By William Qualkinbush.

Rarely do prolific offenses and prolific punters mix and match. Bradley Pinion is setting out to be the exception to the rule in 2014.

A junior with a dynamic leg, Pinion might be the secret weapon no one notices for Clemson football this season. He knew what he was getting into when he signed with the Tigers as a part of the 2012 recruiting class.

Home state North Carolina wanted him. TCU wanted him. Rutgers wanted him. All of those schools would have given Pinion plenty of opportunities to hone his craft and showcase his skills. Certainly, he would have had a chance to get the utmost potential out of his cannon right leg.

But he chose Clemson, a place where he knew he would likely sacrifice the opportunity to show off power for the opportunity to explore the so-called “coffin corner”. Pinion’s penchant for power has been replaced with an interest in the flair of a high, end-over-end boomer called the “Aussie kick”. He has dropped more than a few punts at the doorstep of the end zone as a Tiger, including a whopping 24 last season that pinned the opposition inside the 20-yard-line.

Pinion plays a key role in making sure the Tigers’ opponents have as tough a time as possible controlling the field, but he will not take credit for it. He knows his performance is only part of the puzzle.

“I’ve got great people that go down there and get the ball,” Pinion said. “That’s partly them too, going down there and catching it on the two, catching it on the three.

Even though Chad Morris’ high-speed offense can be constricting, Pinion says there are still plenty of opportunities for him to display his strength.

“I actually love doing those,” he said. “It’s fun for me just to let it fly as far as I can and not get as much hang time, but get a little more distance.”

Pinion’s goals are simple: He wants to win the Ray Guy Award that goes to the nation’s best punter. He knows voters look at things like averages and distances before making that decision, but he also understands his broader purpose in the grand scheme of the Clemson program.

“My priority is just to help the team any way I can, whether it be punts, kickoffs, long field goals, anything,” Pinion said. “Helping the team is my main goal.”

Part of that help comes from being a mentor to his younger teammates. Pinion learned under players like Spencer Benton and Chandler Catanzaro, and now the roster of specialists has gotten noticeably younger. With that in mind, Pinion wants to set a good example for his less-experienced teammates.

“I’m now kind of a veteran guy, which is a little bit of a weird feeling,” Pinion said. “I’m stepping into the role. Being a leader on the special teams is a big factor.”

Morris gears his offense up to score, but when it fails to do so, he knows the field is in good hands—or on good feet.