and finalists, 5 other semi-finalists have again been named to this year's opening list. The 2007 semi-finalists returning are: Kyle Brotzman, Boise State; Daniel Lincoln, Tennessee; Ryan Pretorius, Ohio State; Louie Sakoda, Utah and Sam Swank, Wake Forest.
Two Palm Beach County locals, Warley Leroy of Florida Atlantic University and Tony Ciaravino, originally from Boca Raton and winner of the Lou Groza local high school place-kicker of the year in 2006, who now plays for University of Connecticut are on the pre-season watch list.
Five (5) former winners or nominees; Mason Crosby, Martin Gramatica, Sebastian Janikowski, Nate Kaeding and Mike Nugent became successful NFL kickers.
The award, is named for National Football League (NFL) 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, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
