Arizona State’s Zane Gonzalez wins Lou Groza Award
Dec 8, 2016, 5:41 PM | Updated: 5:48 pm
Arizona State head coach Todd Graham, left, congratulates kicker Zane Gonzalez (5) after Gonzalez breaks the FBS field goal kicking record during the second half of an NCAA college football game against UCLA Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona State defeated UCLA 23-20. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Talk about ending your career on a high note.
Arizona State’s Zane Gonzalez wrapped up his college career Thursday night by being named the 2016 recipient of the Lou Groza Award, which is presented to the nation’s best kicker. The award was presented during The Home Depot College Football Awards show in Atlanta Thursday night.
“Just the ultimate accomplishment to be up here,” Gonzalez said on ESPN’s broadcast.
Gonzalez was one of the few bright spots for the Sun Devils during a disappointing 2016 campaign. The senior from Deer Park, Texas, connected on 23-of-25 field goal attempts during the season. His only two misses were both from more than 50 yards — a 53-yard attempt on the road at UTSA and a 53-yarder in the season finale at Arizona.
Gonzalez tied an FBS record with three field goals of over 50 yards in one game, including a career-high 59-yarder, against Colorado on Oct. 15.
Congrats to Zane Gonzalez of Arizona State – just named winner of the 2016 @LouGrozaAward! #CFBAwards pic.twitter.com/vKavPdfQpE
— Brandon Kornblue (@KornblueKicking) December 9, 2016
He added 39 extra points in 40 attempts for a team-leading 108 points.
Gonzalez was equally adept on kickoffs, booting 74.7 percent (59-of-79) of them into the end zone for touchbacks.
He finished his career as the NCAA’s all-time leader with 96 field goals and 494 points. Gonzalez finished all four seasons at ASU with more than 100 points, notching a career-high 138 during his freshman season in 2013.
Gonzalez beat out Auburn’s Daniel Carlson and Georgia Southern’s Younghoe Koo for the award, and becomes ASU’s second-ever recipient, joining Thomas Weber, who won it in 2007.
Below is a video produced by Sun Devil Athletics in honor of Gonzalez breaking the NCAA record with 89 field goals in October. He kicked seven more after breaking the record.
