Smack Named to Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List

Trey Smack made a bet with a former Florida Gators kicker and Lou Groza Award winner should he take home the award.

Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators place kicker Trey Smack (29) kicks the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida Gators kicker Trey Smack has a bet in place with a program legend should he win the Lou Groza Award.

"Actually, Judd (Davis) made a deal with me. If I win the Lou Groza Award, we're both getting Lou Groza tattooed on our foreheads," he said Thursday.

Davis is the program's lone Lou Groza Award winner, winning the award in 1993 while also taking home First Team All-America honors from UPI. Smack, meanwhile, has taken one step closer to potentially following in his footsteps, being named to the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List.

Smack is one of 30 players named to the list.

The group of 30 will be narrowed down to 20 semifinalists on Nov. 18 by a selection committed before being trimmed again to three finalists on Nov. 25. The winner will be announced on Dec. 12.

Dial it up 🎯 @smack_trey has been named to the @LouGrozaAward Preseason Watch List.

🔗 https://t.co/646aphRqAD#GoGators pic.twitter.com/E2Ipiwbgh3

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) August 1, 2025

Smack is coming off a tremendous campaign in 2024 in which he went 18-for-21 on field goals and 44-for-44 on extra points. He was also 3-for-4 on kicks from at least 50 yards out and 8-for-10 on kicks from at least 40 yards out.

His 18 field goals made are tied for eighth in program history for a single season, while his 85.7 percentage is tied for ninth in program history for a single season. Now heading into his senior season, Smack is looking to completely establish himself as an NFL-level kicker while continuing to headline Florida's special teams.

"Relative to his talent, he’s definitely NFL talent, he only missed three kicks last year and they were all three field goals," special teams coordinator Joe Houston said. "He’s kicking off at a high level. He’ll definitely be one of the top kickers in this class, but the main thing is just managing those expectations by staying present.”

Florida has had success with the Lou Groza Award lists despite only one winner with Caleb Sturgis being a finalist in 2011 and 2012 and Evan McPherson being a semifinalist in 2018 and 2020.

On Thursday, Smack detailed his goal of being the next UF specialist to make it to the NFL.

"I mean, with Florida, it's such a good resume of Eddy Pineiro, Evan McPherson, now Jeremy (Crawshaw) and Caleb Sturgis back in the day. They've got such a good track record here," he said. "And I just want to live up to that expectation, because there's been so many good Gator greats going to NFL."