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Wyoming’s Cooper Rothe Named a Lou Groza Award Finalist
The Wyoming Cowboys’ junior kicker has quietly had a strong season and has been recognized.
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Can the Mountain West bring home some national hardware?
Though he wasn’t named to the Lou Groza Award’s preseason watchlist, Wyoming kicker Cooper Rothe has quietly had a very efficient season and, among a litany of talented Mountain West kickers, is alone now on the shortlist to take home the prize given annually to the nation’s best kicker.
The Cowboys offense has been hit or miss in the 2018 season, which has made Rothe’s reliable contributions extremely valuable. He is a perfect 24-of-24 on extra point attempts and 15-of-16 on field goal tries, the latter of which is a 93.8% conversation rate that ranks second in the FBS behind Texas Tech’s Clayton Hatfield.
They haven’t all been chip shots, either. Rothe is 5-of-6 on field attempts from 40 or more yards, including a season-high 51-yard success against Missouri.
No Mountain West kicker has ever won the Groza Award, and Rothe will have some competition for the honor. Syracuse’s Andre Szmyt and Louisiana State’s Cole Tracy are the other two finalists.
Fans do have a say, however, and can cast a vote for Rothe at the Lou Groza Award website. Last year’s Lou Groza Award winner was Utah’s Matt Gay.