TOLEDO, OH - University of Toledo senior Brett Kern (Grand Island, NY) will be in Orlando, FL on Thursday as one of 27 college football players vying for nine national awards on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards, (live on ESPN, Thursday, Dec. 6, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. ET). Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit will host the show which will originate from the Atlantic Dance Hall on Disney’s Boardwalk at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Kern is one of three finalists for the 2007 Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate punter. The other finalists are Durant Brooks from Georgia Tech and Kevin Huber of Cincinnati. Kern’s appearance at the broadcast will mark the first time Toledo has had a finalist for any award at the ESPN’s annual College Football Awards show.

Kern’s average of 46.1 yards per punt ranks second in the country behind Huber’s 46.9 average. Brooks is fourth at 45.5 yards per punt. The winner of the Ray Guy Award will again be honored at the Greater Augusta Sports Award Gala in early 2008.

Kern made the top three from a list of 56 punters who were nominated for the honor. Each of the punters on the list was evaluated on his overall statistics and contribution to the team. Particular emphasis was placed on the following categories: net average, percentage of total punts inside the 20-yard line, average return yardage, and percentage not returned.

The award is named for Ray Guy, a 2004 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee and perennial candidate for the National Football League Hall of Fame. Guy, who played with the Oakland Raiders from 1973 to 1986. A national voting body of Division I-A coaches, sports information directors, national media, and former punters selected the winner of this year’s award.

2007 Ray Guy Award Finalists
Durant Brooks – Georgia Tech – Senior
Kevin Huber – Cincinnati – Junior
Brett Kern – Toledo – Senior