Following Saturday’s game against San Jose State on Sept. 17, Utah sophomore Mitch Wishnowsky lead the nation with a punting average of 52.6 yards.
“Obviously I am happy with that,” Wishnowsky said. “I think it helps that we haven’t had many skies yet, like the shorter range, so that helps with the average. But my inside 20’s isn’t anything like the other fellas out there. I am just happy with how the season started, and I have been able to put the defense in a good position.”
During Saturday’s game, Wishnowsky got the chance to punt five times, bringing the game yardage to 246 yards, and he averaged 49.2 yards. For one of his punts, it seemed that the ball was kicked low, but according to Wishnowsky, that’s the ideal kick so the returner can’t catch it. And since the kick was low, San Jose muffed the catch which allowed Utah to get possession.
“I think a lot of returners just leave [the ball] to get them more yardage on the roll, but if they pick it up, there is always that chance that they will fumble,” Wishnowsky said. “So if they try to pick it up and it’s rolling, and coverage is right there, then that might happen where our guys recover the ball.”
As Wishnowsky leads in punting average, Friday’s game on Sept. 23 will feature leader USC in punt returns with almost 200 yards, according to head coach Kyle Whittingham. He continued by saying that USC’s Adoree’ Jackson is dangerous in both his punt return and kickoff return game, adding that they need to keep the ball away from him.
“If he gets the ball with a little bit of space, you’re in trouble,” Whittingham said. “We have to do a great job with our punt team this week of trying to neutralize that as well as our kickoff coverage, because he’s as good as there is in the country, may be the best in the country, at returning kicks and punts.”
Wishnowsky added that in order to keep the ball away from Jackson, it will be more getting the ball up in the air, forcing a fair catch rather than kicking it away from him.
“I don’t know if it is about kicking it away or kicking it short, it is just about kicking it high enough so that the boys can get down there,” Wishnowsky said.
Along with leading the nation, Wishnowsky was also named Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week and the Ray Guy Punter of the Week on Sept. 5. Even with his accomplishments, Wishnowsky doesn’t want to put any pressure on himself in terms of goals as the season progresses.
“I am just happy with how I am going in the moment,” Wishnowsky said. “I just want to keep putting the boys in a good position and succeed. It is more just team goals. I think we have a good chance to do well this season.”
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