Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Baton Rouge, LA
Senior
Adelaide, SA
Senior
Maryland Terrapins
Brad Craddock was a star on the first Terrapins team to play in the Big 10 Conference. The junior kicker ended the regular season with a nearly perfect stat sheet, connecting on 18 field goals in 19 attempts and was 41 for 41 on PATs. A total of 9 of Craddock’s 18 field goals were from 40 yards or beyond. His 95 total points led his team in scoring. Craddock’s longest field goal of the year connected from 57 yards against Ohio St. Brad was recruited by Maryland while he was playing soccer and Australian Rules Football at Tabor Christian College in Adelaide Australia.
Colorado Springs, CO
Senior
Auburn Tigers
Carlson, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the first player to ever be voted a finalist for the Groza three times. With 19 field goals this year, his career total stands at 88, tied for the second-most ever in a collegiate career. His 108 points, tied for third-most among FBS kickers this season, give him 460 for his career, the scoring record not only at Auburn but in SEC history. He is tied for 2nd in FBS this season with 4 field goals from over 50 yards, a total he has reached in each of the last three years. He has not missed an extra point in his career, an SEC record 191 straight attempts.
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NC State Wolfpack
In the 1996 North Carolina State Media Guide, Marc Primanti was quoted as saying, “My job is to make every kick, and I want to do just that.” Primanti did exactly that, making all 20 field goals and 24 extra points that he attempted. This resulted in Primanti being a rather easy choice to receive the Lou Groza Award. Primanti made nine field goals longer than 40 yards, including a 48-yarder against Alabama that was a season-long. He also set an ACC record by making 27 consecutive field goals, stretching back to 1995. After walking onto the Wolfpack team and not playing a down during his first three years in the program, he more than made up for lost time.