Football | August 02, 2024
LOS ANGELES—USC kicker Michael Lantz was named to the 2024 Lou Groza Award Watch List, toady (Aug. 2). The award is given to the nation’s top collegiate placekicker.
Lantz, who transferred to USC in the summer of 2024, has scored 185 points, going 92-of-94 (97.9%) on extra points and 31-of-39 (79.5%) on field goals throughout his 5-year collegiate career (2 years at Georgia Southern and 3 years at Minnesota). He has also recorded 146 kickoffs with 69 touchbacks.
Last season in 2023, Lantz scored 114 points as Georgia Southern’s starting kicker, going 45-of-45 (100%) on extra points and 23-of-28 (82.1%) on field goals with a season-long of 48 through 13 games. His 23 made field goals set a school record. He also recorded 61 kickoffs with 43 touchbacks. He was named to the Pro Football Focus All-Sun Belt First Team, the College Football Network All-Sun Belt Second Team as both a kicker and kickoff specialist and the Phil Steele All-Sun Belt Fourth Team.
Accomplishments will be tabulated throughout the season, and the Lou Groza Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Tuesday, Nov. 19. From this list, a panel of FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers will select the top three finalists for the award who will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26. That same group will selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 33rd Annual Lou Groza Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, will recognize the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet on Dec. 9 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
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.
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