Headline says it all. Leigh Tiffin is a semifinalist for the 2008 place-kicker award. Here’s the press release:

TUSCALOOSA — University of Alabama place-kicker Leigh Tiffin was named a semifinalist for the 2008 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl the Palm Beach County (Fla.) Sports Commission announced on Friday.

The Muscle Shoals, Ala., native has connected on 13 of 17 field goals this season and all 28 extra points. He is tied for the Southeastern Conference lead and tied for 13th nationally in field goals per game at 1.62. Tiffin also ranks sixth in the league and tied for 31st nationally in scoring at 8.38 points per game.

“It is an honor to be named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award,” Tiffin said. “There are a lot of outstanding candidates for the award and I’m just trying to go out and put every possible point on the scoreboard for my team. Our team is taking this season one game at a time and for me that means one kick at a time.”

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Tiffin is 9 for 10 on field goal attempts inside 40 yards this season with a long of 54 yards against Clemson. His 54-yarder vs. the Tigers ranks third in Alabama history, exceeded only by a 57-yarder by his father, Van Tiffin, against Texas A&M in 1985 and a 55-yarder by Ryan Pflugner against Arkansas in 1998. Pflugner’s kick joins Leigh Tiffin’s as the longest made field goals in Tide history kicking without the benefit of a kicking tee.

He set the Alabama single-season record for points by a kicker as a sophomore in 2007 with 111. In 2008, he leads the SEC and is tied for 13th nationally with 1.62 field goals per game. He now has 67 points in eight games this season, averaging 8.38 per contest that ranks sixth in the SEC. Tiffin is currently seventh in the Alabama record books with 214 career points. He is 98 points behind his father, who ranks third in career points at Alabama and 131 points behind the all-time leader Philip Doyle (345 points from 1987-90).

Semifinalist will be voted on by a panel consisting of all Football Bowl Subdivision coaches and SID’s, along with national, regional and local football writers and others who will select the three finalists. The three finalists will be honored at the Lou Groza Awards Banquet at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Tuesday, Dec. 9th. The winner will be announced on the Home Deport ESPNU College Football Awards Program on Dec. 11, 2008 in Orlando, Fla.

The award is named in honor of one of the all-time great kickers in Football history, Lou Groza. Groza played 21 seasons for the Cleveland Browns setting numerous franchise records, including most games played, most points scored, and an amazing 107 consecutive games in which he scored a point. The 1,608 career points he scored is still a Browns’ franchise record, and he ranks third all-time in league. Groza was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.

For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and to follow the season progress, please go to www.lougrozaaward.com.