Maryland punter Wade Lees named to Ray Guy Award watch list

Maryland’s Wade Lees was one of 28 punters named to the Ray Guy Award watch list for the nation’s top punter Wednesday.

It’s the second consecutive appearance on the watch list for Lees, a 30-year-old junior. He’s made all 25 starts in his Maryland career, and last season averaged 39.2 yards per punt on 64 attempts. His strength lies in pinning the opposing team deep, as he placed 17 punts inside the opposing 20-yard line and only had two touchbacks. As a freshman in 2016, he had only one touchback on 72 punts.

Ten semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award will be announced Nov. 15, with the finalists revealed Nov. 20. The award will be given during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN on Dec. 6.

In other news

We continued Linebackers Week with Tre Watson, a grad transfer who should be the veteran this position group needs.

At Big Ten Media Days, DJ Durkin expressed confidence in Maryland’s safety procedures despite the death of Jordan McNair last month. An attorney representing McNair’s family doesn’t share that confidence.

Former Maryland pitcher Brian Shaffer was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks farm system to the Tampa Bay Rays organization, which also includes former Terps Brandon Lowe and Adam Kolarek (who’s currently on the big-league roster).

Keep voting for the best power forward in Maryland history. Buck Williams holds a convincing lead. (Yes, we screwed up a few other things on this list and in the series. We’ll find a way to make up for it.)