COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M junior punter Braden Mann captured the Southeastern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week and Ray’s 8 honors from the Ray Guy Award for the second straight week after helping Texas A&M top No. 13 Kentucky in overtime at Kyle Field Saturday evening.
Mann, a native of Houston, booted five punts for 298 yards, an average of 59.6, including an 82-yard screamer and had a pair of kicks downed inside the 20 yard line against the Wildcats. The 82-yarder against Kentucky is the longest punt this season in FBS and the third longest in Texas A&M history. The Cypress-Fairbanks High School product has helped the Aggies pace the country in punting and net punting average.
He is on pace to rewrite the A&M record book this season as he is averaging 54.9 yards per punt, over seven yards better than the current record held by Drew Kaser at 47.5 yards per kick in the 2015 season. In addition to his punting duties Mann handles kickoffs for the Aggies, he has recorded 29 touchbacks on 38 kicks and averages 64.7 yards boot, good for seventh in the country.
Mann became the first Aggie to earn SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors on more than one occasion; joining Dustin Harris (Sept. 22, 2012), Christian Kirk (Sept. 26, 2015), Taylor Bertolet (Nov. 21, 2015), Daniel LaCamera (Oct. 16, 2017) and Mann (Oct. 1, 2018) in the SEC annals.
Additionally, Mann was named to the Ray’s 8 list by the Ray Guy Award for the second straight week after his effort against the top-15 Wildcats. Fans are encouraged to tweet at the @RayGuyAward supporting Mann for the Ray Guy Punter of the Week award that is announced on Wednesday.
