12/8/2022 football Edit

Adam Korsak finally wins the Ray Guy Award as the nation's top punter

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

Finally.

After being snubbed last year, Rutgers punter Adam Korsak was named the winner of the 2022 Ray Guy Award which is given to college football's best punter in the nation.

Korsak was announced as the winner at the College Football Award Show on Thursday night at ESPN presented by the National Football Awards Association. Korsak beat out Cincinnati's Mason Fletcher and Michigan State's Bryce Baringer.

GET TKR PREMIUM FREE FOR 30 DAYS — CLICK HERE FOR MORE

A finalist last year and semifinalist in 2019 for the award, Korsak was an eight-time Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week in his career and twice this past season. He averaged a net punt of 51.2 yards with a 77-yard boot against Minnesota. That was after downing four punts inside the 20 with a 66-yard attempt and -5 return yards against Indiana.

Korsak also held Michigan to -2 return yards, had a long of 53 yards on 10 punts at Maryland, was named to the Ray's 8 for the seventh time after placing 3-of-5 punts inside the 20 with a long of 54 at Michigan State, and pinned five attempts inside the 20 against Nebraska. The Melbourne, Australia native also had a net punt of 45.8 yards with a muff at Ohio State, pinned two inside the 20 versus Iowa, netted 43.2 yards with zero return yards at Temple, and had three boots inside the 20 with no return yards against at Boston College.

Rutgers led nation with -11 punt return yards allowed -- the only school in the negative -- which in this case is a positive.

A three-time captain, Korsak broke two NCAA records this fall for career total punts and total career yardage. He tallied 75 punts for 3,297 yards while averaging 43.96 yards. His longest punt was the 77-yarder.

"It shows how many great opportunities I've had to punt and opportunities I've had to play for Rutgers and the boys and the coaching staff," Korsak said. "Over a long period time it was about consistency from a positive perspective."

He finished his time with the Scarlet Knights with 349 punts for 15,318 yards as well. His longest punt went for 79 yards in 2018 versus Northwestern with an average of 43.86 yards per punt.

After the season, he was invited to the Reese's Senior Bowl. He was voted Second Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and to the Third Team by the media and Pro Football Focus as well.

In 2021, he broke the school record fourth-straight year and helped set an NCAA record with a net punt of 45.25.