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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Brkic Named Lou Groza Award Semifinalist
November 07, 2019 | Football
NORMAN — Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic (pronounced BUR-kitch) has been named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, the Palm Beach (Fla.) County Sports Commission announced Thursday.
Brkic, a redshirt freshman from Chardon, Ohio, is one of 20 semifinalists for the award. He took over kicking duties prior to the Sooners' game against Texas Tech on Sept. 28 and is 10 for 10 on field goal attempts and 27 for 27 on PATs. Seven of those field goals have been from longer than 30 yards. He is one of seven kickers on the list of semifinalists to convert all of his field goal attempts this season, and the only freshman. He went 4 for 4 in his last outing at Kansas State, connecting from 44, 25, 50 and 39 yards in that game. His 50-yard kick was OU's longest since 2017 and he became OU's first kicker to make four field goals in a game since 2011.
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. The 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, Fla. 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.
Brkic, a redshirt freshman from Chardon, Ohio, is one of 20 semifinalists for the award. He took over kicking duties prior to the Sooners' game against Texas Tech on Sept. 28 and is 10 for 10 on field goal attempts and 27 for 27 on PATs. Seven of those field goals have been from longer than 30 yards. He is one of seven kickers on the list of semifinalists to convert all of his field goal attempts this season, and the only freshman. He went 4 for 4 in his last outing at Kansas State, connecting from 44, 25, 50 and 39 yards in that game. His 50-yard kick was OU's longest since 2017 and he became OU's first kicker to make four field goals in a game since 2011.
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. The 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, Fla. 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.
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