University of Notre Dame graduate student place kicker Spencer Shrader has been named to the 2023 Lou Groza Award Watch List. He is one of 30 kickers from around the country on the list for the award, which is presented annually to the top placekicker in college football.
Shrader transferred to Notre Dame as a graduate student for the 2023 season after a prolific kicking career at USF. A 2022 Phil Steele All-AAC Third Team selection and 2021 Groza Award semifinalist, Shrader has connected on 20 of his last 25 field goal attempts in the past two seasons, including an 11-for-12 mark in 2021 – a season in which he connected on nine straight field goal attempts.
A former walk-on at USF after pursuing a professional soccer career, Shrader has rushed for a touchdown in his career (22 yard run against UConn in 2019) and has missed just one PAT kick in the past three seasons. The Indianapolis, Indiana, native is a four-time AAC All-Academic Team selection.
Notre Dame has never had a place kicker win the Groza Award. David Ruffer was one of three finalists for the award in 2010.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, November 9th. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Tuesday, November 28th. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced in December during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
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.