Braden Mann takes home Ray Guy Award for nation's best punter
Record-setting Texas A&M punter Braden Mann was named recipient of the Ray Guy Award on Thursday night, which honors the nation’s top punter.
Mann, a junior from Cy-Fair, received the honor at the College Football Awards Show at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
The other finalists were James Smith of Cincinnati and Mitch Wishnowsky of Utah.
Mann led the nation in punting with a 51.15 average on 47 punts. The next highest average was 48.3 yards by Ryan Stonehouse of Colorado State.
Mann has already set two NCAA records this season and figures to set another.
In a September game against Alabama, he broke the NCAA record for the high gross average in a single game when he punted five times for a 60.8 average.
He also set a single-season record with 14 punts of at least 60 yards. Mann’s longest punt trailed 82 yards. He also had 18 punts killed inside the 20-yard line.
He’ll set another NCAA record for gross average in a season if he maintains at least a 50.4-yard average after the Aggies face North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 31.
Mann’s current average is almost a full yard better than NCAA single-season record-holder Chad Kessler of LSU, who averaged 50.3 yards on 39 punts in 1997.