The Husky Haul
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Punter Power: Can Washington Football team benefit from coffin corner kicks?

By Bret Stuter

SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 17: Head coach Chris Petersen of the Washington Huskies looks on prior to the game against the Oregon Ducks on October 17, 2015 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 17: Head coach Chris Petersen of the Washington Huskies looks on prior to the game against the Oregon Ducks on October 17, 2015 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 31: Punter Travis Coons
SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 31: Punter Travis Coons /

The value of coffin corner kicking

So how good is this guy?  Well, first let’s discuss the hugely undervalued importance of a good punter.  It comes not only in the form of long booming 60 yard kicks, but in the form of a coffin corner.

So what is a coffin corner?  Well, punters try to kick the ball out of bounds as close to the goal line as possible. In fact, this ability is so noteworthy that football statisticians now added “inside 20 yard line” to the statistics of punters.  But a truly valuable punter is that of the coffin corner kicker.

Seeing is believing

That is the guy who can punt the ball out of bounds within the five yard line of the opponent. Like this:

No offense wants to start at the two-yard line.  Every defense wants to start at the two-yard line. So there’s that. But more than the single play. There is a confidence that builds in a team when the chips are down.  The knowledge that, even in the worst of situations, the punter can bail the team out from deep in their side of the field and get their opponent deep into their side?

That’s a huge weapon in a head coach’s arsenal as well. If Joel Whitford can deliver that? Well folks, we’re talking NCAA playoffs.

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