It’s been a good last few days being a kicker for the Arizona Wildcats. On Tuesday, Arizona kicker Tyler Loop was named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top kicker.
For the second straight season, Tyler Loop is one of 20 nominated as a Lou Groza Award semifinalist. He is one of five kickers to be nominated more than once in their career. Loop is also one of three kickers from the Big 12, alongside Texas Tech’s Gino Garcia and BYU’s Will Ferrin.
This season, Loop has connected on 16 of 20 (80%) field goals, including a Big 12-best five of seven from at least fifty yards. In the Wildcats’ 27-3 over Houston on Friday, Loop made a program-record 62-yard field goal. Loop also set a program-record with five field goals in Arizona’s loss to Texas Tech earlier this season. His record performance earned him Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
In his five-year career in Tucson, Loop has scored 318 points, tying running back Ka’Deem Carey for third-most in Arizona program history. Former kicker Max Zendejas, who returned to Tucson earlier this season as an honorary captain, is Arizona’s all-time leading scorer, with 360 points.