Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Rooker named semi-finalist for Lou Groza Award
11/2/2017 9:30:00 AM | Football
Senior has hit 11 of 13 FGs in 2017
West Palm Beach, Fla. -- The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has released the 20 semifinalists for the 2017 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl. These twenty kickers have all excelled throughout the season in earning their places as semifinalists and Middle Tennessee senior Canon Rooker is among the honored.
A new era may be dawning, as only three of the 20 semifinalists have earned the honor in previous years, though one of those is a very familiar face. Auburn senior Daniel Carlson, a finalist for the Groza in both 2015 and 2016, still has a chance to finally take home the trophy. He is joined by University of Miami senior Michael Badgley (2015) and Syracuse senior Cole Murphy (2014) as the only returning semifinalists.
Rooker, out of Richmond Hill, GA, is having a solid year connecting on 11 of 13 field goals, including 7 of 8 from 40 yards or longer. After scoring an MT kicker record 112 points last year, Rooker has hit 24 of his last 27 field goals and made good on his first seven attempts this season from 40 yards or longer.
Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on November 21st and honored at the 26th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 4th in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, December 7th.
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.
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 25 finalists, including 14 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning nine trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home five Super Bowls. That list includes 2017 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, Caleb Sturgis, and Blair Walsh.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen.
The Lou Groza Award will be presented live as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, GA on Thursday, December 7. The three finalists will be honored during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with the 26th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the Orange Bowl, on Monday, December 4.
A new era may be dawning, as only three of the 20 semifinalists have earned the honor in previous years, though one of those is a very familiar face. Auburn senior Daniel Carlson, a finalist for the Groza in both 2015 and 2016, still has a chance to finally take home the trophy. He is joined by University of Miami senior Michael Badgley (2015) and Syracuse senior Cole Murphy (2014) as the only returning semifinalists.
Rooker, out of Richmond Hill, GA, is having a solid year connecting on 11 of 13 field goals, including 7 of 8 from 40 yards or longer. After scoring an MT kicker record 112 points last year, Rooker has hit 24 of his last 27 field goals and made good on his first seven attempts this season from 40 yards or longer.
Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on November 21st and honored at the 26th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 4th in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, December 7th.
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.
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 25 finalists, including 14 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning nine trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home five Super Bowls. That list includes 2017 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, Caleb Sturgis, and Blair Walsh.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen.
The Lou Groza Award will be presented live as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, GA on Thursday, December 7. The three finalists will be honored during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with the 26th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the Orange Bowl, on Monday, December 4.
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