Cam Little, Reid Bauer named to specialists’ watch lists

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As the players being looked at for postseason honors, Arkansas now has the specialists joining the group.

Arkansas sophomore place kicker Cam Little has been named to the Lou Groza Collegiate Place Kicker Award preseason watch list, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Wednesday.

The watch list includes 30 of the best returning kickers in the country.

The Moore, Okla., product’s 20 field goals last season were the third most in a single season by a Razorback kicker in program history and helped him garner Freshman All-America status from the FWAA, The Athletic and Pro Football Focus.

Cam Little (Andy Hodges | HitThatLine.com)

Little drilled 20 of his 24 field goal attempts and all 46 of his point after attempts in 2021.

Heading into the 2022 campaign, Little has also earned Preseason Third Team All-SEC distinction by Phil Steele Magazine.

Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season, and the Lou Groza Collegiate Place Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Thursday, Nov. 3.

From then, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists and current NFL kickers select the top three finalists for the award, who will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

redshirt-senior Reid Bauer has been added to the Ray Guy Award preseason watch list, the Augusta Sports Council announced Wednesday.

The award annually recognizes the nation’s top collegiate punter.

Bauer is one of seven punters represented on the list from the SEC. The 49 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of FBS punters.

The 2022 watch list was compiled based on the 2021 Ray Guy Award Semifinalists, the top 10 NCAA punters from 2021, the 2021 all-conference teams, the 2021 All-American teams, the 2022 preseason all-conference teams and eligible punters on the 2021 watch list.

As the primary punter for the Hogs in 2021, Bauer averaged 43.3 yards per punt while totaling 2,510 yards on 58 punts.

Reid Bauer (Andrew Davis Tucker / UGA Athletics)

Bauer placed 16 punts inside the 20-yard line and helped Arkansas’ field goal and extra point operation convert 20-of-24 field goal attempts and all 46 point after tries. Bauer also converted a pair of fakes with his legs and his arm, highlighted by a 32-yard touchdown pass to tight end Blake Kern at Alabama on Nov. 20.

The Magnolia, Texas, native became the first Razorback student-athlete to win the Peter Mortell Holder of the Year Award last season.

The complete list of candidates will be released on Nov. 2. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semifinalists, who will be announced on Nov. 8.

The national body of FBS SIDs, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on Nov. 18.

After the three finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter.

The winner will be announced live during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN in December.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.