Nov. 19, 2007
AUGUSTA – Georgia Tech senior punter Durant Brooks, who holds the highest career punting average in ACC history, is one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top collegiate punter. The announcement was made today by the Greater Augusta Sports Council and ESPN.
Brooks and the other two 2007 finalists – Cincinnati’s Kevin Huber and Toledo’s Brett Kern – will attend the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 6.
“It is an honor to be selected as a finalist for an award named after a person I have so much respect for,” Brooks said. “There are many outstanding punters in college football, including several in the ACC, so this is really a thrill for me.”
Brooks was a finalist for the award in 2006 and finished runner-up to Baylor’s Daniel Sepulveda.
The Ray Guy Award is named after the former Oakland Raider great. Guy is a 2004 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee and current nominee for the 2007 National Football League Hall of Fame. If inducted, Guy would be the first punter ever named to the Hall of Fame.
Brooks, who was named ACC Specialist of the Week earlier today, is coming off one of his top career games. He had punts of 77, 63 and 54 yards last Saturday against North Carolina. He was also the holder on Travis Bell’s game-winning field goal with 15 seconds remaining.
Brooks’ career punting average of 45.45 yards is more than four yards longer per attempt than any player in Georgia Tech history. His career average is the best in ACC history, slightly ahead of 2005 Ray Guy Award winner, Ryan Plackemeier of Wake Forest.
A Macon (Ga.) native, Brooks’ punting average in 2007 (45.3) is the sixth-highest in the nation. Only 16 of his 57 punts have been returned and 29 of his boots have been downed inside the 20-yard line.
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Durant Brooks NAMED ACC SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
Yellow Jacket senior coming off career-best day vs. North Carolina
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech senior punter Durant Brooks was named ACC Specialist of the Week after playing a key role in last Saturday’s 27-25 victory over North Carolina.
Brooks had four punts for an average of 60.0 yards per punt, including boots of 54, 63 and a career-long 77 yards. He also served as the holder -and pulled down a high snap – on Travis Bell’s game-winning field goal with 15 seconds remaining.
Brooks, a solid candidate for All-American honors, is the fifth different Yellow Jacket to earn ACC weekly honors this year. Kevin Tuminello and Andrew Gardner were previously named lineman of the week. Jonathan Dwyer earned rookie of the week honors in September. And Travis Bell was the conference specialist of the week in Week One.
Other ACC award winners on Monday were Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan (Offensive Back of the Week), Wake Forest center Steve Justice (Offensive Lineman of the Week), Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling (Defensive Lineman of the Week), Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry (Defensive Back of the Week) and Boston College cornerback DeLeon Gause (Rookie of the Week).
