| Augusta Sports Council Announces 2021 Ray Guy Award Pre-Season Watch List Augusta, GA (July 28, 2021) – The Augusta Sports Council has announced the pre-season watch list for the 2021 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter. The 50 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) punters. The 2021 watch list was compiled based on the 2021 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist List, the top ten NCAA Punters from 2020, the 2020 All-Conference teams, the 2020 All-American Teams, the 2021 pre-season All-Conference Teams and punters on the 2020 watchlist. The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations on July 29. The complete list of candidates will be released on November 2nd. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semifinalists, who will be announced on November 10th. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on November 23. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN on Thursday, December 9, 2021. 2021 Ray Guy Award Pre-Season Watch List:Adam KorsakRutgersAnthony Beck IIGeorgia SouthernAustin McNamaraTexas TechBailey FlintToledoBen GriffithsUniversity of Southern CaliforniaBen KiernanUniversity of North CarolinaBlake HayesIllinoisBrad RobbinsMichiganCharles OuversonCoastal CarolinaDaniel DaviesNavyIssac PowerBaylorIvan MoraWake ForestJack BrooksUniversity of South AlabamaJake CamardaUGAJake JulienEastern MichiganJay BramblettNotre DameJohn HaggertyWestern KentuckyJonn YoungEast CarolinaJordy SandyTCUKai KroegerUniversity of South CarolinaKirk ChristodoulouPittKyle GreenwellUABKyle UlbrichMiddle TennesseeLachlan WilsonTulsaLou HedleyMiamiLucas DeanUTSALuke ElzingaCentral MichiganMac BrownOle MissMatt FerenceNIUMatt NaranjoBowling GreenMatthew HayballFlorida Atlantic UniversityMichael TurkArizona StateNick MihalicWestern MichiganNik ConstantinouTexas A&MPaxton BrooksUniversity of TennesseePorter WilsonDukeRhys ByrnsLousianaRyan BujcevskiUniversity of TexasRyan HansonArkansas StateRyan SanbornStanfordRyan StonehouseColorado StateRyan WrightTulaneTom HuttonOklahoma StateTommy HeatherlyFIUTory TaylorIowa Trenton GillNC StateTucker DayMississippi StateWill SpiersClemsonXavier SubotschApp StateZach HardingArmy Ray Guy Award TimelineJuly 28 – Pre-season watch list announced July 29 – Nomination period begins November 1 – Nomination forms due November 2 – Final candidate list announced November 10 – 10 Semifinalists announced November 11-21 – Online voting to determine finalists November 23 – Three Finalists announced November 24-30 – Online voting to select winner December 9 – Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN February 2, 2022 – Banquet (Augusta) About the Ray Guy Award The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage and percentage of punts not returned with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team’s success. About the Augusta Sports Council The Augusta Sports Council (ASC) enriches the quality of life and economic well-being for the Augusta metropolitan area by supporting and attracting sporting activities. To learn more, visit www.augustasportscouncil.org. About the National College Football Awards Association The Ray Guy Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association. The members of the NCFAA are unveiling preseason watch lists over a 10-day period this month. 16 of the association’s 25 awards will present their preseason watch list during this time as the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the complete 2021 preseason watch list calendar:Mon., July 19: Bednarik Award, Maxwell AwardTue., July 20: Davey O’Brien AwardWed., July 21: Doak Walker AwardThu., July 22: Biletnikoff AwardFri., July 23: John Mackey Award, Rimington TrophyMon., July 26: Butkus Award, Paycom Jim Thorpe AwardTue., July 27: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland TrophyWed., July 28: Lou Groza Award, Ray Guy AwardThu., July 29: Paul Hornung Award, Wuerffel TrophyFri., July 30: Walter Camp Award |
