Ryan Eckley Named to Ray Guy Award Watch List
8/1/2025 1:50:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – For the second consecutive year, Michigan State redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley has been named to the preseason Ray Guy Award Watch List.
The Augusta Sports Council released its annual watch list for the award on Friday, which annually honors the nation's top collegiate punter in the FBS.
Eckley, who was named a second-team preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, led the Big Ten and ranked among the national leaders last season with his 47.9-yard average, which tied for the third-best average in MSU single-season history. The Lithia, Florida, native has earned second-team All-Big Ten honors the past two seasons. He also ranked second in the Big Ten with 20 punts of 50-plus yards.
As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Eckley garnered Freshman All-America accolades after ranking second in the Big Ten and eighth in the FBS with his 46.8-yard punting average. In addition, he ranked second in the Big Ten in 50-plus yard punts (24) and fourth in punts inside the 20 (23). He was added to the midseason Ray Guy Award Watch List in 2023 during his first season as a starter.
A two-year letterwinner, Eckley has a career punting average of 47.2 yards per punt (99 punts for 4,677 yards), which would rank No. 1 in school history (current record: Bryce Baringer, 46.0 avg.). Eckley has booted 44 punts 50-plus yards (44 percent) and also has five career punts of 60-plus yards.
About the Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia, native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner are net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline, and have a positive impact on the team's success.
The complete list of candidates for the 2025 Ray Guy Award will be released on Nov. 5, and in mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the 10 semifinalists. A national body of FBS sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists to be announced in late November. 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 in December 2025.
The Augusta Sports Council released its annual watch list for the award on Friday, which annually honors the nation's top collegiate punter in the FBS.
Eckley, who was named a second-team preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, led the Big Ten and ranked among the national leaders last season with his 47.9-yard average, which tied for the third-best average in MSU single-season history. The Lithia, Florida, native has earned second-team All-Big Ten honors the past two seasons. He also ranked second in the Big Ten with 20 punts of 50-plus yards.
As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Eckley garnered Freshman All-America accolades after ranking second in the Big Ten and eighth in the FBS with his 46.8-yard punting average. In addition, he ranked second in the Big Ten in 50-plus yard punts (24) and fourth in punts inside the 20 (23). He was added to the midseason Ray Guy Award Watch List in 2023 during his first season as a starter.
A two-year letterwinner, Eckley has a career punting average of 47.2 yards per punt (99 punts for 4,677 yards), which would rank No. 1 in school history (current record: Bryce Baringer, 46.0 avg.). Eckley has booted 44 punts 50-plus yards (44 percent) and also has five career punts of 60-plus yards.
About the Ray Guy Award
The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia, native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner are net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line, and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline, and have a positive impact on the team's success.
The complete list of candidates for the 2025 Ray Guy Award will be released on Nov. 5, and in mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the 10 semifinalists. A national body of FBS sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists to be announced in late November. 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 in December 2025.
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