Daffer Named To Groza Award Watch List
July 27, 2022 | Football
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – East Carolina sophomore kicker Owen Daffer has been named to the 2022 Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award Watch List, according to an announcement by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Wednesday. The award recognizes the top collegiate placekicker and is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
Daffer, who has garnered Preseason All-American Athletic Conference honors by Athlons and Phil Steel's College Football Preview Magazine, is the first player since Jake Verity (2020) named to the award watch list.
A two-time AAC Specialist-of-the-Week selection, Daffer led the league in field goal attempts (23), kick scoring (8.0 ppg) and tied for first in field goals made (19). He became the second Pirate to earn first-team specialist honors in The American following Verity's selection in 2018. On the season, Daffer he connected on 19-of-23 three-pointers, 39-of-41 PATs, tallied five multi-FG games and enters the Military Bowl having made at least one FG in nine-straight contests. The Wilmington, N.C. native has tallied double-digit points in a game three times with a career-high 12 twice and booted a career-long 54-yard game-winning field goal as time expired lifting ECU to a 38-35 win over Navy.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 3rd. 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 22nd. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 8th during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 31st 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 the West Palm Beach Marriott on December 5th.
Daffer, who has garnered Preseason All-American Athletic Conference honors by Athlons and Phil Steel's College Football Preview Magazine, is the first player since Jake Verity (2020) named to the award watch list.
A two-time AAC Specialist-of-the-Week selection, Daffer led the league in field goal attempts (23), kick scoring (8.0 ppg) and tied for first in field goals made (19). He became the second Pirate to earn first-team specialist honors in The American following Verity's selection in 2018. On the season, Daffer he connected on 19-of-23 three-pointers, 39-of-41 PATs, tallied five multi-FG games and enters the Military Bowl having made at least one FG in nine-straight contests. The Wilmington, N.C. native has tallied double-digit points in a game three times with a career-high 12 twice and booted a career-long 54-yard game-winning field goal as time expired lifting ECU to a 38-35 win over Navy.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 3rd. 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 22nd. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 8th during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 31st 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 the West Palm Beach Marriott on December 5th.
Players Mentioned
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