Perkins is Ray Guy Award semifinalist

AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University senior punter Tyler Perkins has been named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, announced on Nov. 14 by the Augusta Sports Council. Perkins was among 10 players selected from a field of 92 nominated candidates. The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding punter and is named after Ray Guy, an All-American for Southern Mississippi and a Pro Football Hall of Famer for the Oakland Raiders. The award winner is determined by a national selection committee of football writers, FBS college coaches, sports information directors, and past award winners. The award was established in 2000. Perkins, a 2022 St. Paul graduate, has had an impressive final season for the Cyclones (6-4, 3-4). He has punted 35 times in 10 games with a net average of 41.86 yards. Of his 35 punts, 17 have been inside the 20-yard line, and only four have been returned. Opponents have accumulated just 13 return yards against Perkins, the ninth-fewest nationally. He owns a touchback percentage of 2.8 percent, with just one of his 35 punts ending up in the end zone. A four-year starter, Perkins owns the best career punting average in school history at 43.5 yards per kick. The other nine semifinalists for the Guy Award include Brett Thorson (Georgia), Daniel Hughes (New Mexico), Dante Atton (Temple), Evan Crenshaw (Troy), Jackson Ross (Tennessee), James Rendell (Notre Dame), Luke Freer (Air Force), Nick Haberer (Vanderbilt), and Palmer Williams (Baylor). In his four-year career, Perkins has earned honorable mention All-Big 12 by the coaches in 2023 and Pro Football Network in 2022. He was second-team freshman All-American (The Athletic) and honorable mention freshman All-American (CFN) in 2022 and has been Academic Big 12 in 2023 and 2024. Perkins was also the Ray Guy Punter of the Week in 2023, and the accounting major has made the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll five times. Perkins also spent this season using his punts to donate toward the local Ames Food Bank for a second straight season. He donates $2 for every yard he averages in a game this season for the Cyclones. On top of his personal donations, people are invited to pledge various amounts and join Perkins with donations. Further, those who donate can do $10 for every punt downed by the Cyclones inside the opponent's 20-yard line or $25 for each punt downed inside the 10. There is also the option to donate $20 for every punt by Perkins that exceeds 50 yards. In 2024, Perkins used some of his Name, Image, and Likeness compensation with a partnership through Iowa-based RAYGUN Clothing. Supporters can buy ISU-colored "I cheer for the punter" shirts with Perkins' name and number on the back. Proceeds from the shirt sales go to the Ames (Iowa) Community School District's "Lunch Hero Program." The program adds money to students' lunch accounts that might be below zero dollars. Also last season, Perkins partnered with Healthy Birth Day, Inc.'s "Count the Kicks" initiative to also pledge money based on his punts. The program is dedicated to improving birth outcomes by educating expectant mothers on tracking fetal movements. On top of the punt pledge this season, Perkins also purchased new equipment for teams in the youth baseball program through the non-profit Friends of Des Moines Parks. When the son of Pete and Jennifer Perkins was a senior at St. Paul, he started a fundraiser that resulted in more than $3,000 donated to the Norwalk Area Food Bank. On the field at St. Paul, Perkins punted 24 times for 976 yards (40.7 average) in 12 games in 2021. He was All-Firelands Conference, OPSWA Northwest District, and All-Ohio first team at punter in Division VII in both 2020 and 2021. He also made eight field goals and was 72-of-79 on extra points over his final two seasons for the Flyers. Perkins will celebrate Senior Day this coming Saturday (Nov. 22) at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. The Cyclones are again bowl eligible. The most recent projections have ISU going to the Texas, Rate, or Liberty Bowl. Smith having big season NEW ORLEANS — Garrison Smith added to his impressive final collegiate season with four points on Nov. 15 in Florida Atlantic's 35-24 loss against host Tulane at Yulman Stadium. Smith, a 2021 Norwalk High School graduate, kicked a 25-yard field goal and an extra point in the loss for the Owls (4-6, 2-4). For the season, Smith is 14-of-16 on field goal attempts, with one miss from 30-39 yards and one from 40-49 yards. HIs season-long was from 48 yards. After Saturday's game, Smith is a perfect 30-for-30 on extra points this season. He has not missed a PAT since his sophomore year at Norwalk in 2018. Before graduate transferring to FAU, Smith previously kicked at McNeese State and Akron after spending a redshirt season at Ohio State. The Owls finish up their season at Connecticut on Nov. 22 and will host East Carolina on Nov. 29 in Boca Raton to wrap up American Athletic Conference play.