Mason King’s punting skills haven’t been needed much this season but the University of Louisville kicker more than earned his keep in the game against Clemson.
The Louisville offense was struggling early on, failing to score in the first quarter for the first time this season. Between three false starts and four incomplete passes, the Cardinals unable to mount a serious threat in the first 15 minutes.
King, meanwhile, was keeping the Clemson offense at bay, with three punts averaging 50.6 yards per kick. His longest kick — a 60 yarder — completely reversed the field, moving the football from UofL’s 19 yard line to the Clemson 21. His next punt, a 52-yarder, moved the ball from UofL’s 17 to the Clemson 31.
For the game, King had five punts for 240 yards, or an average of 48 yards per kick. For the season, he punted 18 times for 738 yards or 41 per punt.
Louisville has not had that kind of punting power since the days of Klaus Wilmsmeyer who punted for Howard Schnellenberger from 1988 to 1991. He once booted a punt for 84 yards and completed three field goals in a 9-7 win over West Virginia at Morgantown in 1990.
King, who played high school football at St. Xavier, is only a freshman, with many more highlights to come.