TW:OSU's Fodge on punting award list [Archive]

JimBob

10-30-2008, 05:29 PM

OSU's Fodge on punting award list

By Staff Reports
10/30/2008 1:18 PM
Last Modified: 10/30/2008 3:04 PM

Oklahoma State's Matt Fodge is among 10 semifinalists for an award that honors the nation's best college football punter.

Fodge has 20 punts for a net average of 43.0 yards, with 13 of his punts being downed inside the 20-yard line. The senior from Garland, Texas, has helped the Cowboys rank fourth nationally in net punting.

The award is named for Ray Guy, the first punter ever inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (2004). Guy went on to a distinguished NFL career with the Oakland Raiders.

A national voting body of coaches, sports information directors, media, and former Ray Guy Award winners will decide the three finalists. The winner will be announced live on ESPN during an awards show Dec. 11.

2008 Ray Guy Award Semi-Finalists:
Bryan Anger, California, Freshman
Derek Epperson, Baylor, Sophomore
Ryan Donahue, Iowa, Sophomore
Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State, Senior
Chas Henry, Florida, Sophomore
Kevin Huber, Cincinnati, Senior
Pat McAfee, West Virginia, Senior
Zoltan Mesko, Michigan, Junior
Louie Sakoda, Utah, Senior
A.J. Trapasso, Ohio State, Senior

legelegel

10-30-2008, 07:09 PM

Here are the previous winners. Being a senior(*) should help. But some may not want the award if the curse continues. I like the first winner's nickname.

2007 - Durant Brooks (*), Georgia Tech
2006 - Daniel Sepulveda (*), Baylor
2005 - Ryan Plackemeier (*), Wake Forest
2004 - Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor
2003 - B.J. Sander (*), Ohio St
2002 - Mark Mariscal, (?), Colorado
2001 - Travis Dorsch (*), Purdue
2000 - Kevin Stemke (*), Wisconsin

The Curse of Ray Guy

Here's an interesting and disturbing thing I [Ami Rozmaryn] came across in my studies. Recap of all Ray Guy Award winners:

Kevin "Rocket Shoe" Stemke, winner 2000 Undrafted, 2002
Stemke was dropped by Oakland after after netting an average of 23 yards in three punts Week 2 of '02. He had a total of five punts that year. He had a second chance punting the last eight games (including playoffs) for the Rams in '04, averaging just under 40 yards per punt. He hasn't punted since.

Career Stats (not including playoffs): 38 Punts, 40.2 Avg., 36.2 Net Avg.

Travis Dorsch, winner 2001 4th round, 2002
Dorsch also lasted five punts his rookie year. All of them came in his first game for the Bengals, and two of them came right back the other way for TDs. He too never punted again, but did get the opportunity to attempt a kickoff once that year that went 40 yards.

Career Stats: 5 Punts, 32.4 Avg., 1.8 Net Avg

Mark Mariscal, winner 2002 Undrafted
Mercifully he was never drafted or picked up by a team.

B.J. Sander, winner 2003 3rd round, 2004
Sander played well in Europe his rookie year. When he was called up to Green Bay the next year, he performed admirably. That is, until the temperature started dropping. His average went with it. Over his last five weeks he averaged 35.7 yards and netted 29.1 per punt. I say his last five weeks because the Packers happily played their last two games (and every game since) without their third round pick.

Career Stats: 64 Punts, 39.2 Avg., 33.9 Net Avg.

Dan Sepulveda, winner 2004, 2006 4th round, 2007
Finally, we come to a punter who is still in the league. His rookie year in Pittsburgh he put up very respectable numbers. Fewer than half his punts were returned, and though he did have one returned for a TD, he did have a 32 yard completion, so it evens out. Maybe it takes two Ray Guy Awards for success in the NFL. 16 games, so far so good. "Not so fast" said Ray Guy on the first day of training camp in '08, as he stabbed his Dan Sepulveda Voodoo doll in the ACL. He was placed on IR. Now his career, which hinges on his leg, which hinges on his ACL, is in a very precarious situation.

Career Stats: 68 Punts, 42.4 Avg., 37.9 Net Avg.

Ryan Plackemeier, winner 2005 7th round 2006
Plackemeier not only lasted his entire rookie year for Seattle, but he player superbly. He finished the season tied for 4th in the league in average at 45 yards per punt, and a less stellar but still impressive 37.6 net yards per punt. His next year his average and net slipped 5 and 3 yards respectively. Not too good, but he was still on the team. Plackemeier owns the record among RGA winners, playing two full seasons plus one game. That one game, however, was a doozie. Plackemeier had 11 punts, including one for 31 yards, two for 22 yards each, and one returned for a TD. Two days later Plackemeyer was given a lesson in punting as he was booted off the team and downed just inside his living room.

Career Stats: 181 Punts, 42.3 Avg., 35.5 Net Avg.

Which brings us to our own dear punter. Durant Brooks. How does all this affect him? Is there a Curse of Ray Guy that all winners have no choice but to succumb to? Maybe it's the pressure or the difference between the NFL and college punting games. Maybe it's just that the teams, hoping for a complete, no-hassle punter to be delivered to their door, realized that there is some assembly required, and lost patience. I couldn't say which it is, but it definitely has me thinking. Either way, it's too early to say if Brooks is just another victim of Ray Guy's vengeful jealousy. He's been a mixed bag so far (really); let's see what shakes out. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/2008/10/guest_blog_-_the_curse_of_ray.html