Last year, I predicted Miami's Matt Bosher would win the Lou Groza Award, marking the second straight season an ACC player would be named the nation's top place-kicker. FSU's Graham Gano won it following the 2008 season.
Well, I was wrong, but it remains a very real possibility again this season. And Bosher isn't the only one with a shot at it.
After a season filled with inexperienced place-kickers, the ACC now has some legitimate talent returning. Here are the top five Groza candidates this year in the ACC -- and yes, Bosher is my front-runner again this year:
Well, I was wrong, but it remains a very real possibility again this season. And Bosher isn't the only one with a shot at it.
After a season filled with inexperienced place-kickers, the ACC now has some legitimate talent returning. Here are the top five Groza candidates this year in the ACC -- and yes, Bosher is my front-runner again this year:
- Matt Bosher, Miami: Bosher, who doubles as the Canes' punter and place-kicker, leads all returning place-kickers nationally in career field goal accuracy, having made 32 of 36 attempts, an average of .889. He missed only two field goals in 2009 -- both against Georgia Tech in the season’s second game -- and finished the year having made 12 consecutive field goals. Bosher hasn't missed a PAT in 90 tries.
- Robert Randolph, Virginia: He was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist last year after finishing second in the ACC in field goal percentage, making 17 of 19 attempts for an .895 percentage. He made his first 11 field goal attempts and converted on all six of his PATs.
- Josh Czajkowski, NC State: He has only five misses in 31 career field goal attempts (.839). He made 10 of 12 last fall and enters 2010 with a streak of six straight field goals without a miss. He has made 77 of 78 PATs, including the last 73 in a row with the lone miss coming on a blocked PAT. He has made 24 of his last 27 field goal attempts (.889).
- Casey Barth, North Carolina: He led the ACC in field goals and finished 12th nationally, making 21 of 25 field goals and 34 of 35 PATs for 97 points. Barth ranks 13th among all returning place-kickers in career field goal accuracy (31-40, .775).
- Will Snyderwine, Duke: In his first season as Duke's starter, Snyderwine was a Groza finalist. He converted on 17 of 20 field goal attempts (.850) and made all 24 of his PAT attempts. He ranked second in the ACC in field goals and fifth in field goal percentage.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
ACC SCOREBOARD
Saturday, 12/17
Final Temple 37 Wyoming 15 Final Ohio 24 Utah State 23 Final San Diego State 30 Louisiana-Lafayette 32
Tuesday, 12/20
Wednesday, 12/21
Final 18 TCU 31 Louisiana Tech 24
Thursday, 12/22
Saturday, 12/24
Final Nevada 17 21 Southern Miss 24
Monday, 12/26
Tuesday, 12/27
Final Western Michigan 32 Purdue 37 Final Louisville 24 North Carolina State 31
Wednesday, 12/28
Final Toledo 42 Air Force 41 Final California 10 24 Texas 21
Thursday, 12/29
Final Florida State 18 Notre Dame 14 Final Washington 56 12 Baylor 67
Friday, 12/30
Final Brigham Young 24 Tulsa 21 Final Rutgers 27 Iowa State 13 Final Mississippi State 23 Wake Forest 17 Final Iowa 14 14 Oklahoma 31
Saturday, 12/31
Final Texas A&M 33 Northwestern 22 Final/OT Georgia Tech 27 Utah 30 Final Illinois 20 UCLA 14 Final Cincinnati 31 Vanderbilt 24 Final Virginia 24 25 Auburn 43
Monday, 1/2
Final 19 Houston 30 22 Penn State 14 Final Ohio State 17 Florida 24 Final/3OT 17 Michigan State 33 16 Georgia 30 Final 20 Nebraska 13 9 South Carolina 30 Final 10 Wisconsin 38 5 Oregon 45 Final/OT 4 Stanford 38 3 Oklahoma State 41
Tuesday, 1/3
Final/OT 13 Michigan 23 11 Virginia Tech 20
Wednesday, 1/4
Final 23 West Virginia 70 15 Clemson 33
Friday, 1/6
Final 8 Kansas State 16 6 Arkansas 29
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