Gators' P Crawshaw Named Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week

A strong showing against UCF combined with a fan vote has led to Florida Gators veteran punter Jeremy Crawshaw being named the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week.

Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators punter Jeremy Crawshaw (26) punts the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESIVLLE, Fla.-- It took six weeks, but Florida Gators punter Jeremy Crawshaw was fan voted as Ray Guy Award’s Punter of the Week after being named among the eight finalists for the weekly award, the Augusta Sports Council revealed on Wednesday. 

Best in the country. 🎯

Jeremy Crawshaw has been named the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week! 🐊@jeremy_crawshaw | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/MyMRJdPwx4

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 9, 2024

Before being announced as the winner, he was initially named to the Ray Guy Award’s “Ray’s 8” for week six after his impressive display against the UCF Knights on Saturday. In this contest with the Knights, Crawshaw punted four times, in which three were inside the opponents 20-yard line, two for more than 50 yards and one on the UCF three-yard-line. 

"He's elite. If he's not the best punter in the country, I would like to see who is," said UF head coach Billy Napier on Monday. "And look, Jeremy is not only extremely talented. I've watched him improve, just the way he's developed just this year, the finer details, this guy grinds."

Crawshaw has punted 17 total times in five games this season and has amassed 777 total punt yards. This comes out to be an average of 45.71 yards per punt and ranks 27th in the country this season. And while this may not be the best in the country, the Australian native has been rock solid for the Gators throughout his career in Gainesville. 

He is in his fifth season and fourth as the starter. Furthermore, he set school records during the 2023 campaign. Crawshaw set career and single season program records in career average yards per punt with 46.7 and single-season yards per punt with 48.9. His season long output for the Gators in 2023 earned him AP All-SEC Second-Team at the end of the year. 

The Ray Guy Award began in 2000 as a way to honor Thomson, GA., native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy. Other Ray Guy Award’s Punter of the Week include Florida State’s Alex Mastromanno, Penn State’s Riley Thompson, Alabama’s James Burnip, Iowa’s Rhys Dakin and NC State’s Caden Noonkester.

On Monday, Napier spoke highly of his three specialists in Crawshaw, kicker Trey Smack and long-snapper Rocco Underwood.

"Specialists can be the difference. Nobody wants to talk about it until you don't have one We happen to have three of the absolute best in the country. All three of our specialists are Alphas," he said."