NU punter Koch fulfilling a dream

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By Brian Christopherson

When you're 5, and your dad can make a football sprout wings and fly, it kind of sticks with you.

It made Sam Koch dream differently. He didn't want to play quarterback at Nebraska like the other boys. Of all things, he wanted to be the punter.

That goal was conjured one day in the small town of Ulysses. Sam's father, Dave - who had punted for Lincoln High School - was showing his son how to punt a football. Sam would watch the pigskin travel from foot to sky like it was a fireworks spectacle.

"The way he kicked it, it looked so high up and Ithought it looked so cool," Koch said. "Ithought it'd be something fun to do. It was always a dream to do it as much as Ican."

Now, the junior walk-on is living that dream, scheduled to be the starting punter and handle kickoff duties for Nebraska this year.

There's no pressure, save for the fact he's replacing a first-team All-America punter, Kyle Larson.

"Iknow it's going to be hard to live up to his expectations, but I know I can do it," Koch said.

Larson averaged 45.1 yards per punt last year to become one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award. Larson said he believes Koch will be the next great Husker punter.

"Igot a lot better last year because Sam was here punting behind me," Larson said. "He pushed me every day at practice, and hopefully, in that same sense, Ihelped him out in being around the way (former Husker Dan) Hadenfeldt helped me."

Said special teams coach Scott Downing: "I thought from Day One since Igot here until now, Sam has improved 150 percent."

Koch, who graduated from Seward High School, shouldn't be affected by game-day pressure. He kicked off for the Huskers the final seven games last season.

His leg strength isn't questioned, as 18 of his 32 kickoffs were touchbacks.

Downing said Koch could have punted for most teams last year, given his strong leg and mental toughness.

"He knows on fourth down, he doesn't get a fifth down. He doesn't get a do-over. He has to be perfect every time," Downing said.

He said the Huskers hope to have a net punting average of 40 yards or more this season. Judging by the past decade's national statistics, that would likely put the Huskers among the top 10.

Last season, NUhad a net punting average of 40.1 yards. During the Huskers' 7-7 season in 2002, that average was 38.2.

Pinning teams inside their own 20-yard line is also a main priority of punters. Koch is said to be quite skillful at it.

"Sam, actually at times, exhibited a better ability than Kyle did last fall to be a directional punter. In practice, he could put it some places where Kyle didn't," Downing said. "Now, where Kyle had it, was in games. It was almost like when game time came, the real big-game competitor in him ratcheted it up a bit. Isense that same competitiveness in Sam."

Maybe that's because Koch was destined to be a punter based on his small-town beginnings.

Look at a list of great Husker punters and you see that many came from rural settings.

Larson came from Funk. Darin Erstad called Jamestown, N.D., home. Mike Stigge was the pride of Washington, Kan., while John Kroeker was a Henderson native.

"You have the fields you can go punt in," Koch said of growing up in Ulysses. "You just have room to go do that. I've worked hard doing it throughout my life."

It wasn't as though Koch was limited to punting at Seward High School, however. Currently 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, he played on both lines, was a fullback, tight end and linebacker.

His small-town punting predecessors were similarly multi-talented on the gridiron, which is one reason they've been so special at Nebraska, Downing said.

The question now is: Can Koch be as special when 78,000 people are in the seats?

"Do Ithink he'll be nervous the first time he steps on the field in a game (as punter)? No. Ithink he'll be juiced up," Downing said. "Ithink the ball better be worried about getting blown out of the stadium."

Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7438 or bchristopherson@;journalstar.com.