WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — UTSA place-kicker Jared Sackett has been named a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week for his performance in UTSA's 30-21 victory against UTEP on Saturday at the Alamodome, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Monday.
The sophomore booted three field goals in the win over the Miners, including a career-long 51-yarder as time expired in the first half that is tied for the second-longest kick in school history. Sackett, who is on the Lou Groza Award watch list and was a semifinalist last year, also split the uprights from 39 and 47 yards in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. He is now 9-of-11 on field goals this season with all nine makes coming from 37-or-more yards.
Sackett, a 2017 USA TODAY Freshman All-American, currently ranks third in C-USA and 15th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in field goals per game (1.8) and fifth in the league and 31st nationally in field-goal percentage (.818). The Fort Worth native, who was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 24, also has made all 10 extra-point attempts this season and he ranks second on UTSA's all-time list for points by a kicker with 117.
College football's top kicking award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl recognizes three of the top kickers each week as the "Stars of the Week." Sackett joined Bailey Hale of Louisiana Tech and Andre Szmyt of Syracuse as this week's honorees.
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 lougrozaaward.com. For even more updates on the best kicking performances throughout the season, follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter.
The Lou Groza Award will be presented live as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta on Dec. 6. The three finalists will be honored during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with the 27th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet, presented by the Orange Bowl, on Dec. 3.
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