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Congratulations to Ka'imi Fairbairn for winning the Lou Groza Award tonight, given annually to the nation's best college kicker.
Best kicker in the NATION. Ka’imi Fairbairn wins the 2015 @LouGrozaAward! #BruinRevolution pic.twitter.com/pZsJXUbMNz
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) December 11, 2015
#UCLA KICKER Ka'imi Fairbairn HAS WON THE LOU GROZA AWARD!!!!!!! #BRUINREVOLUTION pic.twitter.com/vAJdDCG8g7
— UCLA Recruiting (@UCLA_Recruiting) December 11, 2015
Boom!
Fairbairn won the award ahead of Auburn's Daniel Carlson and Memphis's Jake Elliott. He is the second Bruin to win the award, with Kai Forbath winning in 2009.
Ka'imi thanked his family first, and then credited former Bruin Chris Sailer and his kicking camp for getting him started.
Chris Sailer Kicking Kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn wins the 2015 Lou Groza Award. It all started in Vegas! https://t.co/rHrWBH7WGj #TeamSailer
— Chris Sailer Kicking (@Chris_Sailer) December 11, 2015
He also gave a big nod to Jerry Neuheisel as the (unofficial) best holder in the game, pointing out his role in lobbying Jim Mora to make that 60 harder against Cal a possibility.
Considering the stats, it was a pretty clear choice. Ka'imi had the nation's longest field goal, was perfect on PATs, was near the top of the ranks in terms of accuracy, and was tops for distance on kickoffs.
Glad to see the nation's voters get this one right. And to you idiots in the Pac-12 who couldn't see fit to vote the country's best kicker a first team all-conference selection, you can kiss Ka'imi's...toe.
John Christian Ka'iminoeauloameka'ikeokekumupa'a Fairbairn. You came a long way, both literally and figuratively. Congrats!
GO BRUINS!!