Punter Michael Dickson Wins Ray Guy Award at Atlanta Ceremony
On Sep. 25, 2015, freshman punter Michael Dickson hit rock bottom. With under a minute left in a tie game against Oklahoma State at DKR–Texas Memorial Stadium, all the Aussie had to do was get off a good punt and hope for overtime. No luck. Dickson flubbed the snap and shanked the kick, which only traveled 10 yards. The Cowboys kicked an easy field goal to win in regulation, stunning Longhorn fans as the team fell to 1-3.
He’s come a long way since then.
On Thursday night, at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, Dickson became Texas’ first-ever recipient of the Ray Guy Award, given annually since 2000 to the best punter in college football. He edged out Alabama’s J.K. Scott and Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky, the 2016 winner. Dickson was a finalist last season.
His coach, who still jokingly refers to him as The Punter, said he was “really proud” of Dickson.
“You don’t know how big a weapon that position can be until you have a great one like him,” Tom Herman said. “I fully attribute a lot of our defensive success to him and his ability to create long fields.
The Sydney, Australia, native led the nation with an average of 48.4 yards per punt this season, which would be good for fifth in the NFL. Dickson, a junior, has not decided if he’ll forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
“I’m still thinking about it every day,” Dickson said earlier this week. “It’s kind of dominating my thoughts at the moment.”
He continued, “I remember when I came in on my official visit and they asked me where I wanted to go with punting, and I said I wanted to go to the NFL,” he said. “That was always the end goal. But I always set little goals in between—get this average, do this, be the best in the Big 12. If I could eventually be there, my goal is to stay there 10 years if I want.” Regardless, Dickson says he will play in the Texas Bowl against Missouri on Dec. 27.
No punters were drafted in 2017, though three were taken the year prior, and at least one was selected in every draft from 1999 until then. If Dickson decides to go pro, he’ll more than likely reinvigorate that tradition.
Photo courtesy Texas Athletics
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