A finalist for the Ray Guy Award, Korsak helped the Scarlet Knights to a net punt of 45.34, which currently stands as the NCAA record for a season. The main statistic in evaluating punting in terms of the exchange in field position, the number factors in distance, returns against and touchbacks.
Korsak recorded his second-straight season with no touchbacks in 2021, making it 122 consecutive out of the end zone for the longest active streak nationally. He punted 70 times this past year with 37 downed inside the 20, 15 settling at the 10 or closer, eight at the five or closer and four times stopping a punt at the 1-yard line.
Opponents were held to just 41 return yards with a return of less than four yards 67 times, including 63 attempts recording a zero or negative return. Totaling 28 fair catches, the average starting field position following a Korsak punt was the own 22.
For distance, Korsak established a new Rutgers record with a 45.93 average, topping the previous high of 44.4 set by Ryan Anderson in 2017. The two-time team captain launched 19 punts at least 50 yards, with 11 traveling 55 or more yards and three over 60. That included a 74-yarder, fifth-longest in school history, to the 7-yard line at Penn State and a 69-yarder to the 1 at Syracuse.
The performance earned First Team All-Big Ten in the coaches' vote and to the final three for the Ray Guy Award, becoming the first Scarlet Knight to earn finalist status for a national on-field award since Ray Rice in 2007 (Doak Walker Award). In addition, Korsak won the Ray Guy Punter of the Week on three occasions, Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week twice and to the Ray's 8 list five separate times. In the win at Illinois, Korsak downed punts at the 20, 15, 4 and 1 in helping to establish field position. His first punt of the season versus Temple went 56 yards, stopped at the 1 and led to a safety.
This is the highest All-America honor for a Rutgers player since Khaseem Greene also picked up second-team recognition (Walter Camp,
SI.com) in 2012. Korsak is the 18
th Scarlet Knight under head coach
Greg Schiano to earn the distinction, with
Aron Cruickshank (honorable mention,
Phil Steele) the previous honoree as a kick returner in 2020.
Korsak is the second Rutgers punter to garner All-America status, joining Matt O'Connell, who was selected honorable mention by the
Associated Press in 1988.
In 45 games since taking over the role for the Scarlet Knights, Korsak has been on the Ray Guy Award watch list, collected All-Big Ten recognition and broke the school record for net punt all four seasons. He has downed 112 inside the 20 (41.1 percent) with only five career touchbacks (1.8 percent) on 272 punts. The Aussie holds the school record with 11,937 career yards, forcing 104 fair catches and never allowing a touchdown or block against. His longest attempt went 79 yards versus Northwestern in 2018, another school record.
The Melbourne, Australia, native is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar working towards a master's degree in communication, information and media.
Follow Rutgers football on Twitter (
@RFootball), Facebook
(/RFootballShow) and Instagram
(@rfootball) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the
YouTube channel and bookmark
Rutgers.Football, the Scarlet Knights' dedicated recruiting site.
