University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
McCaleb Named To Lou Groza Award Watch List
8/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
McCaleb Named To Lou Groza Award Watch List
Darren McCaleb |
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Southern Miss sophomore kicker Darren McCaleb, a freshman All-American in 2003, was named to the Lou Graza Award Watch list today.
The Watch List is comprised of the top 30 preliminary candidates for the 13th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl. The finalists for the award will be honored at a banquet held on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at the West Palm Beach Marriott. The award will then be presented at the 2004 ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, December 9, 2004 in Orlando.
McCaleb enjoyed an outstanding freshman season, recording the fourth-most productive season (73 points) in school history from a kicker. He converted 14-of-17 field goal attempts and 31-of-32 extra points.
The kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2003 season and preseason expectations. However, all Division I-A kickers are eligible for the award.
A panel of nearly 400 experts will vote on the award, including Division I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and all previous Groza Award finalists.
The 20 semi-finalists for the Lou Groza Award will be announced in early November, followed with the naming of the three finalists two weeks later.
The award is named for NFL Hall-of-Fame kicker Lou 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.
Player, School, Year Collin Barber, Syracuse, Sr. Xavier Beitia, Florida State, Sr. Dustin Bell, Houston, Sr. Trey DiCarlo, Oklahoma, Jr. Damon Fine, Nevada, Sr. Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis, Jr. Nick Hayes, UAB, Sr. Connor Hughes, Virginia, Jr. Ben Jones, Purdue, Jr. Tyler Jones, Boise State, Sr. Ryan Killeen, Southern Cal, Sr. Matt Leach, Florida, Sr. Rhys Lloyd, Minnesota, Sr. Darren McCaleb, Southern Miss, So. Justin Medlock, UCLA, So. Jonathan Nichols, Mississippi, Sr. Nick Novak, Maryland, Sr. Mike Nugent, Ohio State, Sr. Matt Payne, BYU, Sr. Matt Prater, UCF, So. Jon Peattie, Miami, So. Todd Pegram, Texas A&M, Jr. David Rayner, Michigan State, Sr. Joe Rheem, Kansas State, Jr. Jared Siegel, Oregon, Sr. Jason Swiger, Akron, Jr. Brett Visintainer, Fresno State, Sr. Andrew Wellock, Eastern Michigan, So. James Wilhoit, Tennessee, So. Wes Zunker, New Mexico, Sr.
