South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger earns national recognition
There was speculation as early as last week if Kai Kroeger was even going to play in the South Carolina season opener.
He did, and came away with one of the best performances of his career.
And he was rewarded with it Tuesday morning, earning Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week honors. It comes just over a month after a foot injury limited him for the majority of preseason camp. Kroeger came back and picked up right where he left off last season.
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From South Carolina media relations:
University of South Carolina junior Kai Kroeger has been selected as the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week for Week 1 games, the Augusta Sports Council and the Ray Guy Award announced today. Kroeger was chosen from Ray’s 8, which was announced on Monday.
Kroeger, a 6-4, 207-pounder from Lake Forest, Ill., missed most of preseason camp with a foot injury and was listed as questionable heading into the Georgia State game, but responded with an All-America performance. He punted seven times for 344 yards, a 49.1-yard average with four inside the 20 and three of 50 or more yards, including a career-long 79-yarder, the longest for a Gamecock since Marty Simpson’s 79-yarder against Vanderbilt in 1992. It was the third 70-plus yard punt for Kroeger in his last eight games and the longest in the country so far this season. His gross average was 49.14 yards and his net was 46.29 yards.
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The third-year punter was named to the SEC Coaches’ all-Freshman team in 2020. He is averaging 43.5 yards per punt for his career, ranking second on the school’s all-time list behind only Joseph Charlton. Of his 105 career punts, 24 have traveled 50 or more yards with 35 inside the 20 and just five touchbacks.
This marked the second time that Kroeger has earned the Ray Guy National Punter of the Week honors. He also was selected in 2021 for his efforts against Vanderbilt.
Kroeger and the Gamecocks (1-0) travel to Fayetteville, Ark. this week to face the Razorbacks (1-0) in the SEC opener for both squads. Game time is set for noon ET and the contest will be televised nationally on ESPN.
