Wes Byrum Named A Semifinalist For The Lou Groza Award - AuburnTigers.com

Wes Byrum Named A Semifinalist For The Lou Groza Award Byrum has made 13-of-14 field goals and all 43 PATs.

Wes Byrum

Nov. 9, 2009

AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn junior Wes Byrum has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Monday.

Byrum has connected on 13-of-14 field goals and all 43 extra point attempts this season. Among kickers who have attempted at least 10 field goals, his percentage of .929 ranks tied for fifth nationally. He is second in the SEC in scoring with 82 points and his 13 field goals is fourth best.

Byrum, whose 82 points are just 12 shy of the school single-season record for points by a kicker, made a career-high four field goals in Auburn's 26-22 win at Tennessee, earning SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Byrum ranks fifth in Auburn history with 41 career made field goals, and is seventh in career scoring with 223 points. His career field goal percentage of .732 (41-of-56) is fourth best in school history.

The semifinalists for the award will be voted on by all Division I head coaches and sports information directors, along with national, regional and local football writers, and others who will select three finalists. The three finalists will be honored at the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 8 in West Palm Beach, Fla. The winner will be announced live on the nationally-televised Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10, 2009.

The award is named in honor of Lou Groza, who was one of the all-time great kickers in football history. Groza played 21 seasons for the Cleveland Browns, setting numerous franchise records, including most games played, most points scored, and 107 consecutive games in which he scored a point. His 1,608 career points is still a Browns' franchise record, and ranks third all-time in the league. Groza was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.