Butler Named A Walter Camp All-American

FOOTBALL

Punter Drew Butler has been named to the 2009 Walter Camp All-America First Team, according to an announcement on Thursday.

Butler, who was also recently named to the 2009 American Football Coaches’ (AFCA) All-America Team, is the first Dawg to be named to the Walter Camp All-American team since Max Jean-Gilles in 2005.

Butler’s honor marks the 31st Walter Camp All-America certificate given to a Dawg.

Butler, a 6-2, 203-pound sophomore native of Duluth, Ga., is leading the nation in punting with a 48.8 average on 50 punts. He is one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, which is presented annually to college football’s top punter later tonight at the Home Depot/ESPNU College Football Awards show. Butler and the Dawgs also lead the NCAA in Net Punting at 42.8.

Butler is on pace to become only the third Dawg in school history to lead the NCAA in punting (Zeke Bratkowski, 42.6 in 1953; Bobby Walden, 45.3 in 1958). He is also on target to break the school’s single season punting average record. The current mark is 45.4 by Chip Andrews in 1984 while the SEC mark is within reach at 48.2 (Ricky Anderson, Vanderbilt in 1984).

This season, Butler has boomed 24 punts of 50+ yards and placed 17 inside the 20-yard line.

Butler is the first Dawg punter to be named an All-American in the modern era.

The Dawgs have had a handful of players who earned All-America recognition at their primary position and were skillful punters too. These Dawg All-Americans include end Chick Shiver (1927) offensive backs Bill Hartman (1937), Frank Sinkwich (1941-42), Charley Trippi (1946) and quarterback Zeke Bratkowski (1952).

Butler’s father, Kevin, was also a Walter Camp All-American place-kicker in 1984 for the Dawgs and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

The 2009 Walter Camp All-America First Team is made up of 16 seniors, six juniors and only three sophomores. The Walter Camp Foundation has selected an All-America team since 1889. For more information on the Walter Camp Foundation including the 2009 All-America team, log on to the Walter Camp website at www.waltercamp.org.