Unless something bad happens, like a block, a bad snap or even a shank, no one really pays attention to the punter. It is a position that, like a lot of positions in football, is taken for granted.
For instance, Andy Teasdall’s net average of 36.7 yards was not anything to write home about last year, but when you really look at the numbers, it is easy to see why Teasdall was so vital to Clemson’s success on its way to a national championship.
Twenty two times his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, which played a big role in why Clemson’s defense ranked eighth nationally in total defense and 10th in scoring defense. Opponents averaged just 5.2 yards per return last year and their longest was just 16 yards.
When an offense has further to drive, and is backed up near its own goal line, the likely hood of a sustained drive for points is not good. It even affects the way a playcaller calls the game.
In his two years as the starting punter, Teasdall had 45 kicks downed inside the 20-yard line and did not have a punt blocked. In a game like football, field position is everything. So it is easy to see why one of Clemson’s biggest question marks this spring is who will be the guy to replace Teasdall, who has now graduated and is preparing to play at the next level.
The Tigers three candidates this spring are Will Spiers, the son of Clemson baseball great Bill who was also the starting punter on the Tigers’ 1986 ACC Championship squad, Michael Batson and Carson King.
“They’re all three right there in a pile right now,” Swinney said. “Nobody has really separated. They’re all kind of right there clumped together. They have all had good days. There are some really nice punts and we have had some not so nice punts.”
Swinney says he likes all three punters and he likes the competition he has seen through the first eight practices this spring.
“I think we are going to be pretty good there,” he said. “We are not ready to play. I don’t really trust any of them just yet, but I think by the time September rolls around and we can kind of get them through this process we have to go through this spring, this summer and fall camp. We are going to be okay at that spot.”
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