Texas A&M's Shane Lechler on Pace to Break Pair of NCAA Marks
Nov 10, 1999 | Football
November 10, 1999
Texas A&M's Lechler makes run at NCAA career punt average mark ---
Texas A&M senior All-America Shane Lechler is making a run at the NCAA record for career punt average (minimum 250 punts). Lechler's current career average of 44.5 (on 253 punts) would break the NCAA Div. 1-A record of 44.3 set by Mississippi's Bill Smith from 1983-86.
NCAA Div. 1-A Career Punting Leaders (Minimum 250 punts)
Rk Player, School, Years Avg.
* Shane Lechler, Texas A&M, 1996- 44.5
1. Bill Smith, Mississippi, 1983-86 44.3
2. Jim Arnold, Vanderbilt, 1979-82 43.9
3. Ralf Mojsiejenko, Michigan State, 1981-84 43.6
4. Jim Miller, Mississippi, 1976-79 43.4
5. Russ Henderson, Virginia, 1975-78 43.3
6. Maury Buford, Texas Tech, 1978-81 43.2
7. Nate Cochran, Pittsburgh, 1993-96 43.1
8. Chris Becker, TCU, 1985-88 43.0
9. Ron Keller, New Mexico, 1983-86 42.6
10. James Gargus, TCU, 1981-84 42.6
* - active player
NCAA mark for career 40-yard plus punting days within Lechler's reach ---
Shane Lechler has 35 career games with a 40-yard plus punt average to his credit, which is one shy of the NCAA record of 36 games set by Mississippi's Bill Smith from 1983-86.
"The benefit with Shane is that you are always going to get a good kick." Aggie head coach R.C. Slocum says. "The big booming kicks aren't near as impressive to me as the consistency he displays every time he goes out there. I've never had as much confidence in a punter as I do in Shane. Most punters are not as consistent as he is, and that is something most teams can't say."
Lechler's 40-Plus Days (35) 1999 Tulsa 46.2 Southern Miss 48.6 Texas Tech 57.2 Baylor 52.3 Kansas 41.5 Oklahoma 41.3 Nebraska 48.3 1998 Florida State 45.9 Louisiana Tech 50.3 Southern Miss 50.1 North Texas 43.3 Nebraska 45.3 Baylor 45.0 Texas Tech 42.3 Oklahoma State 42.6 Missouri 44.0 Kansas State 45.3 Ohio State* 44.2 1997 Sam Houston 42.0 La.-Lafayette 45.0 North Texas 48.7 Colorado 52.3 Iowa State 53.5 Kansas State 48.2 Texas Tech 43.0 Oklahoma State 50.7 Texas 44.0 Nebraska 47.6 UCLA* 45.3 1996 La.-Lafayette 52.0 Louisiana Tech 42.0 Iowa State 54.7 Kansas State 46.0 Texas Tech 44.9 Baylor 47.0 Texas 44.0 * - bowl statistics are not included in season and career statistics.
Lechler in the A&M record book ---
In the A&M record book, Lechler is already the school's all-time leading yardage gainer. Lechler's 253 career punts have covered a whopping 11,254 yards, eclipsing the former record of 9,222 set by David Appleby from 1976-79. In his final season at A&M, Lechler's career gross and net averages of 44.5 and 40.2 rank atop the school lists.
A&M Career Punting Leaders
Rk Player, Years Avg.
1. Shane Lechler, 1996- 44.5
2. Todd Tschantz, 1984-86 42.4
3. Phil Scoggin, 1964-65 41.9
4. Steve O'Neal, 1966-68 41.8
5. Kyle Stuard, 1980-83 41.3
A&M Career Net Punting Leaders
Rk Player, Years Net
1. Shane Lechler, 1996- 40.2
2. Todd Tchantz, 1984-86 39.9
3. David Davis, 1991-92 38.2
4. Kyle Stuard, 1980-83 37.9
5. Steve O'Neal, 1966-68 37.6
A&M Season Punting Leaders
Rk Player, Years Gross
1. Shane Lechler, 1997 47.0
2. Shane Lechler, 1999 45.9
3. David Davis, 1992 43.8
4. Shane Lechler, 1998 43.6
Phil Scoggin, 1965 43.6
A&M Season Net Punting Leaders
Rk Player, Years Net
1. Shane Lechler, 1997 41.5
Shane Lechler, 1999 41.5
3. Sean Terry, 1995 40.1
4. Kyle Stuard, 1983 40.0
5. Todd Tschantz, 1985 39.8
50-yard plus Lechler---
Senior All-America punter Shane Lechler increased his own single game punt average school record from 54.7 to 57.2 (minimum of five punts) with a strong performance against Texas Tech. Lechler posted boots of 59, 49, 68, 57 and 54 yards to set the record. He has nine career 50-plus punting days.
Lechler's 50-Plus Days (9)
Texas Tech, 1998 57.2
Iowa State, 1996 54.7
Iowa State, 1997 53.5
Baylor, 1999 52.3
Colorado, 1997 52.3
Louisiana-Lafayette, 1996 52.0
Oklahoma State, 1997 50.7
Louisiana Tech, 1998 50.3
Southern Mississippi, 1998 50.1
Lechler leftovers ---
Despite his school record 253 career punts, Shane Lechler has never allowed a punt return for a touchdown, and he's never had a regular season punt blocked. His only career punt attempt that was blocked was against Ohio State in the 1999 Nokia Sugar Bowl and does not count in season or career statistics.
