Gators kicker Trey Smack named Lou Groza Award semifinalist

Gators kicker Trey Smack was just named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given to the best place-kicker in college football each year. The nomination recognizes Smack as a top 20 kicker in the country. 

This season, the Maryland-native is perfect on PATs, going 23-for-23 and 96-for-96 in his career. He is 15-for-18 on field goals and 4-for-5 from 50+ yards out. Against LIU, Smack hit his career-long from 56 and became Florida’s all-time leader in 50+ yards field goals after drilling a 54-yarder to take the lead in the fourth quarter against Georgia on Nov. 1.

Smack was also named a semifinalist in the 2023 season when he stepped into the role in week 3 and was named on the watchlist for the award for last and this season.

When he is kicking off for the Gators, Trey has totaled over 3100 kickoff yards with 37 touchbacks on 49 kickoffs. 

If chosen, Smack would become the second Florida place-kicker to win the award in the program’s history. Judd Davis, a non-scholarship walk-on, won the award in 1993 after netting 51 of 53 extra points and 15 of 19 field goals, earning him All-American honors. The Gators also won the SEC Championship and the Sugar Bowl that year.

He also joins two other former Gators as Lou Groza Award semifinalists. Caleb Sturgis was named a finalist in the 2011 and 2012 seasons, where he went a perfect 31-for-31 on extra points and 22-for-26 on field goals in 2011 and 34-for-35 on extra points and 24-for-28 on field goals in 2012.

 Evan McPherson earned a semifinalist nod in 2018 and 2020 after making 50 out of 50 PATs and 17 out of 19 field goals in 2018, and then 52 out of 52 PATs and 17 out of 22 field goals in 2020. Both kickers went on to play in the NFL.

The top 20 semifinalists will be narrowed to the top 3 finalists on Nov. 25, and the winner will be announced on Dec. 12.

Category: Gators Football