Indiana Punter James Evans Named To Ray Guy Watch List

Senior is Hoosiers’ all-time greatest punter by average

James Evans punts in an Indiana football game in 2022 at Memorial Stadium. / Indiana athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana’s all-time greatest statistical punter, James Evans, was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list on Friday.

The Augusta Sports Council announced the watch list. Evans, a senior, is one of 34 candidates for the award which goes to the best punter in college football.

The initial list is comprised of eligible 2023 award semifinalists, top 10 NCAA punters from 2023 as well as preseason and previous season all-conference and All-America teams.

Statistically, Evans had the greatest season any Indiana punter has had in 2023. His 45.8 yards per punt average in 2023 put him well past previous record holder Drew Hagan, who averaged 44.8 yards in 1999.

His 2023 campaign helped make Evans Indiana’s best all-time punter with a career average of 43.9 yards. He has a significant advantage over second-place Alan Sutkowski, who averaged 42.5 yards from 1995-97.

Evans, who hails from Auckland, New Zealand, had 22 punts that averaged over 50 yards, including a 70-yard punt against Rutgers. His average ranked third in the Big Ten and 15th nationally.

His net average of 41 yards per punt averaged 27th nationally. Evans has also been adept at placing his punts. In 2022, he was third nationally with 13 punts downed inside the 10 and also third with 30 punts placed inside the 20-yard line.

Evans is prolific with 201 career punts, the fifth punter in Indiana history to top the career 200-punt mark.

Evans is the second Indiana football player to be named to a preseason watch list. Tight end James Bomba was named as an AFCA Good Works Team Nominee and was also tabbed for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.