Nov. 3, 2006
WACO, Texas -- Baylor senior punter Daniel Sepulveda was named to the 10-man semifinalist list for the 2006 Ray Guy Award, the Greater Augusta [Ga.] Sports Council announced Friday. Sepulveda, who won the award as a sophomore in 2004, looks to become the first two-time winner.
The award is named for 2004 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee Ray Guy, widely consider the best punter in the history of the NFL. Guy, who played with the Oakland Raiders from 1973 to 1986, was an All-American at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Sepulveda currently ranks first nationally in punting with an average of 46.33 yards per punt. Thanks to Sepulveda's punts, opponents have started no better than their own 20 yard line on 55 percent of Sepulveda's punts this season (27 of 49), including 19 punts inside the 20 (39 percent) and seven inside the 10 (14 percent). He has recorded 18 punts of 50-plus yards this season, six of 60-plus yards and a career-long tying 78-yarder against Kansas State. Baylor ranks 18th nationally in net punting at 37.76 yards per punt.
In 43 career games, Sepulveda has logged 260 career punts for 11,733 yards, an average of 45.13 yards per punt, all Baylor records. He is on pace to break former Texas A&M punter Shane Lechler's NCAA Division I-A record for yards per punt with at least 250 career punts (44.69, 1996-99). Sepulveda's average also is better than Guy's career average (44.70 on 200 punts, 1970-72).
With 87 career punts of at least 50 yards, Sepulveda is two shy of breaking the NCAA record held by Brian Smith (Mississippi, 1983-86). Sepulveda has averaged 40.0 yards per punt 34 times in games with at least four punts. Sepulveda needs three more such games to match the NCAA record shared by Lechler and 2005 Guy Award winner Ryan Plackemeier (Wake Forest, 2002-05).
The 2006 semifinalist list also features 2004 semifinalist Brandon Fields of Michigan State. Others on the list are Durant Brooks of Georgia Tech, Ryan Dougherty of East Carolina, Sean Douglas of Washington, Zach Johnson of Eastern Michigan, Jeremy Kapinos of Penn State, Geoff Price of Notre Dame, Louis Sakoda of Utah and Sam Swank of Wake Forest.
Baylor returns to action Saturday, traveling to Lubbock, Texas, to face Texas Tech. Kickoff between the Bears and the Red Raiders is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST at Jones AT&T Stadium. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Net.
