Koch Enjoys Playing for Kicks
By Nate Rohr, NU Media Relations
Punter is typically one of the forsaken positions in sports.
Entrance onto the field is usually one met with a collective
groan from the crowd as he comes out to salvage some field
position for his team. He is involved in contact only when
the rest of the punt coverage breaks
down. His goal is simply to give his
defense room to work.
But with three punts over 70 yards
this season, All-America and Ray Guy
Award candidate Sam Koch has been
just as valuable to Nebraska’s effort
as anyone, even the guys who are
blocking, tackling and running with
the ball. Not that Koch, an all-state
fullback in high school, would mind
seeing a little contact.
Sam Koch
“I’m just hoping to hit someone,”
Punter
Koch said. “It’s not good if I do, but
I do want to get in on the action. I came here focusing on
punting, but I do miss the contact.”
Even without any tackles this year, Koch has been
tremendously important to the Huskers’ 4-0 start in the 2005
season. Koch ranks 14th nationally with an average of 44.0
yards per punt and has pinned NU’s opponents inside the 20
13 times.
His performance is in line with his first year as Nebraska’s
top punter, when he punted 63 times and averaged 41.3 yards
a punt. But what has vaulted Koch into the upper echelon of
college punters this year is Koch’s ability to explode for a punt
of at least 70 yards. That ability developed during the offseason.
“I worked hard on my punting technique this summer,” Koch
said. “I worked all the basics, from dropping the ball right to
hitting the ball right, to keeping my eyes on the ball.”
Also helping Koch is his friendship with Bengals punter Kyle
Larson. A 2003 All-American who was Nebraska’s starting
punter during Koch’s first three years in the program, Larson
helped Koch develop into a fine college punter.
“(Larson) showed me all the basics and he was there to pick
me up when I was struggling, and he gave me pointers when I
needed them,” Koch said.
The two still keep in touch, either via e-mail or by phone
about once a week.
Larson’s help has Koch taking aim at another great Husker
punter, Mike Stigge, who set the school record with a punt of
87 yards against Oklahoma State on Oct. 10, 1992. Koch’s 84yard punt against Pittsburgh ranks second on the all-time list
and Koch has booted three of Nebraska’s five longest punts in
school history.
“Hopefully, I can break the school record, but I just need to
come out and do the best that I can for the team,” Koch said.
“If I think about the record too much, I won’t be focused on
what I need to do.”
The NU record for longest punt is not the only record Koch
has a chance to set. Koch is one-third of the way to the record
for punts in a season, set by his mentor Larson with 73 punts in
2002, and for average distance per punt, set by Larson at 43.12
yards per punt a year later.
Thanks to a consistent approach, Koch has become a reliable
contributor this season. He was named the Big 12 Special
Teams Player of the Week for his solid play against Pitt when
he pinned the Panthers five times inside their 20.
10
Nebraska Football Game Day
“I come out with the same mindset every time,” Koch said.
“No matter how well we’re doing, it’s my job to punt it inside
the 20 or at least get good distance on the kick.”
Koch began building his ability to punt as part of the handful
of roles he filled at Seward High School. Along with punting,
Koch played fullback, tight end, linebacker, offensive line and
kicker.
By his senior year, Koch found a home as a fullback and
linebacker, where he developed his taste for contact as the
leading tackler on the Bluejays’ Class B state quarterfinal team.
He also averaged 41.5 yards per punt and was named a part of
the Lincoln Journal Star’s Super-State team and played in the
Shrine Bowl as a fullback, kicker and punter.
Koch came to Nebraska as a walk-on linebacker and punter,
before deciding to focus on punting by his second year in the
program. He did not play for the Huskers until his third year
with the team, when Koch earned kickoff duty for most of the
2003 season as he backed up Larson.
As Koch entered his junior year, he faced the difficult task of
filling Larson’s powerful shoe. But Koch gained the faith of the
coaching staff and earned a scholarship for the 2004 season.
He validated that faith with a strong junior campaign that saw
him boot at least a 48-yard punt in every game. His success in
2004, along with a strong off-season, set the table for a good
start to 2005.
So what does the future hold for Koch?
Like one of his punts, it’s still up in the air, although he is
scheduled to graduate with a degree in business administration
this December. Still, Koch may be the next NU punter to play in
the NFL. The last three Husker punters, Larson, Dan Hadenfeldt
and Bill LaFleur, have at least participated in preseason camp
with an NFL squad.
After all, what team couldn’t use a guy who turns up the
crowd noise after another booming kick?