UNC Football: Noah Burnette named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List

During the 2023 season, Noah Burnette was nearly automatic.

The UNC football program's kicker connected on 19 of his 20 field goal attempts, including making all 43 of his attempted PATs, as he finished the season earning second-team All-ACC honors.

Heading into the 2024 season, Burnette has earned a spot among the nation's top place-kickers.

Burnette has been named a preseason candidate for the prestigious Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission presents this award annually to the top college football place-kicker in the country.

Special teams is a major component in the sport of football, as capitalizing on scoring opportunities can make or break a game (or even a season in the case of college football). Last season, Mack Brown had the luxury of turning to Burnette in key situations, as the Tar Heels' place-kicker was nearly automatic when his number was called.

The season prior, Burnette wasn't as automatic, connecting on just 15 of his 21 attempts. It was great to see him gain that confidence back by showing the country that he's one of the best kickers around.

Of course, the Tar Heels offense wants to score a touchdown on every trip, but the main objective should be to have Burnette closing out each drive, whether he's lined up for a field goal attempt or if he's needed to tack on the extra point after a score.