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The University of Mississippi Athletics
SPOTLIGHT: Picture Perfect Punting
10/27/2011 | Football
Oct. 27, 2011
By Morgan Adams
Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations
A group of 7th grade football players line up on the turf after a long and physical day of practice. Their team desperately needs a punter and are determined to find one. One by one, no matter their current position, they take their turn booting the football down field.
Tyler Campbell, the team's running back, approaches the ball, takes a few steps back, and kicks it with all his might. To his surprise, the ball soars through the crisp, autumn air and lands numerous yards farther than any of his teammates'.
That day marked the beginning of Campbell's punting career. The Little Rock, Ark., native produced successful high school stats averaging 53.0 yards per punt as a junior and 39.7 yards per punt as a senior. Campbell has since become one of Ole Miss' most notable punters.
"I never even thought about coming to Ole Miss," Campbell said. "I knew Coach (Houston) Nutt when he was at Arkansas, and he talked me into coming to visit Ole Miss. I fell in love with the campus and town, so I committed to Ole Miss and accepted the scholarship they offered me."
Campbell has earned his scholarship and proven that he belongs on the field. His freshman year (2009), Campbell notched nine punts of 50-plus yards and pinned 13 punts inside the 20-yard line. Campbell's punting average was the longest by an Ole Miss punter since 2003. As a freshman, Campbell was ranked as the No.2 punter in the Southeastern Conference and the No. 12 punter in the NCAA. He was also named SEC All-Freshmen by the coaches.
Campbell boasted an even better season his sophomore year. In 2010 he was named the NCAA punting champion with a 46.37-yard average, making him the 19th NCAA statistical individual champion in Ole Miss history. Campbell finished the season ranked third on the Rebel's single-season list for punting average.
His career average of 45.4 is surpassed by only Merle Hapes' mark of 46.0 on the Rebel all-time list.
Now in the midst of his junior season at Ole Miss, Campbell has already shown how valuable he is to the Rebels. He has utilized his ability to avoid powerful punt returners and has incorporated a trick play or two.
"In the offseason I worked really hard on every aspect of punting including hang time. We also incorporated the rugby punt," Campbell said.
According to Campbell, mastering the rugby kick and providing good hang time is essential to being a successful punter. The rugby kick is used to keep the ball out of the hands of dangerous punt returners. When the ball is kicked, it becomes a "hot ball" as it rolls down the field. Most returners will not pick up the ball and run with it. Hang time is the amount of time the ball spends sailing through the air after it has been kicked. The longer the ball remains in the air, the more time the coverage team has to locate the punt returner and tackle him.
Even though Campbell is a very accomplished player, he still considers himself as part of the team and puts the team's needs before his own.
"I'm happy about my success, but it is ultimately about the team," Campbell said. "I want to help them. We are not going to give up; we are going to keep fighting and try to get wins."
Campbell and his fellow teammates work hard every day to be victorious come game time. They rely heavily on each other and the continuous support of the fans. The Ole Miss fan base aids the players by pumping them up before each game.
"The Grove is packed with everyone having a good time and Rebel Alley is crazy," Campbell said. "People are jumping up and down and being crazy. It's wild and it really gets you pumped up for the game."
Like most athletes, Campbell is grateful for the opportunity to play the game of football, interact with supportive fans and develop lasting relationships with his teammates and coaches. He thinks highly of Coach Nutt and is thankful to have been recruited.
"Coach Nutt is good about making his players first priority," Campbell said. He tries to keep all the criticism away from us and takes it all himself. He is a great leader and a great man."
Campbell did not plan on becoming a star punter, but when the opportunity arose he took advantage of it and never looked back. He possessed a hidden talent that was waiting to be discovered. Sometimes a person has to explore different avenues in order to find his purpose and passion.
