Vols With No Players On Groza/Guy Watch List; Help Is On The Way In 2014
By Zach Ragan
Oct 15, 2011; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers punter Michael Palardy (1) kicks from his own end zone against the LSU Tigers during the first half at Neyland Stadium. The Tigers beat the Volunteers 38-7. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Another day, another pre-season watch list.
For the third day in a row there was a pre-season award watch list released.
On Wednesday the watch lists for the Lou Groza and the Ray Guy awards were released.
For the first time this week the Vols were left without a representative on at least one of the lists.
The Groza Award is given to the nation’s best placekicker, while the Guy Award is given to the nation’s best punter.
Michael Palardy, who had a good spring, is again expected to be the Volunteer’s primary placekicker and punter heading into the 2013 season.
Palardy was named to Lindy’s pre-season All-SEC third team.
Here’s the full list of players that were named to each pre-season watch list for the Lou Groza and Ray Guy awards.
While the Vols don’t have a player on either list this season, that could change next season when Vol commit Aaron Medley gets to campus.
Medley is rated by ESPN as the number one kicker in the nation.
With Palardy graduating after the 2013 season, there’s a very very good chance that Medley will compete for, and win, the starting kicker job as a true freshmen in 2014.
If that’s the case, it won’t be long before Medley’s name is a fixture on the watch-lists for the next four seasons.
In case you think we’re getting ahead of ourselves with Medley, check out this video of him kicking a 65 yard field goal.
There’s a reason that former Vols kicker James Wilhoit told us back in April that he believes Aaron Medley will be one of the top five players in the Vols 2014 recruiting class.
Leg strength like that can definitely help you see why Wilhoit thinks so highly of Medley.
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