Indiana Kicker Griffin Oakes Named a Lou Groza Award Semi-Finalist

IU Athletics Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana fifth-year senior kicker Griffin Oakes is one of 20 semifinalists for the 2017 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced today.
 
Oakes, the 2015 Big Ten Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year, is in his third season as starter. He is 11-of-12 on the year and 25-of-26 on extra points, with both misses coming on blocks.
 
The Greenwood, Ind., native leads the league and shares third nationally in field goal percentage (.917). Oakes is a perfect 10-for-10 from inside the 50-yard line, including 4-of-4 from 40-49 yards. His 54.7 touchback percentage is a career-high (23-of-42) with a 61.6 average. 
 
Oakes broke the school record for field goals with a 51-yarder at Virginia, passing Mitch Ewald (2010-13). Along with his 64 career field goals, he is second with 134 extra points and 326 total points. Additionally, the 64 makes stand tied for eighth in Big Ten history and he is four field goals shy of cracking the top five. 
 
In his career, Oakes is 64-of-85 on field goals (75.3 percent), 134-of-141 on extra points (95.0) and 5-of-7 on onside kick attempts. He has registered 20 career multi-field goal games, including three makes (8th time with 3-or-more) at No. 18 Michigan State and two conversions vs. No. 17 Michigan, where his 46-yarder as time expired forced overtime.            
 
Oakes also hit a field goal from 48 yards out against the Cavaliers. The 51-yarder was his second-longest make and his third career field goal of over 50 yards, while the 48-yarder was tied for his fifth-longest. 
 
Though many of the names are new, the semifinalists performances are as strong as ever. Nine kickers in FBS have made at least one 50-yard field goal and are converting overall at better than 85-percent accuracy, and all nine are semifinalists, led by Oakes (.917).
 
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. 21 and honored at the 26th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 4 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. 7.
 
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, 25 finalists, including 14 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning nine trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home five Super Bowls. That list includes 2017 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Randy Bullock, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos, Caleb Sturgis, and Blair Walsh.
 
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.  Additional information can be obtained by contacting Kris Pursell, Director of Event Operations at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission at (561) 233-3124or kpursell@palmbeachsports.com.
 
The Lou Groza Award will be presented live as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta on Thursday, Dec. 7. The three finalists will be honored during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with the 26thAnnual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the Orange Bowl, on Monday, Dec. 4.
National College Football Awards Association
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 22 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935.  Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
 
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.