University of North Texas Athletics
Hedlund Named Lou Groza Semifinalist
11/1/2018 9:03:00 AM | Football
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida - North Texas kicker Cole Hedlund was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Thursday.
Hedlund has made a tremendous impact for the 7-2 Mean Green, making 15 of his 18 field-goal attempts, including two from 50-plus yards. The graduate transfer and Argyle, Texas, native has scored 83 points this season, which ranks fourth among the group of semifinalists and eighth in the nation among all positions.
Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on November 20Â and honored at the 27th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 3Â in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, December 6.
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The award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" 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.
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Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 26 finalists, including 14 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 10 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home seven Super Bowls. That list includes 2018 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Graham Gano, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Sebastian Janikowski, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, and Caleb Sturgis.
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Hedlund has made a tremendous impact for the 7-2 Mean Green, making 15 of his 18 field-goal attempts, including two from 50-plus yards. The graduate transfer and Argyle, Texas, native has scored 83 points this season, which ranks fourth among the group of semifinalists and eighth in the nation among all positions.
Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on November 20Â and honored at the 27th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on December 3Â in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, December 6.
Â
The award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" 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.
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Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 26 finalists, including 14 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 10 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home seven Super Bowls. That list includes 2018 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Graham Gano, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Sebastian Janikowski, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, and Caleb Sturgis.
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Players Mentioned
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