Native Australian repeats on list; one of six SBC punters on list
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns punter Rhys Byrns was one of 48 punters nationwide named to the 2022 Ray Guy Award Pre-Season Watch List, the Augusta Sports Council announced on Wednesday.
Byrns, who was named to the 2021 Ray Guy Pre-Season Watch List, was one of six Sun Belt Conference punters named to the 48-member list.
As a junior, the Rye, Australia native ranked first in the Sun Belt and 11th in the nation with 46.3 yards average with 19 attempts of over 50 yards. He placed 22 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line during the season and posted a season-long of 70 yards in a win at Troy.
Burns averaged 47.3 yards on kick attempts in last year’s SBC Championship Game against App State, including a 55-yard boot. He matched a career high with seven punts for 289 yards, placing five boots inside the 20-yard line against Georgia Southern.
The 48 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) punters. The 2022 watch list was compiled based on the 2021 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist List, the top ten NCAA Punters from 2021, the 2021 All-Conference teams, the 2021 All-American Teams, the 2022 pre-season All-Conference Teams and eligible punters on the 2021 watchlist.
The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations on July 28. 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 8th.
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 18th. 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 in December 2022.
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2022 Ray Guy Preseason Watchlist
Adam Korsak Rutgers
Alex Mastromanno Florida State
Andrew Osteen University of Central Florida
Andy Vujnovich Wisconsin
Anthony Beck II Georgia Southern
Austin McNamara Texas Tech
Ben Kiernan University of North Carolina
Bernardo Rodriguez University of North Texas
Brad Robbins Michigan
Brendan Hall SMU
Brian Buschini Nebraska
Bryce Baringer Michigan State
Colin Goodfellow Kentucky
Dom Dzioban Miami (OH)
Ethan Duane Old Dominion
Issac Power Baylor
Ivan Mora Wake Forest
Jack Brooks University of South Alabama
Jacob Barnes Louisiana Tech
Jamieson Sheahan Cal
Jay Bramblett LSU
Joe Doyle Memphis
Jordy Sandy TCU
Kai Kroeger South Carolina
Kyle Greenwell UAB
Kyle Ostendorp Arizona
Kyle Ulbrich Middle Tennessee
Lachlan Wilson Tulsa
Laine Wilkins Houston
Lou Hedley Miami
Lucas Dean UTSA
Luke Elzinga Central Michigan
Mason Hunt Southern Miss
Matthew Hayball Vanderbilt
Michael Turk Oklahoma
Nick Mihalic Western Michigan
Nik Constantinou Texas A&M
Paxton Brooks University of Tennessee
Porter Wilson Duke
Reid Bauer Arkansas
Rhys Byrns Louisiana
Ryan Hanson Arkansas State
Ryan Rehkow BYU
Ryan Sanborn Stanford
Stephen Kotsanlee Utah State
Tom Hutton Oklahoma State
Tory Taylor Iowa
Ty Zentner Kansas State
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.
