September 13, 2006
Sophomore punter Justin Brantly has been named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List, the Greater Augusta Sports Council announced. The Ray Guy Award is presented each year to the best punter in college football. This nomination makes Brantly the fourth Texas A&M player this season to be named to a national award watch list.
So far this season Brantly has punted four times for a 57-yard average. This average would be leading the NCAA by over four yards, but with the efficiency of the Aggie offense, so far this season, Brantly does not have enough punts to qualify for the NCAA lead. With the amount of hang-time and placement that he is able to put on his kicks, Brantly also has the Aggies leading the nation in net punting at 48.5 yards per kick.
In the Aggies?â„¢ season opener against the Citadel, Brantly punted three times for a 56.7-yard average including a 62-yarder on his first boot of the year. Two of Brantly?â„¢s three kicks in the game pinned the Bulldogs inside their own 20-yard line. Against Louisiana-Lafayette in game two, Brantly blasted his only punt 58 yards to the Ragin?â„¢ Cajuns?â„¢ own 10-yard line. For the season, 75 percent of Brantly?â„¢s punts have pinned the opponents inside their own 20.
As a Freshman All-American in 2005, Brantly punted 46 times for a Texas A&M freshman record 43.2-yard punting average. Brantly bested the previous record held by former Aggie All-American and current NFL All-Pro Shane Lechler.
To go along with his 43.2-yard average, Brantly also pinned the opponents inside their own 20-yard line ten times. Out of Brantly?â„¢s 46 punts last year, 22 were not returnable by the receiving team. Last season when the Aggies visited Colorado, Brantly blasted an 80-yard punt, which broke the Folsom Field record for longest punt and ranks as the fourth longest kick in school history.
Aggies on National Award Watch Lists:
Justin Brantly- Ray Guy Award (Nation?â„¢s Best Punter)
Red Bryant- Chuck Bednarik Award (Most Outstanding Defensive Player)
Cody Wallace- Rimington Award (Nation?â„¢s Best Center)
Justin Warren- Chuck Bednarik Award; Bronko Nagurski Award (Nation?â„¢s Best Defensive Player); Butkus Award (Nation?â„¢s Best Linebacker)