Aug. 15, 2006
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – University of New Mexico senior Kenny Byrd was one of thirty athletes named to the 2006 Preseason Watch List for the Lou Groza Award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced this afternoon. Byrd was a semifinalist for the 2005 Lou Groza Award, which is presented annually to the best place kicker in college football.
The Albuquerque St. Pius X product hit 13 of 15 field goals (86.7%), including 4-5 from 40-49 yards, last year in his first full season as the Lobos’ starting kicker. Byrd also had a career-high 31 touchbacks last fall, making 47 percent of his kickoffs unreturnable.
Byrd has been listed as a preseason all-Mountain West Conference pick and second team All-American by the national website www.collegefootballnews.com entering his final season. He began his career as a fall semester walk-on in 2002, his first season of football at any level, and went on to start the final eight games in place of injured starter Wes Zunker.
The top three finalists are honored during the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet and Silent Auction on Tuesday, December 5, 2006, at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. The winner is announced on Thursday, December 7, 2006 during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show in Orlando, Florida.
Among kickers named to the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List a Lou Groza Award finalist from last year, Mason Crosby of University of Colorado, Jad Dean of Clemson University, and Alexis Serna of Oregon State University.
A brief biography of each player on the Lou Groza Award Watch List can be found at www.lougrozaaward.com beginning August 16, 2006.
Kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List were chosen based on statistics from the 2005 season and 2006 preseason expectations. However, all Division I-A kickers are eligible for consideration for the award.
A panel of over 300 experts will vote on the award, including Division I-A head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and all previous Groza Award finalists.
The 20 semi-finalists for the Lou Groza Award are announced on Tuesday November 7, 2006, followed with the naming of the three finalists two weeks later on Tuesday, November 21, 2006.