Texas A&M Football
Key quotes from Drew Kaser interview
“I have nightmares about the Heisman campaign falling short. I really feel like I did a lot to at least get me New York. Maybe there was a punt or two I’d like to have back, or a fake punt for a touchdown that could have boosted it. I do have a 100% completion percentage. 1/1 for three yards and a first down.”
“This whole experience of getting ready for the NFL is so surreal for me because in high school, I was all soccer. My dad played tight end at West Virginia, then my grandfather played college ball at Toledo and professionally for the Detroit Lions. I always thought it would be cool to follow in their footsteps and once I made it to college, I thought it was surreal just to be playing in college. At this point, to have a shot at following my grandfather and play in the NFL is surreal to me as well.”
“(With the Ray Guy award) The game of college punting is completely different now. There's a lot of Australians, a lot of guys who do the roll punt, so there isn't many guys that are traditional pocket punters. That’s where I’ve succeeded here at A&M is in the pocket. You’ll have guys that don’t have the leg strength (that I do) still putting up crazy numbers by getting the roll or whatever they’re doing, but they don't get the high hangers that I do because they take more time getting the ball off. Outside of all that, to be a three-time Ray Guy Award semi-finalist and a finalist in 2013 is quite an honor. The whole experience and situation is something I’m very blessed by.”
“Honestly, I don’t see the roll punts transitioning to the NFL because their rules are a bit different than college. In college, you see more of the spread punt with a shield and when they roll out to the side, everyone can free release down the field. Well in the NFL, there is a two-second rule where the only people who can release down the field are your gunners. That forces you to stay in the pocket, get the ball off quickly and hang it up there for your teammates. The pocket punt fits the NFL better.”
“The combine was quite the experience. I got there Monday and was probably the first one to get there. The next morning we got up around five and headed to the hospital to do blood tests, EKG’s, X-Ray’s, MRI’s, you name it. We were there six or seven hours. I’m like, ‘Man, you know he’s a running back and he’s a lineman. I’m just a punter.’ After that, we had orientation and I had interviews with all 32 teams for about five or six hours. I got back to my room about midnight and the next morning we had to get up for drug testing at four in the morning. After that, you’re examined by the doctors and surgeons of all 32 teams. They have all your test results and X-Ray’s so they're poking you and feeling you. I was talking with Houston some and all 32 teams are genuinely good people. Everybody at that level are good people.”
“The craziest question they asked me is, ‘Dog, cat or zebra?’ I said dog. I have a dog living with me here, but I started thinking, ‘What does a Zebra have to do with a dog or a cat?’ I hope that answer helps me get drafted. Every year one or so punters get drafted and this year is a really stacked class, compared to years past. I did really well at the Shrine game and have been getting a lot of reps for that. I placed first at the combine, so I did really well there as well. I’m taking baby steps and trying to separate myself from the pack. If a punter does get drafted, I’m trying to get myself in that slot. If it comes to un-drafted free agent, I want to get myself in the best possible situation with the best team I can.”
“In the combine, there were 15 punts. Six of them were down the middle, grip-it and rip-it type punts, which is what I do. Actually, what I do best is directional which is what we’ve done here for the past three years. But what I love to do is grip-it and rip-it, because I have such a strong leg. After the down the middle, we went three right, three left, and three inside the 20 punts with a snap at the 45. I think I averaged somewhere in the 50’s with a hang-time of 4.8 seconds for those punts, so I had a really good day.”
“In practice I’ve hit them from the one to the one a few times. It really is like a hole-in-one, because everything has to perfect and if you have a favorable wind behind you it makes it easier. I remember one time I went out training for the combine and had my coach come down here. I think I hit an 85 yard punt in the air that rolled to the back of the end zone, so it is definitely doable. Stopping it at the one is hard.”
“I’ve never met Steve O’Neal. It would be amazing to meet him, talk with him and pick his brain a little bit. Shane Lechler is Lechler. He’s a good friend of mine and we’ll talk back and forth. I probably hung out with him for 15-20 minutes before the Arizona State game. I got hurt that game and he was texting me after asking if I was okay. He’s a great guy to have by your side because he’s arguably the greatest punter in NFL history. That’s an advantage I have over almost everyone else. It has been a blessing to have. I think he is easily going to be in the NFL Hall of Fame.”
“Having Jeff Banks here for the past three years was huge for me. You don’t get a lot of coordinators at the college or pro level that have punted or kicked before. He was All-Conference at Washington State so he was very successful at what he did. He called me the day he got hired and we talked for an hour/hour and half to get off on the right foot. He really set the bar for me and we were never satisfied with what I did. We were always pushing the limit and he was my biggest motivator and critic. He always knew I could do better and he was always harder on me than anybody else because I was harder on myself.”
“Having Banks was a huge help because you aren't always going to be at the top of your game. It’s like golf because you aren't going to be at 100% each and every day. There’s days where you’re at the bottom and days when you’re at the top, but you try to eliminate the rollercoaster as much as possible. When you’re having a bad drop day, Banks was there to tell you what you are doing and what drill to work on. With punting, it is such a huge self-coaching position because you are by yourself most of the time. To have that second opinion has been huge.”
“It seems like Taylor Bertolet and I have been here forever after five years, but coach Banks has a lot of talent here. Daniel LaCamera is a great kicker and was number two in the nation during high school. For him to get a little experience in bowl practice and get into pressure whenever Taylor kind of rested was a huge help for him. Now you see him making kicks and being confident with a big leg. I think Banks is fortunate and set to have Daniel taking over. At punter, he has two guys that are really great. He’s fortunate to have a guy like Braden Mann that can boom it. He has a lot of potential and I could see that kid having quite a career. At the same time, he has Shane Tripucka who has been my backup for three years and has paid his dues. I feel like these competitions are wide open and whoever comes out of it will not be a bad kicker.”
“A&M came into the recruiting game really late. I got a call the week of the Texas game in 2010 from coach Toth, who was from my hometown in Ohio and we hit it off. Growing up in Ohio, I was a big Michigan fan, which is kind of funny. But, I thought I was going to go to Ohio State so I bought a bunch of OSU gear and was wearing it around, which was almost sacrilegious to my family. When I came down to A&M for my official visit, I just fell in love with the place, the atmosphere and all the facilities. It really felt like home and I remember calling my parents on the Friday I got down here and telling them, ‘I love this place. This is where I want to be.’ They were telling me not to make any rash decisions because they were back in Ohio and wanted me to stay close to home. Honestly, there is only a few things you’re certain about and I was certain this was the place for me. Looking back at it, I wouldn't have changed it for the world. I’m very blessed to have come to a special school like A&M. With all the things that happened here, being a two-time All-American, getting my business degree, it has really been an amazing experience.”
“Best punt I ever hit didn't even count. Missouri 2013, in Columbia, I hit a 68 yard punt that hit at the one and bounced straight up. Toney Hurd got under it and downed it at the one. But, I got running into the kicker and it didn't even count.”
“Overall, I think 2015 was a better year for me than 2013. I was more experienced and felt like I handled situations and pressure better. I had more punts in 2015, so to be able to put up the same or better numbers, with more punts, is pretty meaningful to me.”
“Being drafted as a punter is very rare and that would be amazing, but at the same time, if you go un-drafted, at the end of the day you’re still on a team. That’s my number one goal, whether I get drafted or go un-drafted is to make that 53-man roster and start in the NFL. It would help to be drafted, but I know that I’m going to out-work and out-punt people no matter what team I’m on.”
Drew Kaser on his time at Texas A&M, preparing for the NFL
Key quotes from Drew Kaser interview
“I have nightmares about the Heisman campaign falling short. I really feel like I did a lot to at least get me New York. Maybe there was a punt or two I’d like to have back, or a fake punt for a touchdown that could have boosted it. I do have a 100% completion percentage. 1/1 for three yards and a first down.”“This whole experience of getting ready for the NFL is so surreal for me because in high school, I was all soccer. My dad played tight end at West Virginia, then my grandfather played college ball at Toledo and professionally for the Detroit Lions. I always thought it would be cool to follow in their footsteps and once I made it to college, I thought it was surreal just to be playing in college. At this point, to have a shot at following my grandfather and play in the NFL is surreal to me as well.”
“(With the Ray Guy award) The game of college punting is completely different now. There's a lot of Australians, a lot of guys who do the roll punt, so there isn't many guys that are traditional pocket punters. That’s where I’ve succeeded here at A&M is in the pocket. You’ll have guys that don’t have the leg strength (that I do) still putting up crazy numbers by getting the roll or whatever they’re doing, but they don't get the high hangers that I do because they take more time getting the ball off. Outside of all that, to be a three-time Ray Guy Award semi-finalist and a finalist in 2013 is quite an honor. The whole experience and situation is something I’m very blessed by.”
“Honestly, I don’t see the roll punts transitioning to the NFL because their rules are a bit different than college. In college, you see more of the spread punt with a shield and when they roll out to the side, everyone can free release down the field. Well in the NFL, there is a two-second rule where the only people who can release down the field are your gunners. That forces you to stay in the pocket, get the ball off quickly and hang it up there for your teammates. The pocket punt fits the NFL better.”
“The combine was quite the experience. I got there Monday and was probably the first one to get there. The next morning we got up around five and headed to the hospital to do blood tests, EKG’s, X-Ray’s, MRI’s, you name it. We were there six or seven hours. I’m like, ‘Man, you know he’s a running back and he’s a lineman. I’m just a punter.’ After that, we had orientation and I had interviews with all 32 teams for about five or six hours. I got back to my room about midnight and the next morning we had to get up for drug testing at four in the morning. After that, you’re examined by the doctors and surgeons of all 32 teams. They have all your test results and X-Ray’s so they're poking you and feeling you. I was talking with Houston some and all 32 teams are genuinely good people. Everybody at that level are good people.”
“The craziest question they asked me is, ‘Dog, cat or zebra?’ I said dog. I have a dog living with me here, but I started thinking, ‘What does a Zebra have to do with a dog or a cat?’ I hope that answer helps me get drafted. Every year one or so punters get drafted and this year is a really stacked class, compared to years past. I did really well at the Shrine game and have been getting a lot of reps for that. I placed first at the combine, so I did really well there as well. I’m taking baby steps and trying to separate myself from the pack. If a punter does get drafted, I’m trying to get myself in that slot. If it comes to un-drafted free agent, I want to get myself in the best possible situation with the best team I can.”
“In the combine, there were 15 punts. Six of them were down the middle, grip-it and rip-it type punts, which is what I do. Actually, what I do best is directional which is what we’ve done here for the past three years. But what I love to do is grip-it and rip-it, because I have such a strong leg. After the down the middle, we went three right, three left, and three inside the 20 punts with a snap at the 45. I think I averaged somewhere in the 50’s with a hang-time of 4.8 seconds for those punts, so I had a really good day.”
“In practice I’ve hit them from the one to the one a few times. It really is like a hole-in-one, because everything has to perfect and if you have a favorable wind behind you it makes it easier. I remember one time I went out training for the combine and had my coach come down here. I think I hit an 85 yard punt in the air that rolled to the back of the end zone, so it is definitely doable. Stopping it at the one is hard.”
“I’ve never met Steve O’Neal. It would be amazing to meet him, talk with him and pick his brain a little bit. Shane Lechler is Lechler. He’s a good friend of mine and we’ll talk back and forth. I probably hung out with him for 15-20 minutes before the Arizona State game. I got hurt that game and he was texting me after asking if I was okay. He’s a great guy to have by your side because he’s arguably the greatest punter in NFL history. That’s an advantage I have over almost everyone else. It has been a blessing to have. I think he is easily going to be in the NFL Hall of Fame.”
“Having Jeff Banks here for the past three years was huge for me. You don’t get a lot of coordinators at the college or pro level that have punted or kicked before. He was All-Conference at Washington State so he was very successful at what he did. He called me the day he got hired and we talked for an hour/hour and half to get off on the right foot. He really set the bar for me and we were never satisfied with what I did. We were always pushing the limit and he was my biggest motivator and critic. He always knew I could do better and he was always harder on me than anybody else because I was harder on myself.”
“Having Banks was a huge help because you aren't always going to be at the top of your game. It’s like golf because you aren't going to be at 100% each and every day. There’s days where you’re at the bottom and days when you’re at the top, but you try to eliminate the rollercoaster as much as possible. When you’re having a bad drop day, Banks was there to tell you what you are doing and what drill to work on. With punting, it is such a huge self-coaching position because you are by yourself most of the time. To have that second opinion has been huge.”
“It seems like Taylor Bertolet and I have been here forever after five years, but coach Banks has a lot of talent here. Daniel LaCamera is a great kicker and was number two in the nation during high school. For him to get a little experience in bowl practice and get into pressure whenever Taylor kind of rested was a huge help for him. Now you see him making kicks and being confident with a big leg. I think Banks is fortunate and set to have Daniel taking over. At punter, he has two guys that are really great. He’s fortunate to have a guy like Braden Mann that can boom it. He has a lot of potential and I could see that kid having quite a career. At the same time, he has Shane Tripucka who has been my backup for three years and has paid his dues. I feel like these competitions are wide open and whoever comes out of it will not be a bad kicker.”
“A&M came into the recruiting game really late. I got a call the week of the Texas game in 2010 from coach Toth, who was from my hometown in Ohio and we hit it off. Growing up in Ohio, I was a big Michigan fan, which is kind of funny. But, I thought I was going to go to Ohio State so I bought a bunch of OSU gear and was wearing it around, which was almost sacrilegious to my family. When I came down to A&M for my official visit, I just fell in love with the place, the atmosphere and all the facilities. It really felt like home and I remember calling my parents on the Friday I got down here and telling them, ‘I love this place. This is where I want to be.’ They were telling me not to make any rash decisions because they were back in Ohio and wanted me to stay close to home. Honestly, there is only a few things you’re certain about and I was certain this was the place for me. Looking back at it, I wouldn't have changed it for the world. I’m very blessed to have come to a special school like A&M. With all the things that happened here, being a two-time All-American, getting my business degree, it has really been an amazing experience.”
“Best punt I ever hit didn't even count. Missouri 2013, in Columbia, I hit a 68 yard punt that hit at the one and bounced straight up. Toney Hurd got under it and downed it at the one. But, I got running into the kicker and it didn't even count.”
“Overall, I think 2015 was a better year for me than 2013. I was more experienced and felt like I handled situations and pressure better. I had more punts in 2015, so to be able to put up the same or better numbers, with more punts, is pretty meaningful to me.”
“Being drafted as a punter is very rare and that would be amazing, but at the same time, if you go un-drafted, at the end of the day you’re still on a team. That’s my number one goal, whether I get drafted or go un-drafted is to make that 53-man roster and start in the NFL. It would help to be drafted, but I know that I’m going to out-work and out-punt people no matter what team I’m on.”
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