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ASU Football: Zane Gonzalez Wins Lou Groza Award

By Hunter Robinson

Nov 19, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils place kicker Zane Gonzalez (5) follows through on a 50-yard field goal against the Washington Huskies during the third quarter at Husky Stadium. Washington won 44-18. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils place kicker Zane Gonzalez (5) follows through on a 50-yard field goal against the Washington Huskies during the third quarter at Husky Stadium. Washington won 44-18. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /
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In an unsurprising announcement, Zane Gonzalez was named the 2016 Lou Groza Award winner.

At the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN, Gonzalez stood alongside Daniel Carlson of Auburn and Younghoe Koo of Georgia Southern while his named was called as excitement and disappointment flurried through the room. While Gonzalez is the second ASU kicker to ever win the Lou Groza Award, he is considered the best.

Gonzalez ended his collegiate career with 96 made field goals, the new record for made-field goals in a collegiate career. This season, Gonzalez knocked through 23 field goals and 39 extra points. He scored 108 points on the season and had an accuracy rate of 92 percent, the highest rate of his collegiate career.

Back in October, after Gonzalez had broken the NCAA record for career made-field goals in ASU’s victory over UCLA, players and coaches alike had nothing but great things to say about Gonzalez.

“I am really proud of Zane and the young man that he is, not only on the field but also off the field and in the classroom,” head coach Todd Graham said when talking about Gonzalez breaking the record, “This was a monumental accomplishment for him.”

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Punter Matt Haack talked about what makes Gonzalez stand out.

“He goes out there every day. Even in practice he’s not missing many kicks and even when he does he is kicking that kick over again and making it. He is very meticulous in his routines. He’s about as solid mentally as any kicker out there. I think that helps a bunch for him,” Haack said.

Gonzalez will always be remembered as one of the best Sun Devils ever. He was known as a stand up guy, and he always left it all on the field. Gonzalez’s absence will be felt next season, but every single kicker that walks through the locker room of Sun Devil stadium will know that no matter how good of a performance they put on on any given night, these fans have seen the best.

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