AUGUSTA, Ga. – Sophomore punter Curtis Gerrand of the No. 5-ranked UCLA football team was named to the Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List on Thursday afternoon.
Presented by the Augusta Sports Council, the Ray Guy Award honors the nation’s top punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Gerrand was one of 63 punters named to the list.
The Ray Guy Award Committee will determine the ten semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award. The semifinalists will be revealed on Nov. 13. Three finalists will be selected by a national voting body of FBS sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners. After the finalists are announced, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner of the Ray Guy Award will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 11.
Gerrand has punted 34 times this year for a net of 1,500 yards. He’s averaging 44.7 yards per punt, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 25th in the FBS. He’s downed exactly half of his punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line (17-34, 50%).
Gerrand has turned in several notable performances this season for the Bruins. He punted a career-high eight times in a UCLA win at Oregon on Oct. 10, netting 339 yards to help the Bruins in the field-position battle with the Ducks.
The Melbourne, Australia native unleashed season-long punts of 55 yards against both San Diego State on Sept. 12 and Wisconsin on Oct. 17.
Gerrand and the Bruins return to action this Saturday, Nov. 7, traveling to face Big Ten rival Minnesota (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) in FOX’s Big Noon game. Kickoff is scheduled for 9 a.m. PT.
About the Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner are net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline, and have a positive impact on the team's success.