D.C. Reeves
TideSports.com Managing Editor
Because Jamie Kohl has seen thousands of high school kids perform at his kicking camps across the country through the years, he knows a good punter when he sees one.
JK Scott was one of the really good ones.
"I think a kid like JK, when you see him and you see a bunch of the other kickers, you say 'OK, that guy has a chance to play at an Alabama,'" Kohl told the Tuscaloosa News this summer. Kohl is the director of Wisconsin-based Kohl's Kicking, widely considered the authority on evaluating high school kicking talent through its renowned camps. "JK has the most upside of the group (in the 2014 class)."
Alabama is starting to experience that upside.
Scott, a true freshman, has been one of Alabama's best weapons through the first half of 2014. He ranks fourth nationally in punting average (46.7 yards per kick) and he is one of only two freshmen who rank among the nation's top 35.
Scott, a Colorado native ranked as the top punter in the 2014 class, is also putting the ball where he wants to routinely. Twelve of his 19 punts so far have been pinned inside the 20.
Even more impressive, the hangtime matches the booming distance. Only two of Scott's 19 punts have been returned for a total of eight yards, ranking Alabama No. 2 in the nation in net punting.
"I think he's done a really good job all year long. He's changed field position on numerous occasions," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
While Kohl considered Scott one of the best punters in the 2014 class, like every high school punter moving to the major college level, he knew Scott would have to work through some growing pains.
"The difference (in college) is consistency and obviously being able to handle the stage that the University of Alabama provides," Kohl said. "Talent-wise, he's outstanding. He can punt at a very, very high level and he's a prototypical SEC, full-ride scholarship type guy. He fits in with everybody else over the years who has done a nice job at that level.
"The biggest question will be consistency and being able to mature quickly as a true freshman."
So far, Scott has been one of the Crimson Tide's most consistent players, freshman, senior or otherwise. His best collective performance came at Arkansas last week, when Alabama's struggling offense needed it most. Scott punted eight times for an average of 44.3 yards, pinning seven inside the 20.
"You know, when you play on a bad day like last week, field position can be really, really important and we gave some up with the turnovers and poor decisions on handling the ball, on occasion," Saban said. "But we also gained some field position with his great punting. He changed the field position several times in that game, that was really critical. The entire fourth quarter, we stopped them three times defensively after they had a chance when it was 14-13, each time he pinned them down and had them in poor field position.
"I think he's done an outstanding job for us all year. Very talented."
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1693796#sthash.S9Fmhohs.dpuf
TideSports.com Managing Editor
Because Jamie Kohl has seen thousands of high school kids perform at his kicking camps across the country through the years, he knows a good punter when he sees one.
JK Scott was one of the really good ones.
"I think a kid like JK, when you see him and you see a bunch of the other kickers, you say 'OK, that guy has a chance to play at an Alabama,'" Kohl told the Tuscaloosa News this summer. Kohl is the director of Wisconsin-based Kohl's Kicking, widely considered the authority on evaluating high school kicking talent through its renowned camps. "JK has the most upside of the group (in the 2014 class)."
Alabama is starting to experience that upside.
Scott, a true freshman, has been one of Alabama's best weapons through the first half of 2014. He ranks fourth nationally in punting average (46.7 yards per kick) and he is one of only two freshmen who rank among the nation's top 35.
Scott, a Colorado native ranked as the top punter in the 2014 class, is also putting the ball where he wants to routinely. Twelve of his 19 punts so far have been pinned inside the 20.
Even more impressive, the hangtime matches the booming distance. Only two of Scott's 19 punts have been returned for a total of eight yards, ranking Alabama No. 2 in the nation in net punting.
"I think he's done a really good job all year long. He's changed field position on numerous occasions," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
While Kohl considered Scott one of the best punters in the 2014 class, like every high school punter moving to the major college level, he knew Scott would have to work through some growing pains.
"The difference (in college) is consistency and obviously being able to handle the stage that the University of Alabama provides," Kohl said. "Talent-wise, he's outstanding. He can punt at a very, very high level and he's a prototypical SEC, full-ride scholarship type guy. He fits in with everybody else over the years who has done a nice job at that level.
"The biggest question will be consistency and being able to mature quickly as a true freshman."
So far, Scott has been one of the Crimson Tide's most consistent players, freshman, senior or otherwise. His best collective performance came at Arkansas last week, when Alabama's struggling offense needed it most. Scott punted eight times for an average of 44.3 yards, pinning seven inside the 20.
"You know, when you play on a bad day like last week, field position can be really, really important and we gave some up with the turnovers and poor decisions on handling the ball, on occasion," Saban said. "But we also gained some field position with his great punting. He changed the field position several times in that game, that was really critical. The entire fourth quarter, we stopped them three times defensively after they had a chance when it was 14-13, each time he pinned them down and had them in poor field position.
"I think he's done an outstanding job for us all year. Very talented."
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1693796#sthash.S9Fmhohs.dpuf
