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Sakoda Named Top-Ten Semifinalist for Ray Guy Award
Utah junior leads MWC with a 44.2 yard average.
Nov. 1, 2007 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Utah junior Louie Sakoda has been recognized as a top 10 semifinalist for the 2007 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation's top Football Bowl Subdivision punter.Sakoda, who has been named a semifinalist twice in as many years, currently leads the Mountain West Conference with a 44.2 punt average (11th in the nation). The San Jose, Calif. native has 18 of his 49 punts this season inside the 20-yard line, and six have landed inside the 6-yard line. So far this season, Sakoda has nailed 11 punts 50 yards or more, including three which have gone beyond 60 yards. As a junior, Sakoda currently ranks 15th in the nation among active players in career punt yards (6,768) and is averaging 41.78 yards per punt for his career. Awarded to the nation's top punter each season, the Ray Guy is determined by a national selection committee made up of sportswriters, college football coaches, sports information directors and past Ray Guy winners. Among the statistics used to identify the Ray Guy Award winner are total yardage punted, number of times a punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, net average, average returned yardage, and percentage of punts not returned. It is also of importance for the award winner to display team leadership, self-discipline, and to have a positive impact on the team's success. The national voting body for the Ray Guy Award will vote for the top three finalists who will be announced at the end of November. The award will be presented live on ESPN December 6 during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show and in conjunction with the Sports Council's Greater Augusta Medals of Excellence in Sports Program.
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