Larson Named Finalist for Ray Guy Award

Lincoln -- Nebraska senior punter Kyle Larson has been named one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate punter. Larson joins Tennessee’s Dustin Colquitt and B.J. Sander of Ohio State as the three finalists for the award.

The finalists were selected from a group of 10 semifinalists by a vote of college coaches, sports information directors and media members. The semifinalists were evaluated on overall statistics and contributions to the team with emphasis on net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, average return yardage and percentage of punts not returned.

Larson ranks seventh nationally in punting average at 45.4 yards and his performance has aided the Huskers to a No. 12 national ranking in net punting. Larson is averaging nearly 49 yards per punt in Nebraska’s last six games and has 20 punts this season of 50 yards or more. Larson was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award as a junior in 2002.

The winner of the 2003 Ray Guy Award will be announced on the ESPN College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 11, from Orlando, Fla. The award is presented by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. Previous winners of the award include Kevin Stemke (Wisconsin, 2000); Travis Dorsch (Purdue, 2001) and Mark Mariscal (Colorado, 2002). Larson’s position coach, Scott Downing, also coached Dorsch during his 2001 Ray Guy award-winning season at Purdue.