WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Looking to become just the second repeat winner in history, Syracuse sophomore Andre Szmyt headlines the thirty-player Watch List for the 2019 Lou Groza Collegiate Place- Kicker Award, as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Joining him on the watch list is Georgia Southern senior kicker Tyler Bass, who was a second-team All-American last season.

Among the players on the Watch List are all 11 returning FBS kickers who made at least 19 field goals last season: Szmyt (30), Missouri senior Tucker McCann (24), NC State sophomore Christopher Dunn (23), Eberle (22), Ole Miss junior Luke Logan (22), Texas A&M sophomore Seth Small (20), Georgia Southern senior Tyler Bass (19), Georgia senior Rodrigo Blankenship (19), Arkansas senior Connor Limpert (19), Wake Forest sophomore Nick Sciba (19), and East Carolina senior Jake Verity (19).

Among returning kickers who made more than 10 field goals, only nine connected at a rate of at least 86%, and all of them found their way to the Watch List: Rothe (94.1), Stanford senior Jet Toner (93.3), Bass (90.5), Verity (90.5), Florida sophomore Evan McPherson (89.5), Dunn (88.5), Szmyt (88.2), Kansas State junior Blake Lynch (87.5), and Sciba (86.4).

Moving from accuracy to distance, the Watch List also encompasses the only nine returning kickers who made eight or more field goals from at least 40 yards out: Bass (10), Eberle (9), West Virginia junior Evan Staley (9), Blankenship (8), Charlotte sophomore Jonathan Cruz (8), Texas sophomore Cameron Dicker (8), Pittsburgh junior Alex Kessman (8), McCann (8), and Troy junior Tyler Sumpter (8).

A 2018 Groza semifinalist, Bass saved his best performance for last, hitting a 50-yard field goal as the Camellia Bowl went to halftime and then hitting a 40-yard winner as time expired in the Eagles' 23-21 victory. His 19 field goals tied the school record for most in a season, while his 90.5% accuracy rate tied for fourth-best in FBS among qualified kickers.

While the Watch List highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, Szmyt, who as a freshman was thus not on last year's Watch List, stands as proof that the Groza Committee will be watching all FBS kickers throughout the season, and releasing a weekly "Stars of the Week" feature on www.lougrozaaward.com. All FBS kickers remain eligible to be selected as semifinalists.

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, Nov. 7. 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, November 26 th . That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 12 th during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.

The 28th 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 at West Palm Beach's Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 9. 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 Twitter.

The Lou Groza Award Watch list
Tyler Bass – Georgia Southern
Massimo Biscardi – Coastal Carolina
Rodrigo Blankenship – Georgia
Jose Borregales – FIU
Matt Coghlin – Michigan State
Jonathan Cruz – Charlotte
Cameron Dicker – Texas
Christopher Dunn – NC State
Dominik Eberle – Utah State
Logan Justus – Indiana
Alex Kessman – Pittsburgh
Connor Limpert – Arkansas
Luke Logan – Ole Miss
Blake Lynch – Kansas State
Tucker McCann – Missouri
Evan McPherson – Florida
Ryan Meskell – Hawaii
Riley Patterson – Memphis
Cooper Rothe – Wyoming
Brandon Ruiz – Arizona State
Nick Sciba – Wake Forest
Seth Small – Texas A&M
Evan Staley – West Virginia
Tyler Sumpter – Troy
Andre Szmyt – Syracuse
Ryan Tice – Central Michigan
Jet Toner – Stanford
Jake Verity – East Carolina

With numerous Georgia Southern University alumni serving in various positions within the bank and on the Board of Directors, the 2019 Georgia Southern Football Season is presented by Morris Bank. Morris Bank and Georgia Southern have a shared focus on impactfully growing Middle and South Georgia educationally and economically. The five-year commitment is a significant financial investment that is a testament to Morris' purposeful vision for community involvement.