July 25, 2018
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -
2018 Football Preseason Accolades
San Diego State senior John Baron II (Temecula, Calif.) has been named to the watch list for the 2018 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Wednesday. It is the second consecutive season Baron made the preseason watch list after being a semifinalist for the award in 2016.
Baron, one of 30 kickers on the initial watch list and one of 16 past semifinalists for the award, enters his final season ranked first among all FBS kickers in field goal percentage (.868) and 14th in field goals per game (1.22). He's also first all-time at SDSU in field goal percentage (.868), fourth in PATs (108) and PAT percentage (.982), and sixth in field goals (33).
Last year, Baron was 12-for-15 in field goal attempts (.800) made all 52 of his PATs. Among the FBS leaders, Baron ranked in a tie for first in PAT percentage (1.000, T-1st in MW), 39th in kickoff average (62.9, 4th in MW), a tie for 39th in field goal percentage (.800, 4th in MW), a tie for 41st in touchbacks (33, 6th in MW) and 46th in kicking points (88, 5th in MW).
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, Nov. 1. From this list, a panel of more than 300 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers will select the top three finalists for the award by Tuesday, Nov. 20. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 6 during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show.
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.
The Aztecs finished 2017 with a 10-3 record, their school-record third consecutive season with at least 10 victories. SDSU is one of just seven active schools in the nation to win at least 10 games in three straight seasons (also Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin). San Diego State returns seven starters on offense and seven on defense, along with its kicker and punter.
San Diego State is accepting new account deposits on 2018 season tickets through the Aztec Ticket Office, while current season-ticket holders can also renew their tickets for the 2018 campaign. Fans can purchase tickets through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting SDCCU Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.
The Aztecs kick off their season at Stanford on Friday, Aug. 31, and begin a three-game homestand against Sacramento State on Saturday, Sept. 8.