9:32 am | July 25, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
After both the Ray Guy and Lou Groza Award Watch Lists were announced, a combined five Big 12 athletes were nominated as candidates.
Two Big 12 punters were named by the Augusta Sports Council to the preseason watch list for the 2018 Ray Guy Award.
Austin Seibert (Oklahoma) and Adam Nunez (TCU) were both tabbed as candidates for the Ray Guy Award.
The 2017 Ray Guy Award winner hailed from the Big 12 as Michael Dickson (Texas) took home the crown for the first time in program history and the fifth time in Conference history.
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.
The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations next week. The complete list of candidates will be released on November 5, 2018. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semifinalists, who will be announced on November 15, 2018.
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 20th. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter.
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission released the Lou Groza Award Watch List as three Big 12 kickers were named.
Lou Groza candidates from the Conference for this year include Connor Martin (Baylor), Austin Seibert (Oklahoma), and Matt Ammendola (Oklahoma State). Seibert was named to both watch lists.
The last time the Groza Award was won by a Big 12 athlete was in 2011 when Randy Bullock (Texas A&M) took home the honor.
The Award is named after NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland, and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on November 1, 2018. From this list, a panel of more than 300 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award by November 20, 2018.
The winner for both awards will be announced on Thursday, December 6, 2018 during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show.
Ray Guy Award Watch List
Austin Seibert, Oklahoma
Adam Nunez, TCU
Lou Groza Award Watch List
Connor Martin, Baylor
Austin Seibert, Oklahoma
Matt Ammendola, Oklahoma State
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