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West Palm Beach, Fla. - For the second-straight season, Utah junior Louie Sakoda has been named a semifinalist for the 2007 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, which identifies the nation's top Football Bowl Subdivision kicker. He is one of 20 semifinalists for the award and the only honoree from the Mountain West Conference.
Earlier this week, Sakoda was also named as a top-10 finalist for the Ray Guy award, which recognizes the top punter in the nation.
Sakoda is making 88.2% of his field goal attempts on 15-of-17 kicking, which leads the conference and is tied for the fourth-best field goal percentage in the country (minimum 15 made field goals). He is 8-of-10 from 40 yards and out and 1-of-1 from 50 yards or better, including a career-long of 51 yards. Sakoda is 23-of-24 in PATs this season and 66-of-67 in career PATs. He is averaging 7.6 points per game and set a school record by making 15 consecutive field goal attempts.
Sakoda's 83.8 career field goal percentage (31-of-37) ranks seventh among all active career players with at least 20 makes and currently stands as the best in school history.
Sakoda is one of a handful of players in the country who excel at both punter and kicker. He ranks first in the nation for active dual kicker/punters in career punts (162) and career punt yards. His 83.8 career field goal percentage ranks first among all active dual kicker/punters who have at least 20 makes - and third overall among active kickers. Sakoda averages more yards per punt than any other player in the nation who starts at both punter and kicker (minimum 15 made field goals).
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award recognizes the top place-kicker in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Voters for the award include head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers, and previous Groza Award finalists.
The three finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced on Monday, November 19 and will be honored at the 16th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet on Tuesday, December 4 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. The 2007 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award winner will be announced on Thursday, December 6 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida.
