Toledo junior placekicker Jameson Vest was named one of 20 national semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award yesterday. The award annually honors the top placekicker in the nation.
Vest has made 19 of his 22 field-goal attempts this season, with a long kick of 49 yards vs. Miami (Fla.). He leads the Mid-American Conference and is second in the nation with 2.1 field goals made per game.
Semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches, sports information directors, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists.
These finalists will be announced Nov. 21 and honored at the 26th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Awards Banquet Dec. 4 in Palm Beach County.
The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show Thursday, Dec. 7.
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.
