In the Longhorns’ season opener, Jack Bouwmeester was called upon often. As the Texas offense struggled to gain momentum, the Longhorns relied on their punter to pin Ohio State deep in their own territory. Due to his performance, Bouwmeester has received national recognition for his play against one of the top teams in the country.
On Tuesday, the talented senior was selected to the Ray Guy Award’s Ray’s 8. In his Longhorns debut, Bouwmeester punted four times for 185 yards. He averaged 46.2 yards a kick and pinned the Buckeyes inside their 10-yard line three times. The Utah transfer also showed off how strong his leg is with two punts that went for 52 yards.
Bouwmeester started his Longhorns career with a 39-yard punt in the first quarter that resulted in a fair catch at the OSU 8-yard line. He followed that kick up with a punt at the end of the first quarter that pinned the Buckeyes at their own 20. In the second quarter, he continued to make life difficult for Ohio State with a 52-yard punt. While there were not many positives for the Longhorns to take from Saturday, Bouwmeester was the exception.
For many on the Longhorns coaching staff, the success of their newest weapon on special teams came as no surprise. Before the season began, the Australian native was named to the Ray Guy Award preseason watch list for the second consecutive year. In 2023, he was named a finalist for the award. Due to his success in the past, Texas made adding him when he entered the portal during the offseason a priority.
While the 2025 campaign is only a week old, Bouwmeester showed just how much of an impact he could make in Week One. The Longhorns will need him to build on his success as they chase a national title. He will get to add to his resume in three days when Texas welcomes San Jose State to town in their home opener.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Longhorns new punter selected to the Ray Guy Award’s Ray’s 8
Reporting by Jamie Gatlin, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
