Texas Tech University Athletics
McNamara Tabbed to Ray Guy Award Watch List
July 29, 2021 | Football
The two-time All-Big 12 first team honoree was one of 50 candidates named to the watch list
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech junior punter Austin McNamara was named Wednesday to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top punter.
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This is the second-consecutive season McNamara has been tabbed to the watch list as he was one of 50 preseason candidates. It is the second preseason accolade this summer for McNamara, who was previously named to the All-Big 12 preseason team in a vote of media members who regularly cover the league.
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Already a two-time All-Big 12 first team honoree, McNamara enters his junior season as easily one of the top punters in the country after averaging an impressive 46.3 yards per attempt as a sophomore in 2020. He led the Big 12 in the category and also ranked fourth among punters nationally who played in at least five games.
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McNamara was the talk of social media midway through the season as he launched an 87-yard punt versus West Virginia that snapped both the Texas Tech and Big 12 records in the process. The punt broke the previous longtime school record of 85 yards that was set by R.W. Moyers versus West Texas State in 1945.
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Through only two years, McNamara has recorded two of the top-five highest punting averages in program history as his 2020 clip ranked second all-time, while his 45.0 average as a true freshman in 2019 ranks fifth. He is the only punter in school history to boast two of the top-five averages.
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The Ray Guy Award committee will trim the watch list to 10 semifinalists in mid-November with three finalists later named on Nov. 23 following a vote of FBS sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners. The committee will vote again on the three finalists to select the 2021 winner, which will be presented live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN on Dec. 9.
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The Red Raiders start preseason camp in just over a week ahead of their Sept. 4 opener against Houston in the Texas Kickoff.
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This is the second-consecutive season McNamara has been tabbed to the watch list as he was one of 50 preseason candidates. It is the second preseason accolade this summer for McNamara, who was previously named to the All-Big 12 preseason team in a vote of media members who regularly cover the league.
Â
Already a two-time All-Big 12 first team honoree, McNamara enters his junior season as easily one of the top punters in the country after averaging an impressive 46.3 yards per attempt as a sophomore in 2020. He led the Big 12 in the category and also ranked fourth among punters nationally who played in at least five games.
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McNamara was the talk of social media midway through the season as he launched an 87-yard punt versus West Virginia that snapped both the Texas Tech and Big 12 records in the process. The punt broke the previous longtime school record of 85 yards that was set by R.W. Moyers versus West Texas State in 1945.
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Through only two years, McNamara has recorded two of the top-five highest punting averages in program history as his 2020 clip ranked second all-time, while his 45.0 average as a true freshman in 2019 ranks fifth. He is the only punter in school history to boast two of the top-five averages.
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The Ray Guy Award committee will trim the watch list to 10 semifinalists in mid-November with three finalists later named on Nov. 23 following a vote of FBS sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners. The committee will vote again on the three finalists to select the 2021 winner, which will be presented live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN on Dec. 9.
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The Red Raiders start preseason camp in just over a week ahead of their Sept. 4 opener against Houston in the Texas Kickoff.
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