Georgia Tech’s Harvin wins Ray Guy Award for top punter in college football

Georgia Tech punter Pressley Harvin won the Ray Guy Award for the nation’s top punter in college football Thursday night. He also became the first Black player to win the prestigious award.

Channel 2′s Alison Mastrangelo spoke with Harvin, who said it was an honor to pave the way for other Black athletes.

The 2020 season was a memorable one for Harvin. He set records for Georgia Tech and the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 48-yard punting average.

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Harvin remembers the moment his punting career started.

“I was in 7th grade when I first started. It was one day we had open try outs for the position and I also played center at the time. No one wanted to punt, so I just made the decision to see how it would go, and ever since that moment it was special for me,” he said.

Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins describes Harvin as a hard-working player with a big personality and a big leg.

Collins also admits the first time he met Harvin, he couldn’t believe that 6 foot, 255 pound player was the Yellow Jackets punter.

“They come walking through and I shake his hands, and he told me he was the punter. And I still remember the look and feel and disbelief that I had, and I am like come on man. Then we got out there for the first day of spring ball and it was ridiculous his leg, just the way he works every single day,” he said. “There’s a couple of meetings that are first impressions that I will never forget and Pressley Harvin was one of those meetings. I thought he was the middle linebacker and he told me he was the punter, I was astounded.”

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After four years at tech, Harvin leaves as college football’s top punter and unanimous All-American, becoming just the third player in Tech’s history to receive that honor.

He now has aspirations of playing in the NFL.

“Being able to see my name in that record book is definitely a true honor especially here. It hasn’t been done but two times before me, and just being on that list that list just definitely heart warming,” Harvin said.