🏈 Kyle Thompson Named to Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Senior punter Kyle Thompson was named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter, the Augusta Sports Council announced on Wednesday.

Thompson is one of 19 punters nationwide to be named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, while he is one of three Big 12 punters on the list. The 2020 watch list was compiled based on the 2019 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist List, the top ten NCAA Punters from 2019, the 2019 All-Conference teams, the 2019 All-American Teams and the 2020 preseason All-Conference Teams.

The honor marks the second-consecutive year Thompson has been named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, while he was also named to the Midseason Watch List in 2019. A native of El Cajon, Calif., Thompson earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors in 2019.

Throughout his career, Thompson has punted 130 times, compiling 5,671 yards while averaging 43.6 yards per punt. In 2019, Thompson punted 57 times for 2,538 yards, averaging 44.5 yards per punt.

Entering the 2020 season, Thompson ranks third in KU history in punting average (min. 75 punts), averaging 43.6 yards per punt. Thompson also ranks 10th in KU history in punting yardage (5,671 yards), while his career long of 76 yards set against Texas in 2018 is the 11th longest punt in Jayhawk history.

The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations on July 23. The complete list of candidates will be released on November 10th. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semifinalists, who will be announced on November 24th. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on December 2nd. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN on Thursday, December 10, 2020.

The members of the NCFAA are unveiling preseason watch lists over a 10-day period this month. Fourteen of the association’s 25 awards will present their preseason watch list during this time as the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates.