Sepulveda Hopes To Win Second Ray Guy Award
12/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 6, 2006
Baylor punter Daniel Sepulveda will join quarterbacks Brady Quinn of Notre Dame and Troy Smith of Ohio State University and Rutgers running back Ray Rice among the outstanding student-athlete finalists contending for awards at The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN, Thursday, Dec. 7, from 6-8 (Central) p.m.
The 2004 Guy Award winner as the nation's top punter, Sepulveda ranks first nationally in punting with an average of 46.48 yards per punt, the highest single-season average in school history. Baylor ranks third nationally in net punting at 39.01 yards per punt. Thanks to Sepulveda's punts, Baylor opponents started no better than their own 20 yard line on 52 percent of Sepulveda's punts this season (34 of 66), including 26 punts inside the 20 (39 percent) and eight inside the 10 (12 percent).
A 2006 consensus All-Big 12 performer who has already has earned first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Sepulveda has his sights set on becoming Baylor's first consensus All-America selection since Santana Dotson in 1991.
The other Ray Guy Award finalists are Georgia Tech's Durant Brooks and Penn State's Jeremy Kapinos.
The Home Depot College Football Awards consists of 18 award categories. Finalists for 10 of the awards will be in attendance for the live announcement, along with recipients of Disney's Wide World of Sports ® Spirit Award, The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award, the NCFAA (National College Football Awards Association) Contribution to College Football Award and student-athletes selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team. The show will be hosted by ESPN's Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit and off-stage announcer Mike Gleason and will originate from the Atlantic Dance Hall at Walt Disney World ® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
In addition to the Ray Guy Award, other prestigious awards to be presented include: the Maxwell Award (best all-around player); Chuck Bednarik Trophy (best defensive player); Outland Trophy (best interior lineman); Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award; Doak Walker Award (best running back); Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver); Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back); Butkus Award (best linebacker); Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award; The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award; Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award (most inspirational story); the NCFAA (National College Football Awards Association) Contribution to College Football Award; and the Walter Camp All-America Team.
New to the show this year will be recognition of four awards and their winners: Rotary Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman); Bronko Nagurski Trophy (outstanding defensive player); John Mackey Award (best tight end), and Rimington Trophy (outstanding center). The Lombardi and Nagurski award winners will be announced prior to the show.
The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award will be presented to Greg Schiano of Rutgers University. Schiano is completing his sixth year as the Scarlet Knights' head coach. Since taking over the program, he has guided his team to national recognition and contention for the Big East Conference title. In 2005, he led the team to their first winning season in 13 years and their first bowl game appearance in 27 years.
The 2006 Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award, presented to college football's most inspirational figure, will be presented to University of Louisville band member Patrick Henry Hughes. Despite being born with a rare genetic disorder that left him with no eyes and the inability to fully straighten his arms or legs, Hughes is excelling as a college freshman. With his dad guiding his way, Hughes is a trumpet player in the University of Louisville marching band, a concert pianist who has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a recording artist and, most important, a straight-A student. The significant role of marching bands amid the landscape of college football, coupled with Hughes' remarkable achievements despite his physical challenges, made him the overwhelming choice for Disney's Spirit Award even though the award has traditionally been given to a student-athlete or team. The Tulane University ® football team was the recipient of the 10th annual award in 2005.
The NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award will be presented to Chuck Neinas. Neinas is best known for his role as executive director of the College Football Association when it was formed in 1980, a post he held until 1997. The CFA supported the sport of football during the Title IX cutbacks and sponsored many NCAA legislative actions on behalf of coaches and players.
