Aug. 2, 2007
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Georgia Tech senior Durant Brooks, who led the Atlantic Coast Conference in punting and was a second team All-American last season, was one of five players named to the preseason watch list for the 2007 Ray Guy Award, which is presented annually the nation’s top punter.
Brooks, a Macon (Ga.) native, was a finalist for the award in 2006. Brooks had 79 punts last season for a league-leading average of 45.52 yards. He placed 35 of his kicks inside the 20-yard line.
The Ray Guy Award is presented by the Greater Augusta Sports Council.
Brooks is joined on the preseason watch list by Eastern Michigan sophomore Zach Johnson, Notre Dame senior Geoff Price, Utah junior Louie Sakoda and Wake Forest junior Sam Swank.
Brooks and Notre Dame’s Price will match punting skills in the season opener Sept. 1 in South Bend (Ind.) when Georgia Tech plays the Fighting Irish.
The Ray Guy award is 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 watch list will be expanded after the start of the season when statistical figures can be added. The national voting body will then vote for the top three finalists who will be announced at the end of November. In December the top three finalists will be in Orlando, Florida for the Home Depot College Football awards show. The winner will be announced live on ESPN.
Brooks was one of the top-3 finalists in 2006. Last year’s winner, Daniel Sepulveda of Baylor, who was the first two-time winner (2006, 2004) was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the recent NFL draft. He was taken in the fourth round.
