FORT COLLINS — Once again, Hayden Hunt is second team, but this time it is on a much bigger scale.
The Colorado State junior punter, who was named second-team all-Mountain West, was selected Tuesday as second-team All-American by USA Today. First-team honors went to Utah’s Tom Hackett. Both are Ray Guy Award finalists, with the winner announced on Thursday. The third finalist was Michael Carrizosa of San Jose State, who was named first-team all-MW last week. Hackett won the Ray Guy Award last year.
Hunt led the Mountain West in punting with a 46.3-yard average as CSU led the conference in net punting at 42.3. He has had just one touchback this season, with 17 fair catches, as 23 of his 50 attempts were placed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
Hunt was one of two Mountain West players to be named by USA Today, which also tabbed San Diego State safety Damontae Kazee as a second-team selection.
Hunt, who will travel Wednesday for the Ray Guy Award announcement in Atlanta, is the second Ram in two years to be named an All-American by any organization. Last season, receiver Rashard Higgins was a consensus All-American, a distinction earned by being named first-team by at least three of the five recognized organizations — The Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News, the American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
