LSU expects to have a steady edge in the kicking game this season. Because their senior kicker is back for a fourth year, bringing experience and reliability to the Tigers’ special teams unit. He drilled 23 field goals last season, ranking among the SEC’s best, and remains money from inside 30 yards. Now, while longer kicks can be a challenge, his proven track record gives LSU confidence when the game is on the line. But the LSU senior kicker has even bigger news to fire up Tiger fans.

Well, with last year’s Lou Groza Award finalist, Cole Tracy now gone, the race for CFB’s top kicker honor is wide open. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission dropped its 30-player Watch List for 2025 on Friday, August 1, packed with proven legs and fresh contenders. Among the headliners? LSU’s senior kicker, Damian Ramos, drilled over 20 field goals last season to earn his spot. It’s a big moment for the Tiger veteran, now recognized among the nation’s elite and ready to chase the Lou Groza Award under the brightest lights this fall. But with that field goal, what did he achieve beyond that?

Here’s the thing: Damian Ramos was money for LSU in 2024. The veteran kicker drilled 23 of 29 attempts, finishing third in the SEC and 8th in the nation. On top of that, he racked up 110 points, split the uprights from 50 yards out at Florida, and went a perfect 4-for-4 against Arkansas to snag SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Nearly automatic on extra points and now No. 4 in LSU history for single-season field goals, Ramos proved he’s one of CFB’s most clutch legs. But in the Lou Groza Award race, he isn’t a repeat contender—only two kickers hold that distinction.

Honestly, just over half the names on this year’s Watch List have been there before, already earning semifinalist status in past seasons. But only two kickers have managed to crack the list multiple times—Michigan’s Dominic Zvada in 2022 and 2024, and Iowa’s Drew Stevens in 2022 and 2023. So, their repeat appearances set the bar high, making this year’s competition one to watch closely. Although the Lou Groza Award Watch List may spotlight 30 top kickers, last year’s winner, Kenneth Almendares, proved the race is wide open—any FBS kicker can make a run. So, the award is named after?

The prestigious honor, named after Hall of Famer Lou “The Toe” Groza, celebrates the nation’s best place-kicker each season. Groza, a Cleveland Browns legend with 4 NFL titles and a 1954 Player of the Year nod, forever changed the game by proving kickers deserved a spot on every roster. Now, this year’s winner will be crowned at the 34th Annual Lou Groza Awards banquet on December 8 in West Palm Beach. But while LSU’s kicker just hit a new milestone, his fall camp performance is telling a different story.

LSU’s fall camp rolled on with special teams under the spotlight. The Tigers drilled field goal and extra point setups, but veteran kicker Damian Ramos had an off day. The fifth-year senior pushed a few kicks wide during drills, leaving fans hoping he shakes off the rust before the season kicks off. But how did the other players perform?

A closer look at LSU’s fall camp

QB Garrett Nussmeier lit up LSU’s fall camp with a highlight-reel bomb to senior WR Zavion Thomas, drawing cheers from the sideline. Behind him, backups Colin Hurley and Michael Van Buren showed real progress, looking far more confident and in sync than on day one. So, the Tigers’ QB room is heating up, and the competition is only getting better. But how is LSU’s defense shaping up?

On the D-line, the Tigers kept the energy high and the pace relentless. New portal additions jumped right in, making their presence known with big plays and tight coverage. Well, sophomore corner Ja’Keem Jackson, a Florida transfer returning from a tough season-ending injury in 2024, looked determined to earn his spot back. Alongside him, senior edge Jack Pyburn added veteran toughness, giving the unit an extra burst of grit and intensity. But there’s another big name in the mix.

Senior edge Patrick Payton, the prized transfer from FSU, has wasted no time making noise in Baton Rouge. And his burst off the edge was impossible to miss, wreaking havoc in back-to-back practices. Now, after two high-energy days, the Tigers will pause for a breather Friday before turning the heat back up Saturday morning, keeping the grind alive in fall camp.