University of Houston Athletics
Cougar Punter Named To Watch List
8/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 28, 2003
HOUSTON, Texas - University of Houston senior punter Jimmy McClary (The Woodlands, Texas) today became one of 32 college football punters named to the 2003 Ray Guy Award watch list as potential candidates for the top collegiate punter of the year. The Greater Augusta Sports Council presents the award.
McClary will punt for the Cougars for the third straight season and was recently named to the Preseason Conference USA First Team. Last season, McClary averaged 38.9 yards per kick with 14 placed inside the 20-yard line. More importantly, McClary's net average of 35.9 placed the Cougars in the top 35 in the nation in this category. He has never had a punt blocked in 125 attempts.
McClary becomes the third Cougar to be honored by a selection to the national watch lists. Senior center Rex Hadnot is on both the Rimington Award (nation's best center) and Outland Trophy (best interior lineman) watch lists, while junior kicker Dustin Bell is a member of the Lou Groza Award watch list.
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 to be included in determining the Ray Guy Award winner are total yardage, number of times a punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside of the opponent's 20-yard line, net average, average return yardage and percentage not returned The winner will display leadership and self-discipline, and will have a positive impact on the team's success.
The Ray Guy Award watch list will be narrowed to ten semi-finalists who will be announced in early November. The national voting body will then vote for the three finalists and the winner who will be announced in late November. On December 11, 2003 the three finalists will travel to Orlando, Florida for the Home Depot College Football Awards Show, with the winner being announced and presented with the award live on ESPN. Punters are eligible to join the watch list at any time prior to the announcement of the ten semi-finalists.
Further, the Ray Guy Award winner will be invited to Augusta, Georgia for an exciting two-day celebration, including the Greater Augusta Sports Awards Gala, the Ray Guy Kicking & Punting Academy, and community appearances.
During his All-American collegiate football tenure at Southern Mississippi and his legendary career as a Pro Bowl punter for the NFL's Oakland Raiders, Ray Guy, a native of Thomson, Georgia was unsurpassed in his ability to impact the outcome of games with incredible hang time and ball control. Since his retirement, Ray Guy has sought to bring heightened awareness and recognition to the punter position at all levels, and to spotlight the contributions and talents that these young athletes bring to the playing field.
