Courtesy of Boise State
BOISE, Idaho – Boise State punter James Ferguson-Reynolds and wide receiver Eric McAlister have each earned a national weekly award for their performances against Wyoming. Both players are being recognized for the third time by their respective groups.
The Augusta Sports Council announced Ferguson-Reynolds as one of Ray’s 8 by the Ray Guy Award. The Tyler Chamber and SPORTyler named McAlister to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention list.
Ray’s 8 honors eight punters weekly who had the best punting performance over the weekend. A fan vote will determine the winner of the weekly award.
In Saturday’s win over Wyoming, Ferguson-Reynolds punted three times for 156 yards, averaging 52.0 yards per punt. All three punts were downed inside the 10-yard line, including a 68-yard boot that was downed at the 3-yard line. This marked the sixth game this season he has averaged over 50.0 yards per punt. He has recorded a punt of 54 yards or longer in seven games this year.
A sophomore from Geelong, Australia, Ferguson-Reynolds leads the FBS with an average of 49.7 yards per punt. He was previously recognized on the Ray’s 8 list on Sept. 5 and Sept. 12. On Oct. 9, he was named Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week.
To vote for Ferguson-Reynolds as the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week, visit rayguyaward.com.
McAlister tallied 160 receiving yards and one touchdown on seven catches, matching his career-high for receptions. His touchdown came on a 49-yard reception during Boise State’s opening drive. He also had a 36-yard catch to set up a Bronco touchdown on the opening drive of the second half. He gained a first down or scored a touchdown on six receptions. All of his catches were for gains of 12 yards or more.
The redshirt sophomore is tied for first in the FBS with 11 contested catches. He ranks 10th nationally in receiving yards per game (98.5), the second-highest average in the Mountain West. He is also 10th in the FBS in yards per reception (20.2), which is the top number in the MW. He ranks 11th nationally and second in the Mountain West in receiving yards (788).
This is the third time McAlister has been named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention list this season. Boise State has had a player named to the list on six occasions this season, with Ashton Jeanty garnering honors twice and Taylen Green earning them once. On Monday, McAlister earned MW Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, announced in 2012 by the Tyler Chamber and SPORTyler, recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community, and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year D1 Texas college. McAlister is a product of Azle HS, located in his hometown of Azle, Texas.
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