COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger is one of 49 candidates named to the pre-season watch list for the 2022 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter in the FBS. The Augusta Sports Council created the award in 2000 and is named after the legendary punter for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.
The junior has been a two-year starter for the Gamecocks. He has averaged 43.1 yards per punt through his first two seasons, which ranks third on the school’s all-time career list behind only Joseph Charlton (45.5) and Sean Kelly (43.3).
Last season Kroeger booted 14 punts of 50 or more yards and 23 of his 59 punts landed inside the 20-yard line with just two touchbacks. He boomed a pair of punts of 70-plus yards, becoming the first Gamecock to accomplish that feat since 1984.
The 49 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) punters. The 2022 watch list was compiled based on the 2021 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist List, the top ten NCAA Punters from 2021, the 2021 All-Conference teams, the 2021 All-American Teams, the 2022 pre-season All-Conference Teams and eligible punters on the 2021 watchlist.
