James Turner came out of nowhere last season to take over Louisville Football placekicking duties. He ended up being a true weapon for the Cards. With the season around the corner, Turner has been named to the Lou Groza Award watch list.
👀𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗭𝗡 👀@LouGrozaAward – @jamesturner004
— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) July 27, 2021
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Turner was quite spectacular in his first full season taking over for stalwart Blanton Creque. He scored 79 total points, going 40-40 on extra points and 13-15 on field goals which was good for 86.7%. This included a long field goal of 50 yards. His only two misses came on attempts of 50-plus yards. From 49 yards and in, he was a perfect 12 of 12. That included 5 of 5 in field goals between 40-49 yards.
The Groza Award has been given out annually since 1992 to the nation’s best placekicker. It is named after famed Ohio State and Cleveland Browns kicker Lou Groza. Louisville has had one previous winner of the award. Art Carmody won the award for the Cards in the historic 2006 season which saw the Cards win the Big East and beat ACC champion Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. He was 21 of 25 on field goals, 60 of 60 on extra points, and scored 123 points. He made his career long 51 yarder that season and was 4 of 4 on field goals of 40-49 yards. Now James Turner looks to earn a trip to Palm Beach County, FL to accept the award and become the second Louisville placekicker to win the award.
To read more about James Turner, the Lou Groza Award, and his inclusion on the watch list, check out the press release below:
Press Release:
Louisville’s Turner Named to the Lou Groza Watch List
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – University of Louisville sophomore James Turner was one of 30 players, including five from the Atlantic Coast Conference, named to the watch list for the 2021 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, as announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission on Tuesday.
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.
In his first season as the team’s placekicker, Turner earned All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades after going 13-of-15 on field goal attempts and was a perfect 40-of-40 on extra point attempts. His 86.7 percentage on field goals finished as the third best mark in school history.
He closed the season by connecting on eight consecutive field goals, which is tied for the ninth-longest streak in school history. Both of his misses came from 50 or more yards.
Turner was 5-for-5 on kicks from 40 or more yards, including a career long 50-yarder in a 30-0 win over Syracuse as part of a three-field goal afternoon. He booted a previous career best 48-yard field in a loss at Virginia.
While the Watch List highlights 30 of the best returning kickers in the country, 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, November 4th. 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 23rd. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, December 9th during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The 30th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl Committee, 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 6th.
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.
