AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tennessee redshirt senior punter Trevor Daniel has been named as one of 78 punters on the final candidate list for the 2017 Ray Guy Award, as announced by the Augusta Sports Council on Tuesday.
The Ray Guy Award identifies the nation’s top collegiate punter at the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN every year in December. Among the 78 candidates are two of the 2016 finalists, Michael Dickson, Texas, and Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah. Candidates on our 2017 list were nominated for the award by their school’s Sports Information Departments (SIDs).
Through eight games this season, Daniel has 47 punts for 2,209 yards and a 47.0-yard average, which ranks second in the SEC and fourth in the nation. Daniel’s 19 punts inside opponents’ 20 and 21 punts of 50 or more yards lead the SEC. His 19 punts inside the 20 also rank fourth among Power Five schools. Daniel was named Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week on Sept. 5 after punting six times for a 47.0-yard average against Georgia Tech with five landing inside the 20.
Daniel was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List in July. The Dickson, Tennessee, native was a candidate for the Ray Guy Award in both 2015 and 2016.
The candidate list will be narrowed down to 10 semifinalists to be announced on Thursday, Nov. 16. Following the announcement, a national voting body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) SIDs, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the three finalists who will be identified on Tuesday, Nov. 21. The voting body will then cast ballots to select the winner. The 2017 Ray Guy Award winner will be announced live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 7.