Garrett Hartley a Groza Finalist
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Oklahoma kicker Garrett Hartley has been named one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, which is presented annually to the top kicker in college football.
The Palm Beach County Sports Institute and Palm Beach County Sports Commission made the announcement Tuesday. The award is presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl.
The other finalists are John Vaughn of Auburn and Arthur Carmody of Louisville.
Hartley has connected on 17 of 18 field goals this season. His only miss on the year came on a blocked 44-yard field goal against Oregon. Hartley currently ranks No. 2 among all players in the Big 12 Conference with 8.2 points per game.
The junior place-kicker’s season long is a 46-yard field goal against Iowa State. Hartley has also remained perfect this season in extra point attempts going 39-of-39.
Twice this year Hartley was named a Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Star of the Week.
Hartley ranks No. 9 in kick scoring points for a season (90) at Oklahoma, No. 8 for a career (184). He is No. 4 in field goals in a season (17), No. 7 for a career (32).
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award recognizes the top place-kicker in NCAA Division I-A football. Voters for the award include Division I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers, and previous Groza Award finalists.
The three finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced on Monday, November 20 and will be honored at the 15th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet on Tuesday, December 5 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. The 2006 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award winner will be announced on Thursday, December 7 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida.
The award, now in its 15th 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.
For more information on the finalists please visit, including photographs and biographies, please visit http://www.lougrozaaward.com/Candidates/index.htm.
The Lou Groza Award is also sponsored by The Breakers, Continental Airlines, Discretion Entertainment, Duffy’s Sports Grill, Enterprise rent-a-car, ESPN Radio 760, ESPN Regional Television, FedEx Orange Bowl, Florida Atlantic University Athletics, Florida Coca-Cola Bottling Company, InBloom, JBS Destination Solutions, John F. Romano, P.A., Palm Beach Gardens Marriott, Palm Beach Kennel Club, The Palm Beach Post, Parallax Productions, PGA National Golf Club, Rooney’s Public House, Southern Audio Visual, The Tux Shop, and WPEC News-12.
For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, including banquet, hotel, and ticket information please contact Dusty Ann Williams at the Palm Beach County Sports Institute at (561) 233-3122 or dwilliams@palmbeachsports.com.
