Tice & Zervos Named To 2019 Lou Groza Watch List
Central Michigan's Tice & Ohio's Zervos Named To 2019 Lou Groza Award Watch List
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Watch List for the 2019 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award was announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Representing the MAC are Central Michigan senior Ryan Tice and Ohio senior Louie Zervos.
Tice, a native of Saline, Mich., completed last season by converting 10-of-12 field goal attempts (83.3%), including a long of 53 yards. Tice added 14-of-15 extra point attempts for a total of 44 points on the season. Tice was seven-of-eight on field goal attempts over 40 yards. Tice converted three field goals against Ball State, including a 53-yard field goal and 47-yard field goal.
Zervos, a native of Tarpon Springs, Fla., finished the 2018 season 13-of-17 in field goal attempts for an 76.5 percent average, including a season-long 47-yarder. Zervos was perfect on all 68 of his extra point attempts, helping him register 107 total points on the season. Zervos is the active FBS leader with 57 career field goals and 335 career points, and needs only 75 more points to become the school's all-time leading scorer.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 7th. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, November 26th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 12th during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.
The 28th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet at West Palm Beach’s Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on December 9th.
The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” 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. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter.
National College Football Awards Association:
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. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 10-day period this month. Sixteen of the association’s 25 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates.
