Ohio State Punter Drue Chrisman Named on Ray Guy Award Watch List
The punter might be the most under-rated position in football, but the Buckeyes certainly have one of the best.
Drue Chrisman, a graduate student from Lawrencburg, Indiana, has been named to the 2020 Ray Guy Award Watch List. Chrisman has already been a semifinalist for this award twice in his collegiate career. He is one of three punters in the Big Ten and one of just 19 in the country to be placed on this year's watch list.
Chrisman has had a terrific career at Ohio State. He's placed 72 punts inside the 20 yard line, third most in program history. His 44.3 yards per punt helped the Buckeyes rank No. 3 in the Big Ten in net punting for 2019. Chrisman's career average of 43.9 yards per punt ranks fifth in Ohio State history. He's twice been named an All-Big Ten Conference selection.
While Chrisman's talents flipping field position are well-documented, perhaps he's become far more famous for his off-the-field talent ... flipping water bottles.
Chrisman could become only the second Ohio State punter to ever win the award, alongside B.J. Sander in 2003.
The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding punter as judged by the Augusta Sports Council. The award is named after punter Ray Guy, an All-American for Southern Mississippi and and All-Pro in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders. He is a member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame and is considered the greatest punter in football history.
The Ray Guy Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935.
The National College Football Awards Association will roll out watch lists over a two week stretch for all of the major national awards. They include:
July 13 - Bednarik Award (watch list includes Shaun Wade)
July 14 - Davey O'Brien Award (includes Justin Fields)
July 15 - Doak Walker Award
July 16 - Biletnikoff Award (includes Chris Olave)
July 17 - John Mackey Award (includes Luke Farrell)
July 20 - Butkus Award (includes Pete Werner, Tuf Borland and Baron Browning) and Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (includes Shaun Wade)
July 21 - Bronko Nagurski Trophy (includes Shaun Wade) and Outland Trophy (includes Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers and Thayer Munford)
July 22 - Lou Groza Award and Ray Guy Award
July 23 - Paul Hornung Award and Wuerffel Trophy
July 24 - Maxwell Award
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