SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State senior specialist Jack Browning landed on a pair of 2023 national watch lists, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Wednesday morning. Browning made the Ray Guy Award Watch List, which goes out to the best collegiate punter, and the Lou Groza Award Watch List for the top placekicker.
Browning is the only player in the country to make both watch lists.
Taking over for 2021 Ray Guy Award winner Matt Araiza, Browning had an impressive 2022 for the Aztecs as the team's punter, kicker and kickoff specialist. Browning punted 68 times for 3,135 yards (46.1 avg.) with a long of 63 yards, and made 20 of 25 field goal attempts (80.0 pct.) with a long of 52 yards and all 30 PATs en route to being named a second-team Pro Football Focus All-American and an honorable-mention College Football Network All-American, both at punter. Additionally, Browning was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year by the league's head coaches and media, SDSU's second straight punter to win the award and fifth winner over the last eight seasons (since 2015).
Out of Browning's 68 punts, 28 landed inside the 20-yard line, including 14 inside the 10 and six inside the 5, owning a 42.3 net punt average. He also kicked off 59 times for 3,784 yards (64.1 avg.) with 37 touchbacks, and had two designed rushes for 59 yards (29.5 avg.) on a pair of fake punts, the first going for 26 yards and the second for 33 yards. According to Pro Football Focus, Browning had the second-best punt grade (84.4) in the country. He ranked third in SDSU single-season history in punt average (46.10), tied for third in field goals (20) and tied for seventh in field goal percentage (80.0). Among the FBS leaders, Browning tied for the lead in PAT percentage (100.00), and was sixth in punt average (46.1, 1st in MW), tied for sixth in punts inside the 20-yard line (28, 1st in MW), eighth in kickoff average (64.14, 1st in MW) and total punt yards (3,145, 3rd in MW), 12th in net punt average (42.3, 1st in MW), tied for 12th in field goal attempts per game (1.92, T-1st in MW), tied for 14th in field goal attempts (25, T-2nd in MW), 16th in punt yards per game (241.92, 3rd in MW), tied for 16th in total punts (68, 3rd in MW) and field goals made (20, 3rd in MW), and tied for 17th in field goals per game (1.54, T-3rd in MW) and punts per game (5.25, 4th in MW).
Browning has racked up numerous preseason awards this season, including a first-team All-American at punter by Sports Info Solutions, the MW Special Teams Player of the Year by the league's media, and a first-team all-MW pick at punter by the league media, Pro Football Focus, Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports, Lindy's Sports and Sports Info Solutions. At kicker, he's a preseason third-team selection by Pro Football Focus, Phil Steele Magazine and Athlon Sports.
Browning is one of 50 punters on the initial watch list for the Ray Guy Award. The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor 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.
The complete list of candidates will be released on Nov. 6 with the 10 semifinalists announced on Nov. 10. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top-3 finalists to be released on Nov. 22. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation's top punter with the winner being announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December.
Browning is one of 30 placekickers on the Lou Groza Award Watch List, including one of six from the MW, the most among any conference. The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou "The Toe" Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker.
Accomplishments will be tabulated throughout the season and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Nov. 9. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers will select three finalists for the award, which will be announced on Nov. 28 with the winner revealed live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December.
SDSU finished the 2022 season with a 7-6 record and its streak of 13 consecutive years without a losing season is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
Five of San Diego State's first six games will be against teams that made a bowl game in 2022, including four 10-win programs in Ohio (10-4), Oregon State (10-3), Boise State (10-4) and Air Force (10-3), along with UCLA (9-4).
The Aztecs kick off their season on Aug. 26 against Ohio at Snapdragon Stadium.
Aztecs on National Watch Lists (recognized by the FWAA)
Aug. 1 - OL Cade Bennett (Outland Trophy for top interior lineman)
Aug. 1 - LB Cody Moon (Bronko Nagurski Award for top defensive player)
Aug. 2 - P Jack Browning (Ray Guy Award for best collegiate punter)
Aug. 2 - K Jack Browning (Lou Groza Award for top placekicker)
Browning Named to Watch Lists at Punter and Kicker
