AUGUSTA, Ga. – Texas A&M Braden Mann was named a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, presented annually to the nation's top punter, the Augusta Sports Council announced Tuesday.
Mann becomes the first Texas A&M Ray Guy Award semifinalist since Drew Kaser in 2013, and would be the first Aggie to win the award.
"Our team success every week is far more important than any individual award, so I just want us to finish off the season strong," Mann said. "However, it has been a huge goal of mine for quite a few years to be named a finalist for the Ray Guy Award. I've seen so many successful punters at the awards show in previous years, and it is just an honor to even be mentioned in the same group as them. Credit for our punt team's success this year should go to my snapper, Austin Frey, my shield in front of me and my cover team. Those guys have worked so hard this year and have covered their tails off to take down some pretty great returners. God has blessed me with so much, and being a finalist for this award is another blessing that I don't take for granted."
Mann leads the FBS in gross punting and has broken two NCAA records thus far in the 2018 season. He is on pace to break a third NCAA record as he is averaging 50.90 yards per punt, the best mark in college football history by just under a yard.
In September at No. 1 Alabama, Mann broke the NCAA record for the high gross punt average in a single game at 60.8 yards on five boots, breaking the old record of 60.4 which was set originally in 1983 and matched in 2010.
Against UAB, Mann uncorked his 14th 60-yard punt of the season, breaking Wake Forest's Ryan Plackemeier's record set in 2005 for the most 60-yard punts in a single season. A field-flipping connoisseur, 14 of his 42 punts this season have traveled 60-or-more yards, including a career-long 82-yarder against Kentucky.
The winner of the Ray Guy Award will be announced live on Thursday, December 6th at The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN in Atlanta.
Football fans can vote for the Ray Guy Award winner and is the equivalent to one national selection committee member's vote. The fan vote is located on the Ray Guy Award website, http://www.rayguyaward.com.
Mann becomes the first Texas A&M Ray Guy Award semifinalist since Drew Kaser in 2013, and would be the first Aggie to win the award.
"Our team success every week is far more important than any individual award, so I just want us to finish off the season strong," Mann said. "However, it has been a huge goal of mine for quite a few years to be named a finalist for the Ray Guy Award. I've seen so many successful punters at the awards show in previous years, and it is just an honor to even be mentioned in the same group as them. Credit for our punt team's success this year should go to my snapper, Austin Frey, my shield in front of me and my cover team. Those guys have worked so hard this year and have covered their tails off to take down some pretty great returners. God has blessed me with so much, and being a finalist for this award is another blessing that I don't take for granted."
Mann leads the FBS in gross punting and has broken two NCAA records thus far in the 2018 season. He is on pace to break a third NCAA record as he is averaging 50.90 yards per punt, the best mark in college football history by just under a yard.
In September at No. 1 Alabama, Mann broke the NCAA record for the high gross punt average in a single game at 60.8 yards on five boots, breaking the old record of 60.4 which was set originally in 1983 and matched in 2010.
Against UAB, Mann uncorked his 14th 60-yard punt of the season, breaking Wake Forest's Ryan Plackemeier's record set in 2005 for the most 60-yard punts in a single season. A field-flipping connoisseur, 14 of his 42 punts this season have traveled 60-or-more yards, including a career-long 82-yarder against Kentucky.
The winner of the Ray Guy Award will be announced live on Thursday, December 6th at The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN in Atlanta.
Football fans can vote for the Ray Guy Award winner and is the equivalent to one national selection committee member's vote. The fan vote is located on the Ray Guy Award website, http://www.rayguyaward.com.
2018 Ray Guy Award Finalists
| # of Punts | Gross avg. | Team Net | I20 | 50+ Punts | |
| Braden Mann, Texas A&M | 42 | 50.90 | 43.95 | 17 | 22 |
| James Smith, Cincinnati | 52 | 46.67 | 44.08 | 22 | 15 |
| Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah | 44 | 45.91 | 40.49 | 18 | 17 |