Huskers face tall task in replacing Koch

By Terry Dombkowski  |   Thursday, June 08, 2006  |  Comments( 4 )

Nebraska Cornhuskers
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For even the most die-hard football fan, talking about punters is similar to discussing one's own mortality. In general, it is best to broach the subject only when necessary. For fans of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the time has come to set aside your collective fears and face the question at hand. Can Big Red find a suitable replacement for super-punter Sam Koch in 2006? Similar to a diagnosis you might receive from your doctor, I have good news and I have bad news. Which do you want first?

All right, let's start with the good news. Special teams coordinator Bill Busch and Coach Callahan have several tools at their disposal that should make for an easy transition. Senior Lane Kelly will return as Nebraska's long snapper this season, and his experience in performing this important task cannot be underestimated. In addition, the Huskers are absolutely loaded with legs capable of handling the punting duties. The only question is: Who among them will kick their way into the starting role?

Junior Tyler Kester definitely has one of the strongest legs in the group, and should make a strong case to secure the position in camp. He performed well in limited action during the spring game, getting off 2 punts totaling 96 yards. Sophomore Jake Wesch also represents a solid kicker whose accuracy should be an asset in competing for the job. Wesch punted 3 times for 114 yards in the spring game, while landing two kicks inside the 20. Sophomore Dan Titchener punted twice for 89 yards in the spring game, landing one punt inside the 20, and Jordan Alegria (redshirt in '05) had 2 punts for 76 yards. Callahan has already said that all 4 kickers will be in competition throughout camp, and it should be a close battle. Omaha Burke product Alex Henery will also join the mix during fall camp, but will probably have a limited role in his first season.

O.K., so what's the bad news? Simply put, it will be nearly impossible to improve upon Koch's production last season. It was a campaign that saw Koch put up phenomenal numbers. Truth be told, the Huskers owed more than one victory to his efforts. Koch set the single-season Nebraska punting record by averaging 46.5 yards per punt (3,302 yards total), and he also landed 29 of his 71 attempts inside the opponents 20. While the Blackshirts had a fine season in their own right, the opponent's poor field position provided by Koch played a major role in the team's defensive attack. If you need further confirmation of Koch's worth to the success of NU in '05, ask the Baltimore Ravens. The team selected Koch as the first of only 2 punters chosen in the 2006 NFL draft.

What is the ultimate prognosis for the Nebraska punting game in '06? Koch was the only punter to take the field for Big Red last season, and considering his stellar performance, the obvious outlook calls for a slight decline in production. With that being said, there is still reason to believe that Koch's successor will be able to post adequate numbers, given the talent and depth at the position. Ultimately, the best prescription for Husker fans regarding this punting unit is to exercise cautious optimism with a healthy dose of patience. Now, about your cholesterol...

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CommentsComments: 4  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
ben zerbe		04:11 PM
06/08/2006
actually, nebraska already has a solution for the loss of koch. offense. nebraska's offense will be MUCH better this year and...
No.2
Robert Pfann		10:28 AM
06/11/2006
Before seeing your column, I called the UofN recruiting office about high school junior Cody Ayers of Hillsville,VA who averaged...
No.3
lhoodz		04:56 PM
06/20/2006
All right, let's start with the good news. Special teams coordinator Bill Busch and Coach Callahan have several tools at their...
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