Caleb Houston is off to a roaring start in 2015.
The junior punter is averaging 46.8 yards per punt and had a whopping 49.2 average in his six punts at Stanford. Seven of his 13 punts have been downed inside the 20 and three have been for at least 50 yards.
At the beginning of the second half, Houston booted a 49-yarder that was downed by Demeitre Brim at the Stanford one-yard line. That as big of a rush a punter can get, Houston said.
"It's just great, seeing the defense coming on to the field all excited," Houston said. "Seeing them pinned with a long field. That's probably the best satisfaction there is, seeing your teammates get excited around you."
The Cleveland, Tenn., native says the improvement has come with hard work and consistency.
"I definitely think it's a mixture of flexibility and form," Houston said. "Just getting your form consistent. That's a big key. It's not about hitting an 80-yard bomb and then a 30-yarder. It's better to hit a consistent ball so your team can count on you."
Houston says he does take a yoga class to aid in flexibility.
"I do a lot of static and dynamic stretching, just making sure my flexibility is at its peak."
Another thing he's mastered is the punt drop drill, which simulates the drop of the ball after receiving the incoming snap.
"Drop drills are huge," Houston said. "Any time you can get repetition and muscle memory so you don't have to think about it."
UCF will look to start a win streak this Saturday against Furman. The Knights were also 0-2 a year ago and would go on to win the conference.
"I love playing under the lights with the fans," Houston said. "We're just glad to be back."
