The Paul Hornung Award is given to the Most Versatile Player in NCAA football. Among players to consider are Ace Sanders of South Carolina and Jordan Poyer of Oregon State. However, there are 48 players still on the watch list so the award is up for grabs in 2012.
The Ray Guy Award is given to Outstanding Punter in NCAA Football.
The previous winner was Ryan Allen of Louisiana Tech in Ruston, Louisiana.
2012 punting leaders are, once again, Ryan Allen and Kyle Christy of Florida.
Ryan Allen is averaging 48 yards per punt through 32 punts, with a long of 85 yards. Kyle Christy is averaging 47.8 yards per punt through 39 punts, but his long is 62 yards. The good news for Christy is that Allen is a senior, so he won’t be in the way next year.
The Lou Groza Award goes to the Outstanding Collegiate Place-Kicker.
Louisiana Tech’s Matt Nelson and Oregons’ Rob Beard head up the field for 2012.
Matt Nelson has missed only one of his 54 PAT attempts, and Rob Beard has missed none of his 55. If Beard continues to be perfect at the PAT’s, he should take this award home handily.
The Jim Thorpe Award is given to the Outstanding Defensive Back in the nation.
The previous winner was Morris Claiborne of the LSU Tigers.
This years’ most notable backs include Johnthan Banks of Mississippi State, Eric Reid of LSU, T.J. McDonald of USC, Matt Elam of Florida, Robert Lester of Alabama and David Amerson of North Carolina State).
The Dick Butkus Award goes to the Outstanding Linebacker in the NCAA.
While Arthur Brown of Kansas State, Jarvis Jones of Georgia and C.J. Mosley of Alabama all qualify as outstanding, Notre Dame Linebacker Manti Te’o has to be considered the front runner here. Te’o comes to bat with 80 total tackles and five interceptions. It’s just hard to give out a linebacker award to anyone else.
The Bronko Nagurski Award is given to the Defensive Player of the Year.
Last years’ winner was Luke Kuechly of Boston College.
In the running this year are Arthur Brown of Kansas State, Jarvis Jones of Georgia and C.J. Mosley of of Alabama, Johnthan Banks of Mississippi State, Eric Reid of LSU, T.J. McDonald of USC, Matt Elam of Florida plus Sam Montgomery (LSU). There are many deserving players from LSU, Alabama, Notre Dame and many other teams across the nation. May the best defender win!
Read Part I Here and Part III Here
