Big South P 2014

[bjtheflamesfan]

We conclude our look at the players by looking at the guys who are most able to change the momentum of a game with one swing of their leg: the punters.

Charleston Southern
Truett Burns 43 Kicks 1604 Yards 37.3 YPP

Burns came in as a freshman last year and won the punter job and had a very solid season, averaging just over 37 yards per boot, including unloading a 71 yarder in the mile high air in Boulder last season. Burns is back and will probably be the #1 at the position again but he will have a trio of freshmen, at least one of which probably will be pushing him for that job (with the other two battling for the kicking job as noted in the Kicker rankings by a Bucs fan poster)

Coastal Carolina

Austin Cain 56 Kicks 2139 Yards 38.2 YPP (2013 Big South All-Conference First Team)

Cain, who was named preseason all-conference heading into 2014 has been one of the top punters in the Big South, and even had one of the biggest plays of the season with a shovel pass on 4th down during the comeback win over Liberty.

Gardner-Webb

Dustin Holder 1 Kick 19 Yards 19.0 YPP

Outstanding kicker Jordan Day graduated leading in both kicking and punting for the Runnin Bulldogs, and with Matt Freixa not on the roster for 2014, Holder likely will be tasked with carrying the load in the field position game this season

Liberty

Trey Turner No 2013 Stats (Redshirt)

For the first time in a few years, Liberty heads into the season with an unproven punter in 2013 preferred walkon Turner. He did average just under 42 yards per boot as a senior in Rome, GA and had a few nice kicks in spring practice and in training camp. He will be getting his first look at a collegiate punt rush in a game situation when the Flames head down to Chapel Hill.

Monmouth

Ryan Mohr 17 Kicks 623 Yards 36.6 YPP

Mohr replaces the outstanding Spillane, who took care of both kicking and punting for the Hawks in 2013, finishing with an average that would have finished tops in the Big South in 2013. Ryan had a solid average in his own right, as his 36.6 Yards would have been 4th in the conference if he had made enough qualifying kicks.

Presbyterian
Stephen Doar 58 Kicks 2196 Yards 37.9 YPP

Doar returns for his second season as the starting punter after a two year apprenticeship behind standout Patrick Morgano. He finished with the third highest average among qualifying punters in 2013 and probably is a contender for longest leg again in 2014

Individual Rankings

1. Austin Cain, CCU
2. Truett Burns, CSU
3. Ryan Mohr, MU
4. Stephen Doar, PC
5. Dustin Holder, GWU
6. Trey Turner, LU

Next week is the conclusion of my 2014 Big South Preview and its the part I probably looked forward to the most, my annual prediction of everyone's schedule game by game. Will probably post that one next Monday night. Enjoy the EWU-SHSU opener on Saturday and good luck to the Big South teams opening on the 28th.

[bodoyle]

CJM said one of the biggest things he was focusing on when he came to CCU was Special Teams. He has completely turned around that aspect of the game at CCU. We haven't had a solid kicker since Josh Hoke.