Limpert’s banner year moves him to semifinals for Lou Groza Award

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ Connor Limpert has been named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top place-kicker.

Limpert, a junior from Allen, Texas, is one of 20 semifinalists for the honor, which will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists.

He was also named a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy in October, given to the most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on.

This season, Limpert is 16-of-20 in field goal attempts, splitting the uprights at least once in every game in 2018 and each of the last 10 contests.

He owns the longest field goal made among the 20 up for the award with a 55-yard FG coming against Vanderbilt on Oct. 27.

His 55-yarder is the second-longest in the country this season, while his 54-yard conversion vs. North Texas on Sept. 15 is good for No. 5 among longest field goals made in 2018.

Coming into the matchup with the Commodores, Limpert, one of the most accurate kickers in school history, had connected on 10 consecutive field goals over the previous five weeks of competition.

He saw his streak, the third-longest in school history, come to an end on a 60-yard attempt at the end of the first half that fell just a few feet short of what would have been the third-longest FG in school history.

Limpert padded the end of that streak with back-to-back games with four and three field goals made coming on a rainy night in Little Rock against Ole Miss and at home against Tulsa, respectively.

His 4-for-4 night marked the first time a Razorback had accomplished the feat since Alex Tejada against Troy on Sept. 1, 2007.

Saturday’s field goal against Vanderbilt also pushed Limpert into 10th among single season field goals made by an Arkansas kicker, putting him closer to the school record of 24 set by Kendall Trainor in 1988.

The finalists for the Lou Groza Award will be announced on Nov. 20 and honored at the 27th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 3 in Palm Beach County.

The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 6.

RAZORBACK FOOTBALL

Sat, Sep 5vs North AlabamaW 31-14
Sat, Sep 12@ UtahL, 43-10
Sat, Sep 19GeorgiaL, 45-17
Sat, Sep 26TulsaW 34-6
Sat, Oct 3@ Texas A&ML, 34-7
Sat, Oct 10TennesseeL, 24-17
Sat, Oct 17@ VanderbiltW 31-21
Sat, Oct 31vs Missouri6:45 PM
SEC Network
Sat, Nov 7@ AuburnTBA
Sat, Nov 14South CarolinaTBA
Sat, Nov 21@ TexasTBA
Sat, Nov 28vs LSUTBA

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

OVERALLRecordPts
1.Shiloh Christian (16)7-01871
2.Bentonville6-11634
3.Conway (3)6-11562
4.Joe T. Robinson7-01045
5.North Little Rock6-1937
6.Bentonville West6-1883
7.Sheridan7-0709
8.Springdale Har-Ber5-2508
9.Greenwood5-24410
10Searcy6-1426
Others receiving votes: Bryant 22, Mountain Home 7, Sylvan Hills 7, Stuttgart 6, LR Christian 4, Pulaski Academy 3, Jacksonville 3, Fayetteville 2, Benton 2, Van Buren 1, Nashville 1.
CLASS 7A
1.Shiloh Christian (16)7-0921
2.Conway (3)6-1642
3.Bentonville6-1624
4.North Little Rock6-1265
5.Bentonville West6-1193
Others receiving votes: Springdale Har-Ber 15, Bryant 7.
CLASS 6A
1.Sheridan (16)7-0902
2.Searcy6-1711
3.Mountain Home (3)6-1415
4.Sylvan Hills5-2353
5.Benton4-3314
Others receiving votes: Van Buren 12, Lake Hamilton 5.
CLASS 5A
1.Joe T. Robinson (17)7-0931
2.Greenwood (2)5-2762
3.Jacksonville6-1544
4.Farmington6-1243
Little Rock Parkview4-3245
Others receiving votes: LR Mills 7, HS Lakeside 5, Greenbrier 1, Camden Fairview 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Stuttgart (16)7-0921
2.Nashville (3)7-0792
3.Ozark7-0384
4.Elkins6-1335
5.Southside Batesville6-110—
Others receiving votes: Gravette 7, Fountain Lake 3, Forrest City 2, Lonoke 1, Booneville 1, Arkadelphia 1.

CLASS 3A
1.Bismarck (13)6-1851
3.Mansfield (2)6-2542
2.Smackover6-1413
4.Walnut Ridge (3)6-1274
5.Rivercrest6-1245
Atkins6-124—
Others receiving votes: Fordyce (1) 14, Newport 9, Prescott 5, Glen Rose 2.
CLASS 2A
1.Mount Ida (10)8-0831
2.Baptist Prep (9)7-0822
3.Marked Tree6-1383
4.Earle6-1334
5.Gurdon5-2295
Others receiving votes: Dierks 11, Magnet Cove 4, Bearden 2, Des Arc 2, Hazen 1.
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Corning (6)6-0261
2.Cedar Ridge (4)6-0242
3.Magazine (2)6-0173
Others receiving votes: Izard County 5.