SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Pity the plight of college football’s modern-day punter. With high-flying offenses proliferating and analytics dictating that teams try to convert more fourth downs rather than give the ball away, punters on the best teams in college football have fewer chances than ever to make their mark. Consider Ohio State punter Drue Chrisman’s most memorable moments this year. He took a knee at the Buckeyes spring game and proposed to his girlfriend. (She said yes.) And three weeks ago, Chrisman was at the center of another clever ruse, completing a pass from a punt formation that jolted Ohio State from an early funk and two-touchdown deficit in the Big Ten championship game. Everything Chrisman has done with his kicking leg has been far less interesting — and only slightly more frequent. His 40 punts this season were one-third fewer than he had a year ago, when he was…
Continue Reading: Can They Kick It? Yes They Can. Ohio State and Clemson Just Don’t.
