A light-weight rain fell over the Rose Bowl on Saturday night time as Eddie Czaplicki took his place simply behind USC’s 45-yard line. He didn’t anticipate to be wanted, not with USC driving early within the fourth quarter in opposition to UCLA. However an ill-timed, third-down sack had knocked the Trojans out of subject aim vary. Now it was as much as the very best punter in school soccer to salvage the state of affairs, like he had so typically throughout USC’s season.
It was a essential second within the crosstown rivalry, with the Trojans trailing 13-9, in want of a spark. However a well-recognized calm settled over Czaplicki. He took a deep breath, caught the snap, then despatched the kick hovering towards the aim line, the place it bounced as soon as on the 5, touchdown softly within the arms of receiver Makai Lemon on the 1.
It was a superbly exact punt, within the remaining stretch of a near-perfect season of punting. Again at midfield, Czaplicki put his palms collectively and bowed his head. “It was,” he mentioned later, “almost like a zen thing.”
The senior punter spent most of this season working in an identical state at USC, kicking as confidently as ever. The previous three weeks, Czaplicki has been particularly locked in, along with his final 9 punts all touchdown someplace contained in the 13-yard line.
None had been so essential because the 45-yarder he landed on the UCLA 1. The Bruins drive lasted simply 4 performs earlier than their punter, Brody Richter, shanked his personal kick, handing USC the ball at midfield. Three performs and 49 yards later, the Trojans took the lead for good.
“Just like no doubt about everything I’m doing right now, you know?” Czaplicki mentioned. “I feel like I’m by far and away the best in the country right now. That’s just how I felt in that moment.”
It’s exhausting to argue. Take context out of the equation for a second, and simply think about the uncooked statistics: Twenty two of Czaplicki’s 36 punts (61%) this season have landed contained in the 20-yard line. 9 (33%) have been inside the ten.
And these aren’t simply chip pictures, both: Nineteen of Czaplicki’s 36 punts (52%) have gone for 50 yards or extra. His web punting common (46.2 yards) ranks first in school soccer, whereas his common punt distance (48.8 yards) ranks third — and second in class historical past to Tom Malone, who averaged 49 yards per punt in 2003.
Perhaps most mind-boggling of all, he has but to document a touchback by way of 11 video games this season.
USC’s Eddie Czaplicki punts the ball in opposition to Penn State final month on the Coliseum.
(Icon Sportswire / Getty Photos)
Now, think about the precise implications of that machine-like precision for USC. Fifteen of Czaplicki’s 36 whole punts have led to drives that lasted 4 performs or fewer. Of the 9 punts he landed inside the ten, simply two of these drives led to factors. (Each ended with subject targets.) Prolong the vary to the 20, and opponents have scored on simply 5 of twenty-two drives this season.
That energy to control subject place has been particularly worthwhile this season within the Large Ten, the place offense has been tougher to come back by.
“It has been such a consistent weapon,” USC coach Lincoln Riley mentioned. “I mean, I don’t know how you could have a better year than what [Czaplicki] is having right now? He’s just been absolutely tremendous.”
So it got here as little shock Tuesday when Czaplicki was named one in all three finalists for the Ray Man Award, which honors the very best punter in school soccer. It’s one of many few awards in school soccer that USC has by no means claimed.
Czaplicki, who transferred to USC after two seasons at Arizona State, wish to change that.
“It’s the most prestigious award at my position,” Czaplicki mentioned. “And to be the first guy at this university to win it? It would mean the world to me. Would mean the absolute world to me.”
He has made a reasonably convincing case already. However as dominant as he’s been all season — and as important as he’s been to USC’s operation — the punter says he isn’t happy with simply conquering school soccer. Although he would like to sustain this season’s streak of no touchbacks.
“There’s always another level I can get to,” Czaplicki mentioned final week. “I think, honestly, the only time I’ll ever be happy is if I’m a Pro Bowler. That’s the goal I’ve had for myself. That’s what I want to do.”
And after among the finest seasons ever for a specialist at USC, Czaplicki has by no means been extra assured he’ll verify that field quickly sufficient.
“Basically everything these past few years that I’ve set my mind to,” he mentioned, “I’ve accomplished.”
