Preseason Award Watch Lists are beginning to litter the college football world, which means one thing and one thing only, the 2025 season is around the corner.
We are a couple of weeks away from real games in Week 0, then we are just under a month from Virginia Tech opening the season against South Carolina in Atlanta on Aug. 31 at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Virginia Tech kicker John Love named to Lou Groza Award Watch List
Virginia Tech went through some roster turnover this offseason at several positions, but they did retain some key players, and one of those players was placekicker John Love, who was named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List for the upcoming season. He is one of the Top 30 kickers around the country who are returning to be named on the list.
Love was not named to the Preseason All-ACC team, which was SMU's kicker Collin Rogers, and it felt like a snub. Last season, for a team that struggled, Love was 16-for-18 on field goals, with a long of 60 yards against Minnesota in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in January. Love also drilled a 57-yard field goal at Miami in September. He went 3-for-4 from 50 yards plus and nailed all 24 of his extra points.
This is a pivotal season for the Hokies and if there is one thing that they need to improve on is, it is winning one-score games, something they have done just once under head coach Brent Pry and you get the feeling that they'll play some close games and coming out on top of those games might end up resting on Love's explosive leg.
The award is named for Lou "The Toe" Groza, a Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker and offensive lineman who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns.