WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — UTSA junior place-kicker Chase Allen has landed on the watch list for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, as announced on Friday by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Allen, a native of Colleyville, Texas, is one of 30 players and the only one from the American Athletic Conference chosen for this year’s preseason watch list.
A transfer from Alabama, Allen made an immediate impact in his first season with the Roadrunners by earning second-team all-conference honors in 2023. He made 13 of 15 field goals and all 49 extra-point attempts, totaling 88 points and ranking 14th in the FBS with a league-best .867 field-goal percentage. He was named AAC Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 11 after making 46- and 43-yard field goals and both extra points in the 20-13 home win versus Texas State, and he equaled the UTSA record for longest field goal with a 53-yard make in the 41-20 home triumph over UAB.
The Groza Committee tabulates accomplishments throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Nov. 19. From this list, a panel of FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Nov. 26. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 33rd 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 on Dec. 9 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
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.
For more information on the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to see the “Stars of the Week” throughout the season, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow @LouGrozaAward on X.
Sixteen National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a 12-day period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates.
For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter at @NCFAA.
The Roadrunners will kick off the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31, when they host Kennesaw State at 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome.
Fans can purchase tickets online or by calling the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Current UTSA football season-ticket holders may renew their tickets by logging into their UTSA Account Manager.
Season tickets start as low as $90 per seat. Payment plans for all season ticket packages are available.
Current UTSA students receive free admission to all home games by downloading tickets via their Account Manager.
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