Limpert up for national kicker award
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas kicker Connor Limpert was named Thursday as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is presented each year to the nation’s top placekicker.
Limpert, a junior from Allen, Texas, is one of 20 semifinalists, which will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 Football Bowl Subdivision coaches, sports information directors, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers.
The semifinalists will be narrowed down to three finalists, who will be announced on Nov.
20. The three finalists will be honored at the
27th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 3 in Palm Beach County in Florida.
The same panel will select a winner, which will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 6.
Limpert is 16 of 20 on field goal attempts this season. He has made a field goal in every game of the 2018 season to extend his streak to
10 straight games with a field goal.
His 55-yarder against Vanderbilt on Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville is the longest for any of the 20 nominees and the second longest in the country this
season. His 54-yard conversion against North Texas on Sept. 15 is good for No. 5 among the longest field goals made in 2018.
Limpert’s streak of 10 consecutive successful kicks, the third longest in school history, ended against the Commodores when he fell short on a 60-yard attempt before converting the 55-yard try. He is 27-for-27 this season on point-after attempts.
The end of his streak was padded with backto-back games with four and three field goals. His 4-for-4 night against Ole Miss at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock marked the first time a Razorback had accomplished the feat since Alex Tejada against Troy in 2007. He made three more kicks against Tulsa in Fayetteville.
Saturday’s field goal against Vanderbilt pushed Limpert into 10th among single season field goals made by an Arkansas kicker. The school record is 24 set by Kendall Trainor in 1988.
Limpert was named as a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy in October. The award is named in honor of former Arkansas offensive lineman Brandon Burlsworth and awarded each year to the most outstanding player in the country to begin their career as a walk-on.