Archie Wilson Named to Ray Guy Award Ray's 8 for Week 9

Saturday night against Washington hurt, Husker Faithful. But one guy did his job every single time he jogged onto the field.

Sophomore punter Archie Wilson was named to the Ray Guy Award Ray’s 8 for Week 9 on Monday. The list recognizes the top eight punters from the weekend’s games. It’s the second time this season Wilson has made it.

Five punts, zero returns

Wilson punted five times in the 17 to 10 loss to Washington and averaged 49.8 net yards. Four of the five landed inside the UW 20 yard line.

Every one of them went at least 40 yards, including a 59 yarder and a 60 yarder. Washington didn’t return a single one.

In a one-score game, that is five times he flipped the field and handed the defense a long one.

Second time on the list

Wilson first made the Ray’s 8 after the Indiana game in Week 6, when he averaged 57.3 yards per punt and hit a career-best 68 yarder.

For the season he’s averaging 45.1 yards per kick. That’s 21st nationally and third in the Big Ten. He’s put 14 of his 31 punts inside the opponent’s 20, and only four of the 31 have been returned.

That’s showing up in the team numbers too. Nebraska ranks 12th nationally in net punting at 43.4 yards per kick and 17th in punt return defense.

The rest of Week 9’s Ray’s 8

Wilson joins Jacob Carlson (Navy), Will Karoll (Texas Tech), Simon McClannan (Kansas State), Stewart McDonald (Missouri State), Harrison Tuck (Memphis), James Wagenseller (Army) and Tom Weston (Minnesota).

Next up

Nebraska heads to Illinois for a Friday night game on Nov. 6. Kickoff is 7 p.m. CT on FOX.

Three straight one-score losses means every yard of field position matters. Wilson keeps giving the Huskers those yards. Drop a reply and tell us: is he the most reliable guy on this roster right now?