Jan. 14, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Walter Camp Football Foundation awarded the recipients of three major awards - Alumnus of the Year (Ray Guy), Man of the Year (Dick Butkus) and Distinguished American (Frank Broyles) at their annual banquet last Saturday night.

"We are extremely honored to recognize three outstanding human beings for these awards," Foundation president John Barbarotta said. "These three individuals have not only made their mark on the gridiron, but their accomplishments in a greater capacity make them worthy recipients."

The major award winners as well as the members of the 2007 Walter Camp All-America team - the 118th honored by the Foundation - were recognized at the organization's 41st annual national awards banquet on at the Yale University Commons in New Haven.

Alumnus of the Year - RAY GUY

The 2007 Walter Camp Alumnus of the Year is Ray Guy (Southern Miss). The nation's top collegiate punter at Southern Miss, Guy earned Walter Camp All-America honors in 1972.

The first pure punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, Guy went to play 14 seasons for the Oakland Raiders (1973-1986) and was the reason the term "hang-time" became used throughout the NFL. For his career, Guy averaged 42.4 yards per kick, and one had a streak of 619 punts without a block. He earned six straight Pro Bowl appearances (seven total) and played on three Super Bowl winners (1977, 1981 and 1984). In 1994, Guy was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and was a member of the 1970's All-Decade Team.

Guy is the co-founder of the Ray Guy Kicking Academy, based in Kentucky. In addition, The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's top punter by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. Criteria include total average yards per kick, net average yards per kick, number of times ball downed or out of bounds inside opponents' 20-yard line.

Guy joins a distinguished list of former "Alumni of the Year" winners, including Alan Page (Notre Dame), Archie Griffin (Ohio State), Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh), Herschel Walker (Georgia) and last year's recipient Mike Rozier (Nebraska).

The Walter Camp "Alumnus of the Year" award is bestowed on a worthy individual who has distinguished himself in the pursuit of excellence as an athlete, in his personal career and in doing good works for others. He must be an individual who has exhibited dedication and good moral conduct in achieving success. He must be a compassionate and unselfish person who contributes his time and assistance in helping to encourage and comfort fellow human beings less talented and less fortunate than himself. He must be an individual who takes pride in having been a Walter Camp All-American.