Now Isn't That Special?

Punter Dalton Botts and placekicker Jake Wieclaw, both of whom excelled as first-time starters with the Hurricanes in 2011, were named to national watch lists at their respective positions on Wednesday. Botts was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List, while Wieclaw earned placement on the Lou Groza Award Watch List. 

The Ray Guy Award honors the nation’s top collegiate punter, while the Lou Groza Award is presented to the nation’s top placekicker. Both accolades are coordinated by the National Football Awards Association.

Botts, who served as the Hurricanes’ punter in all 12 games last season as a junior, finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in punt average at 42.7 yards per punt. He booted a season-long 62-yarder in the season finale against Boston College and had one of his best games against then-No. 17 Ohio State with an average of 47.8 yards on four attempts. Originally from Taft, Calif., he had only three touchbacks in 48 attempts, with 11 kicks inside the 20 and 11 punts of at least 50 yards.

The Ray Guy Award was created by the Augusta Sports Council in 2000 to honor Thomson, Ga., native and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. The award winner is determined by a national voting body of sports writers, college coaches, sports information directors and past Ray Guy Award winners. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times a 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. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline, and have a positive impact on the team’s success. The Watch List includes 25 punters.

Wieclaw, a rising senior, converted on 11-of-14 field goals and all 29 extra point attempts in his first season as the starting placekicker to merit status as a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist in 2011. He did not miss a kick until the Hurricanes’ seventh game of the year and was named Special Teams MVP. The New Lenox, Ill., native nailed a game-winning field goal as time expired to defeat USF on the road, while successfully connecting on a season-long 43-yard boot in a victory at North Carolina. Wieclaw, who also handled kickoffs, limited opponents to an 18.6 yard kick return average for the year.

The 30 kickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List, presented by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, were chosen based on statistics from the 2011 season and 2012 expectations. The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although he was an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.

Semifinalists for both awards will be named later in the season, with the winners announced on December 6 during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Award Show live from Orlando, Florida. Click here for more information on the Ray Guy Award and here for further material on the Lou Groza Award.

Chris Freet
Associate AD for Communications & Marketing | University of Miami

Comments

[LB]

“Lb, I CHALLENGE U 2 not only count the stars on the rosters of all the championship teams this decade, but check the salaries of all the championship coaches this decade and see if any of them besides Coker had or have a salary under 2 million.”

Wow.

I understand you now. You like others to do the work for you. Not only have you dodged my question for the eighth time, but you pile on a challenge to boot. Dude, you’re the Imelda Marcos of Canespace.

I refuse to answer the second part of your “challenge” because I have already done so. Skreetz has done so. Sid Rosenberg has done so. Ohio Cane has done so. Hassan has done so. UpNorthCane has done so. The CEO has done so. The CEO does so at least once a month. I will not revisit that. You have conceded the point that coaching does matter without saying so.

Well done, you should be a politician.
In doing so, you acknowledge that your premise is weak. Now you’re trying to make a point I’ve already made well in advance and make it look like you made it. Not only is that lazy, but a bit deceitful.

Bad form.

You’ve spouted off baseless, emotionally charged nonsense instead of coming up with an answer. We all love the Canes here, but you don’t seem to get it. Miami was built on hard work, loyalty, and an unmatched ferocity on the field. You really think stars built this school? But you cleverly forgot about Miami and pointed out USC. Then when I informed you of USC, you’ve again changed your tactics and asked me to stargaze on “all of the championship teams this decade.” Meaning, you care more about high school players than you do about the Ibis.

“NO NEED 2 HATE ON EVERYONE ELSE CUZ WE SUKK!!!”

Folks are tired of this craziness, the head included.

“If U want to be completely miserable ALL of the time that is your choice, but PLEASE do not try to drag us down with U.”- The CEO

I’m the first to criticize when it’s warranted. Hell, Skreetz has acknowledged it and addressed my concerns (and I freaking appreciate it). I love Miami. It’s a part of my childhood and I’d be happy to write an article about it. Don’t ever question that. You’ve tried, but you can’t. I bleed orange and green. Apparently, you bleed starry night blue.

“EITHER YOU'RE HATER, OR A CONGRAGULATOR, THERE IS NO N BETWEEN.”
First of all, there is no such thing as a “congragulator.” I get what you’re trying to say, it’s all black and white. No it isn’t. Grow up.

Now you want more. You know that you’ll be proven wrong again and this is to avoid the inevitable. You’ll cheer for Alabama’s stars and forget that Mr. Badger wasn’t one of your beloved. You’ll cheer for the Tide and forget the Canes and Irish. You’ll try to find some pieces to make your brand new argument fit, but you won’t. You’re wrong, and you know you’re wrong. That’s why you’ve totally forgotten the initiating topic. Don’t remember? Let me save you the two mouse clicks since it’s apparent you won’t try unless it’s in your face. STARS DO NOT EQUAL TITLES.

I refuse to reward lazy people. So you will answer my question, and then I will cheerfully take your new and improved challenge. If you do not answer my question, avoid it, mock it, or otherwise… I’ve got a simple request.

Find another site. Extend us the courtesy and go somewhere else. No harm done.

Now will you answer my question, or leave?

[orange 'n green in the vein]

4-Real, you just brought up the fact that Bryce Brown didn't produce at the college level and got drafted. I pointed out that pick was roundly criticized and deservedly so.

Now you bring up three guys who actually produced in college as a counterpoint to me saying Reid is a questionable GM? Let's see, guy who struggled with conditioning his entire college career, guy who came off a major knee injury and should have used his redshirt but didn't want to share carries with Miller so he rushed himself back to play return man only, guy who struggled playing a new position and then almost ate his way out of the draft a year early . . . still not saying a lot about Reid's GM evaluations being very good. Of course, those picks were actually used at a decent position so they're defensible, Bryce however, doesn't fit that description and would have been around later.

[The What]

LB and Orange and Green. Great posts. I'm a cheerleader today and loved the your last few posts.

[Six]

Sly Stallone's son .. dead at 36 .. drug overdose

[4-Real]

In other words....U guys got nuthin. Lol

[4-Real]

Check out the big time offer list of this Chris Carson kid thats supposed 2 choose between Miami & big bad Indiana this Sunday.

[CGNC]

Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | July 13, 2012 at 04:42 PM

LOL I was thinking that today as I finished reading the Report at lunch - how about that Seasock psychologist or whatever he was. Yeah he was gunning for some PSU or Second Mile work. There is really no end to this and we may never know how high up this really goes. Their camelot has crashed and burned.

[CGNC]

OGV: Attorney General in PA was also receiving $$$$ from Second Mile Check it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji7UQhr3z3M

[hassan]

Six and i discussed this months back but the point is the 2nd mile rabbit hole is deeper then the 92 dream team and it goes all the way to the top. Our nation is run by satanic pedofiles....not lying. Most peoole have no clue the gov is no diff then the false hod worshipping egyptians and this kind of rapin kids n worshing false gods goes all the way back til then.... Nothing is as it seems, wake up from the matrix

[pre83]

It was definately worth it pre83 cuz they are still benefiting from the hype & hysteria they caused from the Bush era. If I'm not mistaken only 1 of the championship committees ( Ap & Bcs ) stripped USC of THEIR version of the title. But look at this way, we are about 2 get HIT & AIN'T WON S**T.!!

Posted by: 4-Real | July 13, 2012 at 11:00 AM

For real, 4-Real? Hype and hysteria. Bush is now in his 7th year and the NC they won was exactly one year after the U's loss to OSU and two years after the U's NC. What am I missing?

Even if you need a hysteria fix and and want to live off the NC that was stripped of them, be reminded that it was shortly after the AP title of 2003.

You can have the hysteria. I'll take legitimate rings.

You can have star ratings for soon-to-be players. I'll take players who have actually produced on the field when it's their time.

Sure, the U has not done much for nearly a decade, I'll grant you that. However, I am past being a fan like my 5 yr old and cheer for those w/ the coolest uniforms or those who are on the winning side of the equation - for the time being.

I am not crowning AG yet, but there is no arguing he excelled in many areas in only a year on the job. We will know soon enough if his plan translates to W's on the field.

[Montreal-Cane]

I can't believe Penn State is ranked among the top 15 for the 2013 recruiting class. Is it lack of jugement or intelligence from the parents or both???

[Concerned citizen]

Six and i discussed this months back but the point is the 2nd mile rabbit hole is deeper then the 92 dream team and it goes all the way to the top. Our nation is run by satanic pedofiles....not lying. Most peoole have no clue the gov is no diff then the false hod worshipping egyptians and this kind of rapin kids n worshing false gods goes all the way back til then.... Nothing is as it seems, wake up from the matrix

Posted by: hassan | July 14, 2012 at 01:04 AM

You are entitled to your opinion. Here's mine. You are a paranoid nut case.

This has nothing to do with liberals, conservatives, replubs, dems, etc. It has to do with someone (you) whose delusions are fed by hatred of the country he lives in. Truly, if you hate America so much, then move to a more compatible country before your hatred of this country leads you to do something that ends up on the news.

I can understand disagreeing with this administration, or prior ones. I may not agree, but I get liberal viewpoints, conservative, libertarian, even socialist ones.

Your viewpoint is based on on an immature delusional fantasy of some "secret" society of child molesters running this country. What's your solution? I shudder to think.

You need to be monitored frequently. I think you could pose problems down the line.

[SlingBlade]

well they decided to not take down the statue of paterno...instead they agreed to just turn it around so that it would be looking the other way...

[4-Real]

Morning Space!! Wake yall ded azzez up!

[SinisterCane]

Damm What did I miss lol

[86Cane]

Sling...very, very funny! Did U get the emails after all?

[86Cane]

You need to be monitored frequently. I think you could pose problems down the line.

Posted by: Concerned citizen | July 14, 2012 at 06:21 AM

I think U may be on to something here?

[CGNC]

well they decided to not take down the statue of paterno...instead they agreed to just turn it around so that it would be looking the other way...

Posted by: SlingBlade | July 14, 2012 at 07:29 AM

LOL!

[CaneRock]

Although I wouldn't go as far as Hassan, and say that the government is filled with pedos, I will say that "absolute power corrupts absolutely". These types of crimes have happened, and been covered up in our highest levels of government, see Mark Foley,Dennis Hastert, and Jim Kolbe. And Sally Hemings was 14 Y/O when Thomas Jefferson raped Her.

[86Cane]

NEW BLOG IS UP!