The Augusta Sports Council named Illinois senior P Blake Hayes to the Ray Guy Award watch list. Hayes is on the preseason watch list for a second consecutive season.
The Ray Guy Award
The Ray Guy is given annually to the nation's top collegiate punter. The statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, average returned yardage and percentage of punts not returned with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must also display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team's success.
- Last Three winners: Pressley Harvin III (Georgia Tech), Max Duffy (Kentucky), Braden Mann (Texas A&M)
Blake Hayes | Ray Guy Award Watch List
- Illinois all-time career ranks: punting average (2nd, 43.4), total punts (1st, 258), punt yards (1st, 11,207), punts inside the 20 (1st, 91)
- Illinois all-time single-season ranks: punting average (3rd, 6th, 7th), punting average (1st, 5th), fewest touchbacks (1st, 2nd, 2nd, 8th), lowest touchback percentage (1st, 2nd, 2nd), punts inside the 20 (1st, 3rd, 4th), punts inside the 20 percentage (1st, 3rd, 5th, 9th), 50+ yard punts (1st, 8th, 10th)
- 2019 Big Ten Punter of the Year
- No. 5 NFL Draft punting prospect in the nation by Mel Kiper
- 2021 PFF Preseason All-Big Ten second team
- 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten third team
- 2021 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten third team
- Current SAAC Vice President
- 2020 All-Big Ten third team (media)
- 2020 All-Big Ten honorable mention (coaches)
- Illinois leader in career punting yardage (11,207)
- 42 punts 1838 yards (43.76 yards/punt), 16 inside the 20, nine of 50+ yards, only one touchback last season
- Second on Illinois' career punting average list (43.4 ypp)
- Illinois' leader in career punts (258)
- Sixth-best single season punting average in Illinois history (43.8)
- Averaged 17 yards per carry after two successful fake punts at Nebraska 11/21/20 and at Northwestern 12/12/20
Illini On Watch Lists (as of July 28)
