Indiana Football’s Evans Named One of Ray’s 8 After Week 1

IU Athletics Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After one of the best punting performances in program history in the season opener, junior punter James Evans was selected as one of Ray’s 8 by the Ray Guy Award on Monday (Sept. 4).

Against Ohio State in Week 1, Evans punted six times for an average of 54.2 yards per punt, a total that ranks No. 3 all-time on the single game charts. That total sits No. 3 nationally after Week 1 and his net average (48.5 ypp) ranks No. 7 in the FBS. He downed one punt inside the opponents 20-yard line with a long punt of 60 yards.

Evans currently holds the program's all-time punting average mark at 43.6 yards and finished No. 2 on the single-season punt average charts (44.3) in 2022, tied with Jim DiGullio (1992). In his career, Evans has 17 career punts inside the 10-yard line and 44 downed inside the 20-yard line.

The Auckland, New Zealand, native is also a preseason candidate for the Ray Guy Award, created by the Augusta Sports Council in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia, native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times 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 with particular emphasis placed on net punting average. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline and have a positive impact on the team's success.