Troy’s Tyler Sumpter Named to Groza Award Watch List
TROY, Alabama – Troy junior kicker Tyler Sumpter has been named to the Groza Award Watch List, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Wednesday. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top place kicker.
A native of Hoover, Ala., Sumpter earned All-Sun Belt Second Team honors following last season and in this preseason after connecting on 18-of-24 field goal attempts last season. His 18 makes were the second most in a single-season in Troy history and were the 16th most nationally last year.
Sumpter twice tied the Troy single-game record with four field goals against both Louisiana and Texas State and set the Troy Division I record with 10 made fields goals over a three-game stretch. Sumpter was also perfect on all 45 of his extra-point attempts and is perfect on all 79 in his career.
He was named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week four times last year and became just the second player in league history to win a player of the week award in three straight weeks.
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 December 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.
2019 Troy Football Watch List Selections
Outland Trophy – Kirk Kelley
Doak Walker Award – B.J. Smith
Maxwell Award – B.J. Smith
Lou Groza Award – Tyler Sumpter
