Few, if any, do their job as effectively and as consistently as Tory Taylor does for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Week in and week out, you can count on the Aussie to not only launch long punts, but place them with precision and accuracy.
After being snubbed following the 2022 college football season, Taylor finds himself back on the radar of the Ray Guy Award. He has been named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List. The award is given out annually to the nation’s most outstanding punter.
Tory ➡️ Ray Guy Award Watch List#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/p1HVZqZ2cX
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) August 2, 2023
The Melbourne, Australia, native chose to come back to Iowa for another season to stake his claim as the best punter in the country. Or, in the mind of some, defend that title. Last season saw Taylor act as a true weapon for the Hawkeyes and give the defense long fields to work with time and time again.
During 2022, Taylor averaged 45.4 yards per punt. He had a long of 70 yards and put 38 of his punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. That is 46.3% of his punts being downed deep in the opponent’s territory.
Adam Korsak of Rutgers took home the Ray Guy Award last season. Other namely winners include Matt Araiza of San Diego State in 2021 and Michael Dickson of Texas in 2017.
Tory Taylor will get his chance to show off his leg when Iowa opens up on Sept. 2 against Utah State inside Kinnick Stadium. Although, some may say that the less Iowa needs to utilize Taylor, the better.
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