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 – OCTOBER 17: Punter Korey Durkee
SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 17: Punter Korey Durkee /

Good punting has many forms

But that is not to say that pinning the opponents within their 20 yard line is the only value.  Punting for longer distances is a true boon to the team as well.  Last season, the Washington Football team averaged 40.7 yards per punt. But the Pac-12 conference games tell a different story.  The Washington Huskies were dead last in punting in the conference in net punting yards at 33.0.   And in games with the offense inability to get on track, that plays a huge part in the outcome of a game.

Coffin corners are the ability of the punter to kick that ball out of bounds as close to the end zone as possible.  Booming punters kick the ball a long way, but are measured a different way. Their statistic is “hang time”.  For that time with a ball in the air is the amount of time teammates had to surround the receiver.

Hang Time or Coffin Corner?

The hang time of some punters is incredible.

So the strategy for a punter can be very complex.   If the team approaches mid field, the coffin corner guy is more valuable. If the team is stuck deep in their own territory, the hang-time guy is more valuable.  But why choose?  Why not get both?

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