For the second time this week, a member of the Kansas University football program landed on a national watch list for the annual college football awards handed out at the end of every season.
Junior punter Ron Doherty on Wednesday became one of 25 punters named to the Ray Guy Award Preseason watch list, joining senior tight end Mike Ragone, who on Tuesday, was named to the Mackey Award watch list, given each year to the nation’s top tight end.
Doherty, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound kicker from Klein, Texas, finished the 2011 season third in the Big 12 and 27th in the country with a 42.8-yard punting average. He had 13 punts of 50 yards or more during the 2011 season and dropped 15 of his punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
In his first full season as the team’s punter, Doherty earned All-Big 12 honorable mention from the Associated Press, as well as the conference’s coaches.
Doherty was listed as the team’s No. 1 punter on KU’s spring depth chart and also is in the running for KU’s starting place-kicker duties. KU coach Charlie Weis said this summer that, regardless of how the races for playing time play out, Doherty definitely would be used in at least one of the three kicking areas — punts, kickoffs and field goals.
KU’s next depth chart is slated for release on Aug. 1, and the season opener is scheduled for Sept. 1 against South Dakota State.
