WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — UTSA senior Hunter Duplessis has been named a semifinalist for the 2020 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Monday.
Duplessis is one of 20 kickers on the semifinalist list, which includes three from Conference USA. He is the second Roadrunner to earn a spot in the award's semifinalist list, joining two-time honoree Jared Sackett (2017, '18). The San Antonio Cole High School product is one of five kickers on this year's list to have made at least 15 field goals while connecting at a rate of 80% or better.
A weapon with his right leg all season, Duplessis has made 16 of 18 field goals and 37 of 38 extra points. His 16 field goals lead C-USA and rank fourth among all FBS kickers, while he stands second in the conference and 22nd nationally in field goals per game (1.45) and third in the league and 14th in the country in field-goal percentage (.889). He has scored a UTSA single-season-record 85 total points in 2020, good for second in C-USA and 14th in the nation.
Duplessis, who also was a semifinalist for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy, made his first 14 field-goal attempts this season and his final nine in 2019, carrying an FBS-best streak of consecutive field goals made for five weeks this fall before it was snapped at 23 with a block against Louisiana Tech on Oct. 24. He made all three field goals he attempted, including the game winner from 29 yards in the second overtime of the Roadrunners' 51-48 season-opening victory over Texas State, and he was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. He also went 3 for 3 on field goals, including a 35-yarder in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference in UTSA's 37-35 win over Middle Tennessee.
Duplessis is a perfect 11 for 11 on field goals from 20-39 yards and 5 of 7 from 40 or more yards. He made a career-long 50-yarder against Army and split the uprights from 49 yards in back-to-back games versus Florida Atlantic and UTEP. He also has handled kickoff duties and owns 15 touchbacks on 46 kicks this fall.
Besides setting the school record for points in a season, Duplessis is second on UTSA's single-season lists with 16 field goals and 37 extra points and his 62 career PATs place him second on the program's career chart. He ranks third all-time with 25 field goals, 76 kickoffs and 137 points and fourth with 23 touchbacks.
Duplessis posted a 3.78 GPA as a double major in information systems and cyber security during his time as an undergraduate at UTSA, earning his bachelor's degree in August 2020. He is currently continuing coursework in technology management. A four-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll, he has made the UTSA President's List (4.0 semester GPA), Dean's List (3.75) and Honor Roll (3.5) twice apiece.
A two-time member of the football team's Leadership Council, Duplessis is a member of the Society for Collegiate Leadership & Achievement, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and "The Banquet Table" student group. He has volunteered his time with the San Antonio Food Bank, Haven for Hope (local homeless shelter) and UTSA's Rowdy Readers program that visits local elementary schools.
2020 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Semifinalists
Jacob Barnes, Louisiana Tech
Jose Borregales, Miami (Fla.)
Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma
Anders Calrson, Auburn
Hunter Duplessis, UTSA
Alex Hale, Oklahoma State
Charlie Ham, Duke
Alex Kessman, Pittsburgh
Evan McPherson, Florida
Harrison Mevis, Missouri
Chris Naggar, SMU
Brayden Narveson, WKU
Jake Oldroyd, BYU
Jack Podlesny, Georgia
B.T. Potter, Clemson
Will Reichard, Alabama
Nick Sciba, Wake Forest
Brandon Talton, Nevada
James Turner, Louisville
Cade York, LSU
Given the unique nature of this college football season, the committee considered all FBS kickers who had played in at least six games and attempted at least 10 field goals through games played as of Week 14.
Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on Dec. 22 and honored at the 29th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Virtual Awards Celebration, streamed live on Jan. 4 on lougrozaaward.com. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Jan. 7.
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.
Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 28 finalists, including 16 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 10 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home six Super Bowls. That list includes 2020 NFL kickers Dan Bailey, Rodrigo Blankenship, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson, Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka'imi Fairbairn, Kai Forbath, Graham Gano, Matt Gay, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, and Cairo Santos.
National College Football Awards Association
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.
About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national, and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches, and the annual Holiday Basketball Classic of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.
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