Sept. 14, 2005
Augusta, GA – The Greater Augusta Sports Council announced University of New Mexico senior Tyler Gaus as one of the 40 college football punters who have been named to the 2005 Ray Guy Award watch list as potential candidates for the top collegiate punter of the year.
A fourth-year starter, Gaus has developed into one of the most underrated punters in the country. The San Diego native has been one of the country’s best finesse punters, mastering the lost art of the “coffin corner” kick. Since joining the team as a walk-on in 2002, Gaus has dropped punts inside the 20-yard line 74 times in his career with just 16 rolling into the end zone. An incredible 15 punts have been downed on or inside the 10-yard line over the past two years.
He is averaging 40.6 yards on 11 punts, including a long of 51, to open the 2005 season. Three punts have landed inside the 20-yard line, including two inside the five. Gaus has also forced 3 fair catches.
The Ray Guy award will be presented to the nation’s best collegiate punter as determined by a national selection committee made up of sports writers, college football coaches and 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 Ray Guy Award watch list will be narrowed to ten semi-finalists to be announced in early-November. The national voting body will then vote for the top three finalists who will be announced at the end of November. On December 8, 2005 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.
2005 Ray Guy Award Watch list
Troy Blankenship Iowa State Senior
Kody Bliss Auburn University Junior
Joshua Brazen Kent State Senior
Adam Brooks Wyoming Senior
Dave Brytus Purdue University Sophmore
Brendan Carney Syracuse Senior
Cole Chason Clemson Junior
Ken Debauche Wisconsin Sophmore
Ryan Dougherty East Carolina Junior
Gordon Ely-Kelso University of Georgia Junior
Brandon Fields Michigan State Junior
Nate Fry Bowling Green State U Senior
Tyler Gaus New Mexico Senior
Adam Graessle Pittsburgh Junior
Chris Hall Florida State Senior
Ryan Hoffman Illinois State Senior
Ryan Hotchkiss UTEP Junior
Luke Johnson Southern Miss Senior
Jeremy Kapinos Penn State Junior
Sam Koch Nebraska Senior
Mike Lingiua Fresno State Junior
Chris Macdonald Arizona State Sophmore
Tom Malone Univ Southern Cal Senior
Ryan Mentzel SMU Senior
Matt Miller Ohio Senior
Kurt Milne Hawaii Junior
Brian Monroe Miami Junior
Parker Mullins Univ of Alabama-B’ham Junior
Thomas Olmsted Troy University Senior
Sam Paulescu Oregon State Senior
Ryan Plackemeier Wake Forest Senior
Adam Podlesh Maryland Junior
Tim Reyer Kansas State Sophmore
Alex Reyes Texas Tech Junior
Daniel Sepulveda Baylor Junior
Joel Stelly Louisiana-Monroe Senior
Billy Sullivan University of Akron Senior
John Torp Colorado Senior
Steve Weatherford Illinois Senior
Andrew Wellock Eastern Michigan Junior
Eric Wilbur Florida Junior