UGASports.com's Top Four Bulldog Punters

A year ago, we delivered our “Counting the Days” series (an example with 24 days remaining until the season kicks off). This summer, we explore a topic that has been debated on The Dawgvent for years and years. Twice a week leading up to the season opener, we will post the UGA’s Mount Rushmore of… series, whereby we each present our opinion of the top four Bulldogs representing each positional unit. Whether statistics, big plays, championships won, and/or something else, we have our reasons why these quartets of Bulldogs have been chosen.

Do you agree with our Mount Rushmore of UGA Punters? Who would you put on your list?

Dave McMahon—Twitter @dave_mc_stats

Drew Butler (2008-11): During the last two decades, Georgia has had some punters that made some big kicks, including Dax Langley, Jonathan Kilgo and Gordon Ely-Kelso. Still, the punter who was likely the best of them all was Drew Butler. The Butler family is the first father-and-son act to be on my Mount Rushmore Top-Four list. As a sophomore in 2009, the younger Butler was Georgia’s first true punter to be named All-American. That same year, he also won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best punter averaging 48.1 yards per punt, which was more than two yards more than any other punter in the nation, and remains the highest by a Bulldog in school history. Butler is also the school’s career leader in punting average at 45.4 yards per boot, while he produced three of the top five single-season punting averages in school history.

Cris Carpenter (1985-86): One of the best two-sport stars in Georgia history, Cris Carpenter won 22 career games for the Diamond Dawgs and was a first round MLB draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals. In the majors, he had 27 career wins mostly pitching in middle relief. But, Carpenter also held his own as a football player at Georgia. He was the first punter to receive a scholarship at the school and was named All-SEC in 1986 by averaging over 44 yards per kick. Carpenter’s 42.8 career punting average is tied for fourth all time at Georgia.

Spike Jones (1967-69): While there are several famous Spike Jones and Spike Jonze in entertainment history, the Bulldogs’ Spike Jones is pretty well known to die-hard Dawg fans. John Amos “Spike” Jones was a two-time All-SEC punter and led the conference in 1969 with a 43.5-yard punting average. For his three-year career, he averaged 41.5 yards per punt. As a sophomore in 1967 against Auburn, Jones had an 87-yard punt, which still stands as the longest punt in school history. By the way, in being selected here, Spike received bonus points for having one of the most appropriate names for a Bulldog (or volleyball player).

Bobby Walden (1958-60): Whereas Kevin Butler is the Bulldog placekicker who had the best-combined college and pro career, Bobby Walden is the Georgia player with the top punting career. In 1958—his first season on the Bulldog varsity—Walden led the nation with a 45.3-yard punting average. In my opinion, he would’ve won the Ray Guy Award that season if there was such a thing then, as it’d be another 40-plus years until the inception of the honor. Walden’s 42.82 yards per punt for a career ranks fourth all time in Georgia history, just before the aforementioned Carpenter (42.77). Currently having both the third and tenth-best, Walden is the only Bulldog besides Drew Butler to appear twice or more on the school’s list of the top-10 highest single-season punting averages. After leaving Georgia, he played three seasons in the CFL and then was an NFL punter for 14 seasons. After punting for the Minnesota Vikings, Walden was a Pittsburgh Steeler for ten seasons, winning three Super Bowl rings. He is a member of the Steelers’ All-Time Team.

Patrick Garbin—Twitter @PatrickGarbin

Zeke Bratkowski (1951-1953): A good portion of Georgia enthusiasts are likely familiar with Zeke Bratkowski as a legendary Bulldog quarterback—in fact, the NCAA’s all-time leading career passer at one point. However, few are probably aware that he was just as good a punter as under center. As a senior in 1953, the “Brat” not only was second in the NCAA in passing (at the time, determined by completions per game) but remarkably ranked first in the country with a 42.6-yard punting average. Still, because of a combined 38.6 punting average in 1951 and 1952, Bratkowski’s career average is 39.8—what seems substandard by today’s measures. Nonetheless, as I mentioned in my top-four placekickers piece, comparing statistics from different eras is often an unfair assessment. From 1951 through 1953, NCAA football in its entirety averaged 35.8 yards per punt; therefore, Bratkowski’s 39.8 average was actually an impressive four yards better than what all of college football averaged during his time at Georgia. Of the 25 Bulldogs in history with at least 75 career punts, the top five in regards to their punting average compared to the NCAA average when each punted for Georgia:

Bobby Walden (1958-1960): Not only does Bobby Walden rank atop—and rather easily—my table above, but of the seven times a Bulldog has ranked among the nation’s top 10 in punting for a single season, he is the only one to do so twice: ranking first in 1958 and second in 1960. And, the one season he didn’t rank in the top 10, as a junior in 1959, Walden still had a better than a 40-yard average, and was selected Second Team All-SEC as Georgia’s starting left halfback. Notably, like Bratkowski, Walden was skilled beyond punting. For his Georgia career, he gained nearly 300 yards rushing, receiving, and on kickoff returns. Walden also scored four touchdowns and even completed two passes, including a 14-yard touchdown on a halfback pass to help defeat Florida 21-10 in 1959.

Chip Andrews (1983-1984): Chip Andrews’ career 43.2 punting average ranks second all time at Georgia, trailing only Drew Butler. Still, even more impressive is his career 40.2 net average, which ranks No. 1 in program history. Not bad for a former walk-on who was merely a member of Georgia’s junior varsity squad his first two years before finally earning a spot on the varsity team as a junior. Ironically, considering all of his lengthy punts, it was a shorter boot by Andrews which he will forever be known for—a punt which was fielded by an upman for Texas, instead of the intended returner, resulting in one of the greatest special teams plays in Georgia history:

Drew Butler (2008-2011): A bright spot during a disappointing 8-5 campaign in 2009, Drew Butler began his sophomore year as Georgia’s primary punter (after punting just three times as a freshman) and never looked back. In the season opener at Oklahoma State, he averaged a staggering 57 yards per punt—a single-game school record of those with at least four attempts—including a 75-yarder which ranks as the ninth-longest punt in Bulldog history. Butler’s 48.05 punting average in 2009 remains the 11th-best in NCAA history, third-best in the SEC. He was not only a First Team All-American that season, but a unanimous All-American, honored by all 12 NCAA-recognized selectors—one of just seven players in the country achieving as much that year. Butler’s 45.44 career punting average currently ranks as the sixth-highest in NCAA history and the highest in the SEC.

This Sunday, we will reveal our next in the UGA’s Mount Rushmore of… series. Until then, again, do you agree with UGASports.com’s list? Who would you put on your Mount Rushmore of UGA Punters?

UGASports.com's Previous UGA Mount Rushmores:

Quarterbacks

Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers

Tight Ends

Inside Linebackers

Wide Receivers

Safeties/Rovers

Placekickers

Cornerbacks

Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

Assistant Coaches