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Heading into the 2013 college football season, WalterFootball.com will debut our projections for the nation’s leaders during the fall. The All-American teams always have some surprises, and this coming fall’s stars could be the headline players next April for the 2014 NFL Draft. We also will project the winners of the postseason awards that are given out to the best of college football.
The Ray Guy Award is given to the best punter in college football. Last year’s winner was Louisiana Tech punter Ryan Allen.
Ray Guy Award Winner:
Kyle Christy, Florida Christy could be the top punter in the nation now that Ryan Allen and Brad Wing are done with college football. Christy was excellent for Florida in 2012 and did an superb job in providing good field position for the Gators’ defense. He kicks in ideal conditions on a weekly basis, so he should produce another season with good numbers. Christy finished fifth in the nation last year with 45.8 yards per punt.
If Florida’s offense improves, Christy should see more opportunities to place balls inside the 20-yard line. He has been selected as the Preseason All-SEC punter. It is a wide-open field for the top punter in the nation, but Christy looks like one of the safer players to have a good season.
Ray Guy Award Runner-Up:
Cody Webster, Purdue Webster has been one of the most consistent punters in college football for the past few years. If the senior wins the Ray Guy Award, it will be well-deserved considering his consistent body of work. Webster averaged 43 yards per punt last year and was one of the nation’s leaders in attempts with 70 punts. He punted a lot in 2011 as Purdue did not feature a scoring offense. On 45 punts, the sophomore averaged 42.9 yards. He downed 11 inside the 20 with 13 punts over 50 yards. Webster averaged 43.3 yards on 47 punts in 2010. He had 17 punts over 50 yards with 12 inside the 20.
Purdue projects again this year to having an offense that will struggle to move the ball, so Webster should get plenty of work. Considering what he has done up to this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if the senior won the Ray Guy Award.
Ray Guy Award Dark Horse:
Pat O’Donnell, Miami Similar to Webster, O’Donnell has been a solid punter for the past few seasons. O’Donnell spent three years punting at Cincinnati, but transfered to Miami in spring 2012 and is eligible to play right away. O’Donnell averaged 42 yards per punt last year as a junior. He averaged 44 yards per punt in 2011. O’Donnell averaged 42 yards per punt as a freshman in 2010.
Playing for the Hurricanes should provide O’Donnell with better conditions than he had in the fall months with the Bearcats. He could see his average increase and end up contending for the Ray Guy Award.
Honorable Mentions: Iowa State punter Kirby Van Der Kamp, Michigan punter Will Hagerup, Memphis punter Tom Hornsey and Bowling Green punter Brian Schmiedebusch.
2013 Preseason All-American Projections:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | OLB | ILB | CB | S | P/K | All-Purpose
Rimington Award | Mackey Award | Thorpe Award | Lombardi Award | Butkus Award | Lott Award | Outland Trophy | Biletnikoff Award | Doak Walker Award | Hendricks Award | O'Brien Award | Groza Award | Guy Award | Bednarik Award | Camp Award | Maxwell Award | Nagurski Award | Rodgers Award | Hornung Award | Heisman Trophy | College Bowl Game Projections
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | OLB | ILB | CB | S | P/K | All-Purpose
Rimington Award | Mackey Award | Thorpe Award | Lombardi Award | Butkus Award | Lott Award | Outland Trophy | Biletnikoff Award | Doak Walker Award | Hendricks Award | O'Brien Award | Groza Award | Guy Award | Bednarik Award | Camp Award | Maxwell Award | Nagurski Award | Rodgers Award | Hornung Award | Heisman Trophy | College Bowl Game Projections
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