Fresno State punter Blake Cusick, a key component to a defense that is leading the Mountain West Conference and tied for fifth in the nation in points allowed, was selected on Thursday as a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award.
Cusick this season has dropped 55.8 percent of his punts (24 of 43) inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, pinning them deep on their side of the field on short-, medium- and long-range kicks, which is the highest percentage among the 10 semifinalists for the award presented to the top college punter in the nation.
With long fields, opponents have had little chance against a Bulldogs’ defense that goes into a game on Saturday against San Diego State with a division title in the Mountain West Conference there for the taking and this season has allowed only 15 touchdowns and 13.