Cincinnati Bearcats place kicker Andrew Gantz has been named to the 2015 preseason Lou Groza Award watch list. He could potentially be the second UC player to win the award, the first of which being Jonathan Ruffin in 2000.
Supplanting senior Tony Miliano heading into the opening game with Toledo, it was unclear what we would be getting out of the young Gantz. He was always known as an extremely accurate kicker but the bright lights of a collegiate game are far different than high school or offseason camps. Gantz responded remarkably.
He was 16-of-20 on field goals in 2014, good for an 80% average. That marks the highest success rate from a UC kicker in the last decade. Gantz was also responsible for basically single-handedly beating East Carolina last season and keeping the Bearcats’ AAC championship hopes alive. Oh, and he made all but two of his extra points last season.
All this, mind you, from a redshirt freshman.
Heading into his sophomore year, Andrew Gantz should have plenty of opportunities to surpass his numbers from last season and Ruffin’s 26-of-29 mark during his Lou Groza Award winning campaign in 2000. That is, if the Gunner Kiel offensive juggernaut doesn’t score a boatload of touchdowns. At the very least, Cincinnati’s offense should make several trips into field goal range in 2015, giving Gantz ample chances nail it and move closer to his own Lou Groza Award.