Ray Guy award semifinalists announced

The Ray Guy Award is given to the college punter of the year each season. This week, the 10 semifinalists were announced ahead of Week 11.

Last year, Georgia Tech’s Pressley Harvin brought home the award. Here are the 10 semifinalists for this season’s trophy:

• Matt Araiza — San Diego State
• Cameron Dicker — Texas
• Blake Hayes — Illinois
• Lou Hedley — Miami
• Adam Korsak — Rutgers
• Brad Robbins — Michigan
• Ryan Stonehouse — Colorado State
• Jordan Stout — Penn State
• Tory Taylor — Iowa
• Ryan Wright — Tulane

Half of the semifinalists are from the Big Ten, including Tory Taylor, who’s third in the nation with 2,655 total punting yards and 293 yards per game. Araiza is the national leader with 2,909 punt yards, which totals out to 52 yards per kick and 323.2 yards per game for San Diego State.

The list will be cut down to three finalists on Nov. 23.

The Ray Guy Award semifinalists by the numbers

Stonehouse is second in the country behind Araiza with 51.5 yards per punt and 263.4 yards per game for Colorado State. Ryan Wright is the other semifinalist in the top 10, averaging 47.8 yards per punt and 201.8 yards per game.

Dicker is having quite a year for Texas, averaging 47.83 yards per kick. If he keeps up this pace, he’d set the school record for average punt yards — barely topping the previous record of 47.4 yards per punt.

Hayes has been essential for Illinois this season. The Illini punter is averaging 45 yards per punt and is known for burying teams deep in their own territory.

Three other Big Ten punters on this list, including Korsak, who ranks 11th in the country with 46.8 yards per punt to go with 244.6 yards per game. Stout sits right behind him at No. 12 with 46.7 yards per punt and 243.9 yards per game. Robbins doesn’t qualify for the national lists, but is averaging 44.9 punts per kick this season.

Hedley, a junior, is fourth in the ACC with 45.1 yards per punt for Miami, which is 5-4 overall and 3-2 in conference action.

Who is Ray Guy?

Guy was a punter for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1973-86. He was a six-time first team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler during his career, and won three Super Bowls with the Raiders. He was the first punter to ever be selected in the first round, going 23rd overall to Oakland.

The Ray Guy Award was created in 2000 to honor the best punter in the nation. Three finalists will be announced Nov. 23, and the winner will be selected Dec. 9 on ESPN.