Stars of the Week 2022 Week 7

Each week, the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award highlights the standout performances of three kickers from FBS division teams. These ‘Stars of the Week’ have showcased exemplary performances for their respective week and are potential candidates for the prestigious Lou Groza Award. 

Griffin Kell
  • Stars of the Week: 2022 Season, Week 7
  • Watchlist: 2023
Place Kicker
Hometown

Arlington, TX

Height & Weight
Class

Senior

TCU Horned Frogs Logo

TCU Horned Frogs

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Jake Moody
  • Winner: 2021
  • Finalist: 2022, 2021
  • Semi-finalist: 2022, 2021
  • Stars of the Week: 2022 Season, Week 9, 2022 Season, Week 7, ...
Place Kicker
Hometown

Northville, MI

Height & Weight
Class

Senior

Michigan Wolverines Logo

Michigan Wolverines

Jake Moody, a senior from Northville, Michigan, was the only FBS kicker to make more than 20 field goals at a rate of 90% or better without missing an extra point during the 2021 season. At 22-for-24 on the season, his 91.7% accuracy was second-best among kickers with 20 field goals, and stands as by far the most accurate in Michigan history on at least 20 attempts. He kicked multiple field goals in Michigan’s first six conference games, making more kicks in that short stretch than all but 22 kickers made all season. He made multiple field goals seven times this season, including a pair of 4-for-4 performances. He finished the regular season with 122 points, tied for third in the nation. His 122-point season ranked second in program history and is the best ever by a Michigan kicker.

Nathanial Vakos
  • Semi-finalist: 2023
  • Stars of the Week: 2022 Season, Week 7
  • Watchlist: 2024, 2023
Place Kicker
Hometown

Avon, OH

Height & Weight
Class

Sophomore

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Wisconsin Badgers

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October 17, 2022

College football’s top kicking award, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes top kickers each week from FBS division teams as the “Stars of the Week.”

Griffin Kell’s three field goals were crucial in TCU’s come-from-behind 43-40 double overtime defeat of Oklahoma State in Big 12 action in Ft. Worth, Texas on Saturday. The Horned Frogs are 6-0 for the first time since 2017. Kell, a senior from nearby Arlington, Texas, connected from 47, 35 and 34 yards out. His two second quarter field goals kept the game in reach after the Horned Frogs trailed 24-7. He was 4-for-4 on extra point tries for a 13-point game. Kell has only had five field goal attempts this season, but he has made them all while also going 27-for-28 on extra points.

2021 Lou Groza Award winner Jake Moody kicked four field goals in Michigan’s 41-17 Big Ten defeat of Penn State in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Saturday afternoon. The graduate kicker from Northville, Mich. was perfect on the day with makes of 37, 29, 24 and 23 yards out, with three of those coming in the first half to give the Wolverines a 16-14 lead at intermission. His 13 field goals this season tie him for 5th in FBS. Moody converted his three extra point attempts for a 15-point game which ties him for the second-most by a kicker this week. He has made all 33 PATs for a 72-point season that ranks second among FBS kickers.

Freshman Nathanial Vakos made four field goals including a career-long 55-yard bomb in Ohio’s 33-14 defeat of Western Michigan in MAC action in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Saturday, the Bobcats first road win of the season. The Avon, Ohio native also scored from 35, 33 and 26 yards out. He was 4-for-5 on the day with the miss being the first of a career that now stands at 10-for-11 on field goals. He made his three extra point attempts for a 15-point game, tied for second among FBS kickers this week. His 56 points for the season lead the team in scoring.

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.

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