Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse football's Andre Szmyt won the Lou Groza Award on Thursday.
Szmyt, a redshirt freshman and former walk-on, was selected as the nation's most outstanding placekicker over two other finalists, LSU's Cole Tracy and Wyoming's Cooper Rothe.
The honor caps a remarkable fall for the Vernon Hills, Ill., native.
Just four months ago, Szmyt "came out of nowhere" to win the Orange's starting placekicking job over redshirt junior punter Sterling Hofrichter. He proceeded to make 28-of-32 field goals and all 57 of his extra points, breaking the program's single-season points record and picking up a scholarship along the way.