Football's Caleb Sturgis Earns SEC Honor, Named Lou Groza Placekicker Award "Star of the Week"
Monday, October 19, 2009 | Football
Florida sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis (St. Augustine, Fla.) received two accolades following his game-winning 27-yard field goal in No. 1 Florida's 23-20 win over Arkansas Saturday. Sturgis earned Southeastern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors and was named one of the Lou Groza National Collegiate Placekicker Award's “Stars of the Week.”
College football's top kicking award, the Lou Groza Award, sponsored by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, recognizes three of the top kickers each week from FBS division teams.
Sturgis became the sixth Gator this season to receive SEC Weekly honors and the second Gator SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Sturgis' game-winning 27-yard field goal in Florida's 23-20 win against Arkansas was the Gators' first game-winner since a Matt Leach 33-yard field goal with 33 seconds to beat Georgia 16-13 on Nov. 1, 2003. Sturgis was additionally successful on a 51-yard field goal attempt goal with 10:53 to play in the third quarter. It was the longest UF field goal since Leach connected on a 52-yard attempt against Georgia on Oct. 30, 2004.
Sturgis' 51-yarder was the third-longest in the SEC this season. He is now 10-for-12 (.833) on the season, 4-for-5 from between 20-29 yards, 5-for-6 from between 30-39 yards and 1-for-1 from beyond 50 yards.
With the game-winning field goal, Florida extended its school record and nation's best winning streak to 16 games after out-gaining Arkansas, 391-357, and winning both the rushing (136-133) and passing (255-224) battles.
The top-ranked Gators (6-0, 4-0) continue SEC play on the road in Starkville, Miss., Oct. 24 when they take on Mississippi State (3-4, 1-2). The game, set to kick off at 7:30 p.m., will be broadcast live by ESPN.
Florida's 2009 SEC Players of the Week (as of Oct. 19)
Brandon James – Special Teams Player of the Week after Charleston Southern game (9/5/09)
Tim Tebow – Offensive Player of the Week after Troy game (9/12/09)
Maurkice Pouncey – Offensive Lineman of the Week after the Tennessee game (9/19/09)
Marcus Gilbert – Offensive Lineman of the Week after Kentucky game (9/28/09)
Brandon Spikes – Defensive Player of the Week after LSU game (10/12/09)
Caleb Sturgis – Special Teams Player of the Week after Arkansas game (10/10/09)
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