Ole Miss specialist Lucas Caniero will literally kick off the Rebels’ 2025 campaign as a player under consideration for the Lou Groza Award.
On Friday, Carneiro was announced as a member of the award’s preseason watch list, among 29 other top players in his position group. The Lou Groza Award is handed out annually to the sport’s top placekicker, and Carneiro is certainly expected to make quite the case for his candidacy this year following a stellar sophomore season.
The Western Kentucky transfer caught the attention of Lane Kiffin’s coaching staff one year ago, prompting Carneiro to make the move from Bowling Green to Oxford. During his most recent season, Carneiro was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year, completing 18 of 19 field goal attempts and converting on all 41 extra point attempts. Most notably, he was 6-for-6 from 50-plus yards, with two 54-yard makes.
Carneiro’s 94.7% conversion rate last season ranks second among all returning FBS kickers this fall who attempted at least 15 field goals in 2024. He also ranks among nine returning FBS kickers this year who made at least nine field goals from 40 yards out at a perfect 9-of-9 clip. Carneiro missed his first attempt during a road matchup at Alabama last fall but went on to make each of his next 18 attempts.
Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 18, and all FBS kickers remain eligible to be selected, meaning Southern Miss and Mississippi State could also have prospective candidates emerge.
The Committee releases its “Stars of the Week” feature throughout the season. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, sports information directors, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Nov. 25. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be coronated on Dec. 12 during “The Home Depot College Football Awards” show on ESPN.
The 34th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Dec. 8.
In the meantime, Mississippi’s FBS programs are gearing up to begin the upcoming season in 29 days.
About the Lou Groza Award
The award is named for Pro Football 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 he was 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.
