Wake Forest Athletics
Newman Named a Groza Semifinalist
11/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 2, 2011
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest junior placekicker Jimmy Newmanhas been named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza College Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl Committee. The Groza Award is given annually to the nation's top placekicker.
Newman, a native of Oxford, Ala. has connected on 14 of 15 field goal attempts this season and is currently riding a school record streak of 13 straight conversions. He missed one field goal in the season opener at Syracuse but has been perfect on every attempt since then.
In 2010, Newman missed one field goal attempt in the opener before converting 12 straight. Over the last 20 games, he has made 25 of 26 field goal attempts. He is 37 of 45 for his career.
The Lou Groza Award is determined by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Semi-finalists will be voted on by FBS Head Coaches and SIDs, along with national and regional football writers, past Groza winners and others who will select the three (3) finalists. These finalists will be honored at the 20th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 6 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The presentation will be featured on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday December 8, 2011.
The award is named in honor of one of the all-time great kickers in football history, Lou Groza. Groza played 21 seasons for the Cleveland Browns setting numerous franchise records, including most games played, most points scored, and an amazing 107 consecutive games in which he scored a point. Groza was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.
Past Groza finalists include current NFL kickers Nate Kaeding, Sebastian Janikowski, Mike Nugent, Mason Crosby, Graham Gano and Dan Bailey.
