Since 1992, the Lou Groza Award has honored the top placekickers in college football. To date, 32 kickers have earned the prestigious award and four have been given to Big Ten kickers (and two to UCLA when they were in the Pac-12). This year, 20 kickers have been selected as Lou Groza Award semifinalists and two come from the Big Ten. Five are from the SEC, four from the ACC, three from the Big 12, two from the Sun Belt, two from Conference USA, one from the Mountain West, and one from the MAC.
This preseason, seven kickers made the initial watchlist. Only one made the cut and one other wasn’t even mentioned.
Two Big Ten Kickers Honored as Lou Groza Award Semifinalists
Dominic Zvada, Michigan
After two years with the Arkansas State Red Wolves, Dominic Zvada transferred to Michigan to fill some big shoes. Through 10 games, Zvada has been spectacular, albeit less-utilized. In 2022, Zvada was 30/31 on extra points and 17 of 18 on field goals. Last year, he was 41 of 41 and 17 of 22. This year, he’s 19 of 20 and 13 of 14 on field goals. Both “missed” kicks were blocks and not misses by Zvada.
Zvada is one of six kickers with at least five made field goals of 50-plus yards. Those five kicks are a Michigan program record for both single-season and career.
Zvada is a two-time semifinalist after making the cut this year and in 2022. He can join Jake Moody (2021) as the only Michigan Wolverines to take home the award.
Jonathan Kim, Michigan State
After four years at North Carolina, Jonathan Kim transferred to Michigan State before the 2023 season. Last year, in his first season with the Spartans, Kim led the team in scoring with 56 points and earned an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
Through 10 games this year, Kim leads the Spartans in scoring again, this time with 71 points. He is 18 of 20 on field goals this year and has converted on 17 of 19 extra points. He is three of four from 50-plus yards and a perfect seven of seven from 40-49 yards. In the win over Iowa, Kim converted a program-record six field goals including a season-long of 55 yards. He also converted on a game-winning 37-yard field goal to beat Maryland.
This is the first time Kim was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. No Michigan State kicker has ever won the award.
The Rest of the Semifinalists
- Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana
- Randy Bond, Texas A&M
- Andres Borregales, Miami (FL)
- Lucas Carneiro, Western Kentucky
- Caden Chittenden, UNLV
- Caden Davis, Ole Miss
- Jonah Delange, UAB
- Dom Dzioban, Miami (OH)
- Will Ferrin, BYU
- Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State
- Gino Garcia, Texas Tech
- Tyler Loop, Arizona
- Laith Marjan, South Alabama
- Alex Raynor, Kentucky
- Collin Rogers, SMU
- Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh
- Brock Taylor, Vanderbilt
- Peyton Woodring, Georgia
