COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four Mountain West football players are among the 30 student-athletes on the 2024 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Preseason Watch List, as announced today by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Air Force senior Matthew Dapore, Boise State graduate Jonah Dalmas, Fresno State junior Dylan Lynch and Wyoming senior John Hoyland represent the MW on the watch list.
The MW is fourth among FBS conferences with its four members of the watch list, trailing only the SEC, ACC and Big Ten.
While the Watch List highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, 2023 winner Graham Nicholson was not on last year’s list, proof that the Groza Committee will in fact be watching all FBS kickers throughout the season, as all FBS kickers remain eligible to be selected as semifinalists. The Committee also releases its “Stars of the Week” feature throughout the season on www.lougrozaaward.com.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Tuesday, Nov. 19. From this list, a panel of 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 on ESPN.
The 33rd 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 on Dec. 9 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
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 X.
Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Preseason Watch List (MW representatives)
Matthew Dapore, Sr., Air Force
Jonah Dalmas, Gr., Boise State
Dylan Lynch, Jr., Fresno State
John Hoyland, Sr., Wyoming
