No quit in Colquitt

By Clayton Wendler  |   Monday, September 04, 2006  |  Comments( 2 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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The punt sailed high into the night sky, traveling 63 yards downfield before coming to rest in the arms of Saints wide receiver Lance Moore.

It appeared that Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt had done his job on the play, pinning Moore at his own seven yard-line.

But then Moore started to run.

He slipped a tackle, cut back to his right and continued running. It was then that Colquitt realized his job wasn't done.

Moore was speeding down the sideline to Colquitt's left, and appeared to be headed well on his way to a sure touchdown.

But then Colquitt started to run.

He ran and ran and ran, and then he ran some more. And finally, when he could run no more, he dove, stopping Moore just short of the end zone.

The play proved to be the difference in the Chiefs' 10-9 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, but it wasn't the highlight of Colquitt's preseason. It was an exclamation point.

In four games the second-year player punted 29 times, almost half his total from the 2005 regular season. But it wasn't the quantity. It was the quality.

Colquitt boomed his punts all preseason, averaging a whopping 46.8 yards per kick. Most importantly, his net punting average was a solid 38.03 yards per kick, meaning he gave his coverage teams ample time to motor downfield and stop the return. Take out the 90-yard return the Saints broke at the end of Thursday's game, and that net average rises to an impressive 41.1.

Those numbers are a huge turnaround from Colquitt's rookie season. The Chiefs finished dead last in net punting last year, at just 35.2, and Colquitt's gross average was only 39.4 yards per punt. He was one of only three punters to average under 40 yards per kick last year. Gross, indeed.

New Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards has taken notice of Colquitt's standout preseason. After the Giants game a couple weeks ago, he called the Tennessee product the team's preseason MVP.

"He's a weapon and can create field position when you've lost some field position," said Edwards. "When you've lost some and you feel like you're penned in he gets you out of there and gives you a chance."

At the same time, Edwards is not too keen on Colquitt being the main attraction. No NFL team really wants its punter to see much action during a game, be it preseason or regular season.

"I told him and our team, we really don't want to use him a whole lot," said Edwards. "You really don't want to be punting a whole bunch."

The Chiefs were obviously expecting more after investing a third-round pick in Colquitt last year. The early returns this year indicate he might have learned something going into his sophomore season. New special teams coach Mike Priefer appears to have helped his development.

But one thing he won't have to develop any further is the unique spin he puts on the football when he kicks it. Colquitt is a left-footed punter.

His punts have an almost knuckleball-like spin as a result, making them difficult to field. Five of Colquitt's punts were muffed last year.

If he can continue to cause headaches for opposing returners and extend his stellar preseason into the regular season, the Chiefs will finally have the punter they've been looking for since Louie Aguiar left the team almost a decade ago.

Get more on the Kansas City Chiefs at RealFootball365.com
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