CMU's Ryan Tice named to Lou Grouza Award watch list
For the second straight season, senior kicker Ryan Tice has been named to the Lou Grouza National Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Watch List.
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced the Central Michigan kicker, along with 29 other kickers, including Michigan State's Matt Coghlin, was up for consideration. Ohio's Louie Zervos joins Tice as the other representative of the Mid-American Conference.
Tice, a Saline native, was 10-12 last season with a long of 53 yards. His strongest performance in the 2018 campaign was a 3-for-3 outing with that 53-yard boot, and a 47-yarder, against Ball State on Oct. 13 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 7th. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 12 during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.
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.
