Sam Swank Named Lou Groza Award Semifinalist
11/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 7, 2005
West Palm Beach, Fla. - Wake Forest freshman placekicker Sam Swank was selected as one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, the Palm Beach County Sports Institute announced on Monday. Swank is the only freshman on the list.
A native of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., Swank has made 18-of-22 field goals (82 percent) and 27-of-27 extra points this season. Swank has converted 10 straight field goals, tying a school record set in 1987. In ACC games, Swank is 12-of-14 (86 percent), the best percentage in the league.
Swank could break Wake Forest's single-season field goal percentage record, a mark currently held by Hoyle who kicked at an 80 percent clip in 1987.
Swank has made four field goals on the final play of the first half, including games against Boston College, Maryland, Vanderbilt and a 51-yarder vs. Nebraska. The 51-yarder was the longest field goal by an ACC kicker this season.
Swank is 5-of-6 from beyond 40 yards this season.
Swank's 81 points this season are four points away from breaking the Wake Forest single season scoring record for a kicker, previously set by Matt Wisnosky in 2002.
Coupled with Ryan Plackemeier's selection as a Ray Guy Award semifinalist, Wake Forest has two of the top specialists in the nation. Only Colorado, Georgia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest have semifinalists for both awards.
The Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award recognizes the top placekicker in NCAA Division I-A football. Voters for the award include Division I-A head coaches, sportswriters and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and previous Groza Award finalists.
The three finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced on Monday, November 21 and are honored at the 14th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Dinner on Tuesday, December 6 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. The 2005 Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award winner is announced on Thursday, December 8 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida.
The award, now in its 14th year, is named for NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou 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. Nicknamed "The Toe," Groza was one of the first people to truly make kicking an art form, and he helped usher in to football the idea that a player could be used exclusively for kicking.
2005 Lou Groza Award SemifinalistsJad Dean Jr. ClemsonMason Crosby Jr. ColoradoRobert Lee Jr. East CarolinaClint Stitser So. Fresno StateBrandon Coutu So. GeorgiaMike Barrow Jr. IdahoKyle Schlicher Jr. IowaGarrett Rivas Jr. MichiganJohn Deraney Jr. NC StateKenny Byrd Jr. New MexicoJosh Huston Sr. Ohio StateAlexis Serna So. Oregon StateDarren McCaleb Jr. Southern MissJason Robbins Sr. ToledoBrad DeVault Sr. TulsaDan Beardall Sr. UtahReagan Schneider Jr. UTEPConnor Hughes Sr. VirginiaBrandon Pace Jr. Virginia TechSam Swank Fr. Wake Forest
Swank's Season Statistics (All Games)FIELD GOALS FGM-A Pct 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-99 Lg BlkSwank, S 18-22 81.8 0-0 6-7 7-9 4-5 1-1 51 0
Swank's Season Statistics (ACC Games Only)FIELD GOALS FGM-A Pct 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-99 Lg BlkSwank, S 12-14 85.7 0-0 5-6 4-4 3-4 0-0 45 0
