College Football: 2017 Lou Groza Award watch list announced

College football’s preseason watch list for the 2017 Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s top placekicker, was released Wednesday.

Is there a position in college football that scores as many points without any love from fans than kicker? Sure, these guys don’t often take the types of hits or make the highlights plays that quarterbacks, receivers and running backs do, but the kicker is a valuable commodity.

Some could even argue that having a good kicker is a game-changer. Getting into enemy territory can almost always end in at least three points with a strong-legged kicker.

On Wednesday, the 2017 Lou Groza Award watch list, given to the nation’s top placekicker, was revealed and there were some familiar names on the list.

The one that stands out the most is Florida State’s Ricky Aguayo whose brother won the award back in 2013. The sophomore set a single-game record with six field goals against Ole Miss in his first collegiate contest. He finished the year 19-for-26 and looks to have a breakout sophomore season.

California’s Matt Anderson was a finalist in 2016 and appears on the watch list to start the year. Miami’s Michael Badgley is coming off back-to-back 20-plus field goal seasons. Nebraska’s Drew Brown, Auburn’s Daniel Carlson, Minnesota’s Emmit Carpenter, Louisville’s Blanton Creque, Penn State’s Tyler Davis, Clemson’s Greg Huegel, Florida’s Eddy Pineiro, Virginia Tech’s Joey Slye and Ole Miss’ Gary Wunderlich are also names to watch.

Last year’s winner was Arizona State’s Zane Gonzalez who was selected in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Browns. He became the second straight Pac-12 kicker to win the award.

Next: 5 favorites who could win 2017 Maxwell Award

Will there be a third consecutive Pac-12 winner in 2017? It’s possible, but other conferences are better represented.