Virginia Tech Kicker John Love Earns Spot on 2025 Lou Groza Award Watch List
Another Hokie has cracked a preseason watch list. This morning, Virginia Tech football announced that place kicker John Love had made it onto the Lou Groza Award Watch List. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound redshirt junior enters his fourth campaign with Tech, looking to build off a pair of All-ACC Honorable Mention bids in the past two years.
Last season, Love emerged as one of the ACC’s most reliable long‑range kickers. He converted all five of his attempts from 40 to 49 yards and went 3‑for‑4 on kicks of 50 yards or more. His consistency translated into highlight moments as well; on Sept. 27 against Miami, he drilled a 57‑yard field goal and later topped that performance during the 2025 Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Minnesota, connecting from 60 yards to set a new career-high. That 60-yard make ranks as the second-longest made field goal in Virginia Tech program history, behind only Wayne Lattimer in 1975.
Annnnd another one of our guys making waves- @johnlove97 has been added to the Lou Groza Award Watch List ‼️#ThisIsHome | #TeamOverMe pic.twitter.com/pXTaTv42ZD
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) August 1, 2025
The Lou Groza award recognizes the premier kicker in college football, named after NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza, who spent 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns and was named the NFL's Player of the Year in 1954.
Love and the Hokies faced off against 2024 Groza Award semifinalist Andres Borregales, the younger brother of 2020 Groza Award winner Jose Borregales, in their September matchup against Miami. Last season, Love also earned a spot on the Groza Award Watchlist and the season before, he was recognized as the Groza Star of the Week. in Week 9.
Love is the fifth Hokie this week to make a Watch List; the others were Caleb Woodson (Butkus Award), Kyron Drones (Maxwell Award), Terion Stewart (Maxwell Award) and Tyson Flowers (Wuerffel Trophy); Drones also finished fourth in ACC Player of the Year voting, while 11 Hokies cracked the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list.
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Thomas is a sophomore at Virginia Tech majoring in multimedia journalism with a minor in creative writing. He currently works with Collegiate Times, Virginia Tech's student-run newspaper, as a staff writer for its sports section. In addition, he also writes for 3304 Sports as a staff writer and on-air talent, as well as Aspiring Journalists at Virginia Tech as a curator. You can find him on X: @thomashughes_05.