Florida football kicker Patrick Durkin was named to the Lou Groza Award preseason watch list, given annually to college football’s top kicker. The list, which was announced on Friday, highlights 35 elite placekickers set to compete on the collegiate gridiron this fall.
Durkin, who arrived in Gainesville via the transfer portal from Tulane, made 25 of his 28 field goal attempts for the Green Wave last season and went 41-for-42 on extra-point attempts. His 89.3% field goal accuracy is the second-best among returning FBS kickers who made at least 20 field goals last season, while his 25 field goals are tied for the second most among the same cohort.
The redshirt sophomore originally from Chicago, Illinois, connected on three field goals during the Florida Gators spring game inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in April but missed a 49-yard attempt as time expired.
“He’s just getting comfortable and had a great season last year,” Florida special teams coach Johnathan Galante said during his fall camp press conference. “He transitions now to a whole new town, a whole new city, a whole new environment, higher level. And he did well. He finished better than he started spring ball and in the position he’s in right now, I’m very excited where he’s at.”
About the Lou Groza Award
The Lou Groza Award is named for Pro Football 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. 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.
In recognition of the 35th anniversary of the Lou Groza Award, this year’s watchlist was expanded to include 35 kickers, symbolizing 35 years of honoring college football’s premier placekicker. The selection committee evaluated returning kickers from across the nation based on career achievements, statistical performance, consistency, and projected impact for the upcoming season.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Groza Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Nov. 17. From that list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers select the top three finalists for the award, announced on Nov. 24. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Dec. 10 during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football transfer kicker on preseason Groza Award watch list
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire | USA TODAY Network
