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Melbourne native Lachlan Carrigan named to Ray Guy Award watch list for USC
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- Melbourne native Lachlan Carrigan named to Ray Guy Award watch list for USC
LOS ANGELES — USC punter Lachlan Carrigan, a native of Melbourne, Australia, has emerged as one of the top punters in college football this season, earning a spot on the Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List announced Thursday.
Carrigan, who grew up in Melbourne before making his way to Southern California, has become a valuable weapon for the Trojans with his ability to flip field position and pin opponents deep in their own territory.
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The Ray Guy Award, named after the legendary NFL punter and Pro Football Hall of Famer, is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Carrigan is averaging an impressive 48.7 yards on 17 punts this season, a mark that would rank fifth nationally among qualifying punters. However, he does not meet the NCAA leaderboard's minimum requirement of 3.6 punts per game, largely because USC's offense has limited his opportunities.
Despite the relatively small number of punts, Carrigan has made the most of his chances.
Eight of his 17 punts have traveled at least 50 yards, while six have been downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Five have landed at or inside the 10-yard line, including three at or inside the 5.
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One of his most impressive kicks came against Washington, when he pinned the Huskies at their own 1-yard line, giving USC's defense an opportunity to capitalize on favorable field position.
Carrigan has averaged at least 50 yards per punt in three games this season, including a season-best 56.0 yards against Rutgers. He also averaged 52.5 yards against Penn State and 50.0 yards against Louisiana.
His combination of distance, accuracy and consistency has made him an important part of USC's special teams unit as the Trojans continue their push toward the College Football Playoff.
In addition to his punting responsibilities, Carrigan serves as USC's holder on field goals and extra-point attempts, giving him another important role in the Trojans' kicking game.
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The Melbourne native is among a growing number of Australian athletes making an impact in American college football, particularly at the punter position. Australia's Australian rules football tradition has helped produce numerous successful college and NFL punters, with players often bringing powerful kicking legs and experience handling the football under pressure.
Carrigan's inclusion on the Ray Guy Award watch list puts him in contention for one of college football's most prestigious individual honors for specialists.
Candidates were evaluated based on their overall statistics, with particular emphasis on net punting average, percentage of punts placed inside the 20-yard line and percentage of punts that were not returned.
The Ray Guy Award Committee will select 10 semifinalists, who will be announced Nov. 13.
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From there, a national voting body consisting of FBS sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will select three finalists.
The winner will be announced Dec. 11 during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
For Carrigan, the recognition represents another milestone in a football journey that began more than 8,000 miles away in Melbourne and has brought him to one of college football's most recognizable programs.
