Ducks' Thunder from Down Under James Ferguson-Reynolds wins Ray Guy nod

Boise State transfer punter James Ferguson-Reynolds has been a stone-cold weapon for the Ducks. He ran for a 21-yard first down against Oregon State and he's put seven of his 12 punts inside the 20.

The Geelong, Australia native won the national Ray Guy Punter of the Week Award for his work against Indiana. In the third quarter the rugby-style kicker scrambled right against a passive rush, pulled up and a rocketed a running punt of 48 yards that Dillon Thieneman downed at the two.

That punt set up a Duck field goal. His 53-yard punt in the first quarter flipped the field and led to Oregon's only touchdown. For the game he averaged 50.3 yards a punt on four kicks.

Over the Ducks' 5-1 start he's averaging 42.58 yards a kick, and opponents have returned those 12 kicks for a TOTAL of -1 yards.

The thing to appreciate about Ferguson-Reynolds' punting is that he punts SMART: 12 punts, no returns, 7 inside the 20 and ZERO touchbacks. That's making the punt a weapon for your defense, with tremendous consistency.

That he stole a possession with an alert run for a first down against Oregon State is just a bonus. Rugby-style punters have become the rage in college and pro football over the last several years, but Ferguson-Reynolds takes it to a new level with his understanding of the game and how to get the most out of his role.

By contrast, Oregon opponents have kicked five into the end zone. Those wasted yards and lost opportunities penalize a defense. An offense has way more options at the 20 than they do inside the five.

Already his deft touch has led to field position advantages and short fields for the Oregon offense. Before the season is over he's likely to create a turnover with a line drive off the shoulder or back of the return team. Ferguson-Reynolds punts with purpose. That makes him one of Dan Lanning's best additions in the transfer portal.