Story by Nick Kendall
Contributing writer
nkendall1@murraystate.edu
On Friday, June 26, the Augusta Sports Council named Murray State punter Steve Dawson to the inaugural FCS Punter of the Year Preseason Watchlist.
This is the first season for the award from the Council. Located in Augusta, Georgia, the council also awards the Ray Guy Award to the nation’s top FBS punters each year.
The preseason watchlist was chosen based on 2018 All-Americans, 2018 All-Conference selections, and conference nominations. Players were reviewed based on their eligibility and inclusion on their team’s 2019 roster.
The process of winning the FCS Punter of the Year starts in July when the watchlist is released, then at the end of November a committee will choose 10 finalists, a voting body will choose three finalists in December, a second round of voting will determine the winner who will be named in January.
Dawson, the Aussie who has only played American football for a year, has gone from virtually unknown to first-team All-OVC to Freshman All-America to preseason All-OVC and now finally to being named as one of the 28 best punters in the FCS.
Dawson averaged 42.1 yards on 54 punt attempts last season. In those 54 attempts, 16 pinned opponents inside their own 20 yard line and a league-high 10 went for 50 yards or more. His season-long punt of 66 yards came during the season-finale at Austin Peay.