Watch list season rolls on with another Indiana Hoosiers football standout picking up preseason recognition. This time it's fifth-year senior kicker Logan Justus, who landed on the 2019 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award watch list Wednesday afternoon per an announcement from the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
The McCordsville, Ind., native is one of two Big Ten and 30 overall candidates for the award given annually by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker since 1992.
It is named after NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, a four-time NFL championship and one-time NFL Player of the Year in 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza advocated for a kicker having a spot on an NFL roster.
Justus was one of 20 semifinalists for last year's Lou Groza Award. While he did not collect the honor, he did go on to have a special season, converting 15 of 18 field goal attempts and 32 of 33 extra point attempts. "Among returning FBS kickers, only seven kicked more field goals while connecting at a better rate than his 83.3 percent," according to the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Candidates accomplishments are tracked throughout the season. The commission will announce the award's 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 7.
A panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers will choose the top three finalists for the award from that narrowed list and announce them on Tuesday, November 26. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 12th during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.
Justus and the Hoosiers will take the field for the first time in 2019 on Aug. 31 at Lucas Oil Stadium when they take on Ball State at noon eastern time. The game will be aired on the CBS Sports Network.
----
• Talk about it inside The Hoops Forum or The Football Forum
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Follow us on Twitter: @IndianaRivals
• Like us on Facebook.
