#2 (or 1) punter in the country commits to SC ....

Kai Kroeger (6-3 190 3.75 GPA) out of Illinois, left footed boomer that can also soccer kick (according to the kicking camps which makes him special I guess.)

Averages something above 50 yards a kick, claims hang times of over 4 seconds regularly and has a high ratio of his punts muffed by opponents because some kind of wicked left-footed spin .... according to the kicking camps.

Anyways, we awarded a deep snapper and now a punter a schollie with this next class. Deep Snapper was a transfer from I forget where but evidently he can kill with a single snap between his legs.

mUSChamp learned from his mistakes on special teams at Florida apparently.

This punter Kai Kroeger does seem like a special kind of special teams weapon who can flip a field.

ETA: LINK: https://kohlskicking.com/player-profiles/kai-kroeger (includes some fairly impressive videos)

That soccer style kicking thing that has now become a specialty .... they're calling it a "roll out kick" these days.

quote:

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KOHL'S COMMENTS

Kroeger is a long-time Kohl's camper who showed well again this spring at the Kohl's Midwest Showcase Camp. He won the punt competition on the cold day by hitting a ball that went over 60 yards from the L.O.S. Kroeger is also very good at rolling out and hitting punts. He is prototypical size and hits the most consistent spiral in the country. He checks off a lot of boxes with regards to work ethic and composure under pressure. He may be the most game ready player in the 2020 class. Kroeger is a D1 scholarship punter!

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LINK: https://thekickingcoach.com/kai-kroeger/

Soph year evaluation but ...

quote:

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Kai is a 6?4 Punter/Kicker who has been training since he was an 8th grader. His top punt hang times are already in 4.6+ second range. Hands, drop and mechanics are impressive for his age group. He is still growing into his frame. But watch out for him. A year or two from now, with another 20 pounds of muscle, this motivated and skilled athlete will be dropping 5.0s with ease. Sky is the limit.

At the Top Kicker in America Event in July 2018, Kai showed exceptional consistency and technique for a punter entering his high school junior season. Distance was consistently in mid 40s from line of scrimmage with most punts being turn over spirals.

**Update 12/15/2018:

Junior Season Stats: 40.33 yards per punt, longest punt: 66 yards. 20 out of 55 punts downed inside the 20 yard line. 2/4 on field goals with the long of 42 yards.

Junior Season Honors: All-Conference Special Teams Player of the Year, All-Area First Team Punter/Kicker,

Kai’s HUDL PAGE

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LINK: https://www.hudl.com/profile/8176129/Kai-Kroeger


So to put all of this into perspective. If his punts often hang in the air for 4.5-4.6 seconds and he averages well over 40 yards a punt .... does that mean a 4.6-4.7 type gunner should be able to be there waiting on the ball around the time it is fielded 40+ yards down the field?

If that regularly happens then it is time for the recruiting services to start rating kickers.

Just heard an interview on local radio where they interviewed the guy up at Kohl's and he said Kai should be rated 5*s, he is that big of a playmaker.

He also QBs so there will be that added fake punt thingy going on as well.

He'll sign and enroll in December. This may be the first time I have ever been excited to sign a punter if his legend is true .... and Joseph Charlton was, I think, one of the top two or three punters in the country when we signed him four years ago.

"There are three phases to the game." I don't know how many times I`ve heard Saban and Spurrier and Holtz and Kirby and Ed O and mUSChamp say it.