Buckeye Kicker Blake Haubeil on Lou Groza Award Watch List
One of Ohio State’s own has the opportunity to win the coveted award named after one of its most-highly regarded alums.
Senior kicker Blake Haubeil was named to the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Watch List this afternoon. Haubeil is returning from an impressive junior campaign which resulted in Third Team All-Big Ten honors.
The comprehensive list is available here.
Haubeil drilled the second longest field goal in Ohio State history with his 55-yarder against Northwestern last season. That successful try was the ninth longest in college football last season.
In his Scarlet and Gray career, Haubeil has made 23-of-28 field goals and has been a perfect 122-of-122 in extra points. OSU’s high octane offense produced 85 extra points for Haubeil last season, the second most in the nation.
The Buckeyes have claimed this award just once in program history. In 2004, Mike Nugent brought home the trophy after leading the nation with five 50-yard field goals. The Big Ten hasn’t had a winner since 2014, when Maryland kicker Brad Craddock won it in the Terps first year in the conference.
Haubeil is one of only four returning FBS kickers that scored at least 120 points last season. If Haubeil exceeds last year’s mark of 124, his name will surely remain in the race to take home the trophy.
Lou Groza left quite the legacy following his legendary football career. Nicknamed “The Toe,” Groza was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University as a kicker and offensive tackle in the 1940’s. Groza nearly spent his entire life living in Ohio until he enlisted in World War II in 1943. He later joined the Cleveland Browns after the War, where he went on to win four championships and an MVP in 1954. He also went to nine Pro Bowls and was First Team All-Pro on four occasions. The Browns retired Groza's number 76 and placed his name in their ring of honor at First Energy Stadium.
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935.
The National College Football Awards Association will roll out watch lists over a two week stretch for all of the major national awards. They include:
July 13 - Bednarik Award (watch list includes Shaun Wade)
July 14 - Davey O'Brien Award (includes Justin Fields)
July 15 - Doak Walker Award
July 16 - Biletnikoff Award (includes Chris Olave)
July 17 - John Mackey Award (includes Luke Farrell)
July 20 - Butkus Award (includes Pete Werner, Tuf Borland and Baron Browning) and Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (includes Shaun Wade)
July 21 - Bronko Nagurski Trophy (includes Shaun Wade) and Outland Trophy (includes Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers and Thayer Munford)
July 22 - Lou Groza Award and Ray Guy Award (includes Drue Chrisman)
July 23 - Paul Hornung Award and Wuerffel Trophy
July 24 - Maxwell Award
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