Morstead named to Ray Guy Award list

[PonyPride]

Morstead Named To Ray Guy Award Watch List
Sophomore One Of 31 Nominated
Sept. 12, 2006

Augusta, Ga. - The Greater Augusta Sports Council has named SMU punter Thomas Morstead to its watch list for the 2006 Ray Guy Award, the
organization announced today. The winner will be announced during ESPN's Home Depot College Football Award Show in December.

The Ray Guy award is presented to the nation's best collegiate punter as determined by a national selection committee made up of sports writers, college football coaches, sports information directors, former punters and members designated by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. Among the statistics used to identify the Ray Guy Award winner are total yardage punted, number of times a punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, net average, average returned yardage, and percentage of punts not returned. It is also of importance for the award winner to display team leadership, self-discipline, and to have a positive impact on the team's success.

The Ray Guy Award watch list will be narrowed to ten semi-finalists in early-November. The national voting body will then vote for the top three finalists who will be announced at the end of November. The winner will be announced live on ESPN during the Home Depot College Football Awards show, which will take place in Orlando, Florida on December 7, 2006.

While it is just two games, Morstead's average of 41.2 yards would be the best season average for a Mustang punter since Colin Vadheim averaged 42.1 ypp in 1998.

2006 Ray Guy Award Watch List
Jared Armstrong, Purdue
Tyson Beattie, Indiana
Chris Beckman, Tulane
Kody Bliss, Auburn
Justin Brantly, Texas A&M
Brendan Carney, Syracuse
Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin
John Deraney, NC State
Ryan Dougherty, East Carolina
Gordon Ely-Kelso, Georgia
Andy Fenstermaker, Iowa
Brandon Fields, Michigan State
Nick Folk, Arizona
Michael Gibson, Memphis
Adam Graessle, Pittsburgh
Michael Hughes, San Diego State
Chris Jackson, LSU
Jimmie Kaylor, Colorado State
Jim Laney, Western Michigan
Chris Miller, Ball State
Brian Monroe, Miami (Florida)
Thomas Morstead, SMU
Adam Podlesh, Maryland
Tim Reyer, Kansas Sate
Alex Reyes, Texas Tech
Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor
Nic Schmitt, Virginia Tech
Jacob Skinner, Arkansas
Kyle Stringer, Boise State
Kyle Tucker, Kansas
Eric Wilbur, Florida

[McAndless]

He'll get plenty of opportunity to show his talent

[bagice]

I have really been impressed with his punts. I was at both the Tech and UNT game and he gets good hang time and punted well into the wind....Nice high spirals.

I am having a hard time figuring out why UNT gave us so much trouble in the kicking game, at the Tech game, they never even came close to blocking one but UNT had that one and came close a couple of other times.

I am sure his average would be even better if he didn't have to hurry a couple of those against the Mean Green. The block definitely wasn't his fault, that guy was back there almost as quick as the ball, and I think he showed great poise in keeping anymore from being blocked.

[RGV Pony]

I wonder if the Ray Guy award winner has ever been someone who had a punt blocked & ret'd for a TD

[MustangStealth]

I've been impressed by him also. I think he will be solid back there for the next 4 years.

[mustangfan01]

He is a RS soph.