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Texas A&M football: Braden Mann will have the greatest season by a punter ever

By Jeff Shull

(Photo by Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Texas A&M football punter Braden Mann put together the most ridiculous season by a punter in NCAA history. His name will live forever in the history books.

There are few players that etch their name in history and will be remembered as legends, and even fewer players do that as punters. Texas A&M football‘s Braden Mann is not like those before him. He is what punters will aspire to be henceforth.

The season accomplishments barely crack the surface of the full dominance that was Mann’s season. He is among the finalists for the Ray Guy award, was named to the All SEC first team, and was today named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

One would think that award goes to a return specialist. Not this season. Not with this punter.

The craziness of Mann’s season unfolds when you see the NCAA records he broke this year, with one more formality to go. He set the single game record for punting average by booting five punts for an average of 60.8 yards against Alabama. He also set the NCAA record for 60+ yard punts in a season with 14. He is currently averaging 51.15 yards per punt on the season, which would set the record by almost a yard per punt if it holds up.

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There’s more.

Texas A&M currently leads the FBS in net punting with a 45.0 average. They would be the first team since 1983’s BYU squad had at least 45.0 net average, and the first team that doesn’t play at altitude since Southern Miss did it in 1972. Their punter’s name was Ray Guy.

Even if, for some wacky reason, Mann falls short of that final record, it will still be the greatest season for a punter ever. Oh, and he also handled the kickoffs for Jimbo Fisher.

Texas A&M has had several good punters come through the pipeline in the last few years. Drew Kaser was the Los Angeles Chargers punter — and actually beat out Shane Tripucka for the job — until he was released this October. Both guys are prospective free agents. Not to mention, Shane Lechler is one of the greatest punters of all time and had a lengthy NFL career after punting for the Ags.

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Braden Mann put together a glorious season for a punter and will be remembered for a long time. We are “Punter U.”

Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.