Nov. 13, 2015
Augusta, Ga.----- As one of the top players in the country for individual punting average this season, San Jose State University's Michael Carrizosa is one of 10 semifinalists for the 2015 Ray Guy Award.
Named after the Pro Football Hall of Fame punter, the award recognizes the top punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I football.
From a field of 79 candidates to the 10 semifinalists, Carrizosa heads into the November 14 game at the University of Nevada ranked second nationally with 47.8 yards per punt average. He has five punts this season of 60 or more yards including a career long of 73 yards at Air Force on September 12 -- the seventh longest punt in San Jose State history.
For eight weeks through October 31, he was the national leader in individual punting average. One of the most improved punters in the country, his current average is 10.7 yards than in 2014 when he averaged 37.1 yards a punt.
Carrizosa's improved punting also helped San Jose State rank among the top three teams nationally in net punting (yards punted minus return yardage and touchbacks) since the third week of the season. The Spartans enter this weekend's game ranked third with a 42.21 yards per punt average.
Three finalists will be named on November 24. The winner of the 2015 Ray Guy Award will be announced on ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards show, Thursday, December 10, and honored in January 2016 at the Ray Guy Award Celebration in Augusta, Ga.
Carrizosa, a sophomore from Salinas, Calif., is the first San Jose State player to be named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award.