Football Punters: Are They The Next Leather Helmet?

I know on the surface that question sounds nuts but is it? Is it possible that punters and punt returns could become fully or partially obsolete?

If San Diego State's Rocky Long moves forward with what he is thinking, we may see the beginning of the end of the punting game as we know it.

Coach Long has indicated in and interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune he doesn't want to punt in 2012. What Long is mulling over is not punting on 4th down if the Aztecs are beyond the opponents 50. His reasoning is every time they are successful on a 4th down conversion, they will be running more plays, increase their scoring opportunities and tire out the defense by keeping them on the field.

Long, considered an innovative coach, who developed the 3-3-5 defense while coaching at New Mexico is not the brains behind this strategy, that honor belongs to Kevin Kelly.

Kevin Kelley is the head football coach of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark. During his 9 years at the helm his teams have won three state titles while amassing a 104-19 win loss record. Kelly came up with some interesting statistics to back up his refusal to punt.  According to Kelley's statistics, when a team punts from near its end zone, the opponent will take possession inside the 40-yard line and will then score a touchdown 77 percent of the time. If it recovers on downs inside the 10, it will score a touchdown 92 percent of the time.

Another thing Kelly does that is changing the game is his kick off strategy. He doesn't kick the ball deep or attempt squib kicks to reduce run backs. Infact the new kick off rules of advancing the ball deeper down field will only serve to give Kelly a kick off advantage. Kelly does the onsides kick every time.

Will more teams adopt the Kelly philosophy and make the punting game and kick off game the new leather helmet? Only time will tell and we shall see how college ball responds if Coach Long and his Aztecs follow Kevin Kelly's lead.

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