Indiana Kicker Logan Justus Named Lou Groza Award Semi-Finalist

IU Athletics Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana fifth-year senior Logan Justus is one of 20 semifinalists for the 2019 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission released on Thursday morning.

Justus is a semifinalist for the second-consecutive year and one of three past semifinalists vying for this season's award along with Georgia senior Rodrigo Blankenship and Arkansas senior Connor Limpert.

The McCordsville, Ind., native is one of just seven kickers to hit all of his field goal attempts in 2019. IU's all-time field goal percentage leader is perfect in 12 attempts and has made 34 of his 35 extra point tries (97.1 percent).

Justus, whose 12-straight makes are second in program history (Austin Starr - 15 in 2007), has connected on 19 of his last 20, is second in the Big Ten in field goals made (T-28th nationally) and is fifth in scoring among all players (7.8).

The left-footer, who was named a candidate for the Burlsworth Trophy on Thursday, sits 27-of-30 in his career (90.0) and 66-of-68 on PATs (97.1), good for 147 career points. His 27 field goals and 66 extra points are ninth on the program's all-time list.

Earlier this year, Justus collected his second-career Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honor and his second-career Groza Award Star of the Week recognition following the Hoosiers season-opening win over Ball State.

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 Nov. 25 and honored at the 28th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 9 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, Dec. 12.

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.

Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 27 finalists, including 15 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 10 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home six Super Bowls. That list includes 2019 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Graham Gano, Matt Gay, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Mike Nugent, and Cairo Santos.

For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen.

National College Football Awards Association
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.

About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.