Ohio State punter Jesse Mirco was named on Monday afternoon as one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, which is given annually to college football’s premier punter.
Mirco, a sophomore from Fremantle, Australia, has punted 39 times this season for an average of 45.5 yards, including a season-long 77-yarder in the 21-7 win at Northwestern on Nov. 5. Eleven of his punts have gone for 50 yards or more, while 19 have been downed inside the 20-yard line.
Mirco also has one rush this season, as he took a fake punt 22 yards – on his own accord – in the 49-10 win over Rutgers on Oct. 1, which set off a heated exchange between Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano.
Other semifinalists include Auburn’s Oscar Chapman, Cincinnati’s Mason Fletcher, Kansas State’s Ty Zentner, Miami (Fla.’s) Lou Hedley, Michigan State’s Bryce Baringer, Notre Dame’s Jon Sot, Oklahoma’s Michael Turk, Rutgers’ Adam Koreas and South Carolina’s Kai Kroeger.
Mirco is looking to become the just second Buckeye to win the award – which is named after former Mississippi State and Oakland Raiders punter Ray Guy, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 72 – joining former punter B.J. Sander in 2003.
Three finalists will be named on Nov. 29, while the winner will be revealed during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards show on Dec. 8. Former punter Cameron Johnston, who hails from the same program as Mirco (Prokick Australia) was Ohio State’s most recent finalist in 2016.
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