UH junior kicker Ben Bell was named to the Lou Groza Award Watch list last year, though he red-shirted last season, he’s been given a second chance. Bell was again named to the list on Monday despite not having played a single game in 2007.The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award is an annual award in its 17th year and is given to a Division 1 kicker. Candidates are selected based on past statistics and preseason expectations.
As a sophomore, Bell ranked fifth in Conference USA with 93 points – a team and personal best – on the team that won the 2006 C-USA Championship. He went 4-for-4 on PATs in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against the South Carolina Gamecocks and was named to the All-C-USA Second Team that year.
In his freshman year, Bell scored 61 points, which was second best on the team. He led special teams with eight field goals and 37 PATs. He added 3 points in the loss against Kansas in the Fort Worth Bowl. He also started a 47 consecutive PAT streak in November 2005 that lasted until October 2006.
Although only 30 kickers are on the preseason watch list, players who were not named are still eligible to win the award at the end of the season.
The winner will be announced in December during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show. Last year’s winner was Arizona State University junior kicker Thomas Weber.
The award is named for NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou Groza, who won four career NFL championships.
