Kai Kroeger set to make South Carolina football history in final game
South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger might be the best special teamer ever to wear a Gamecock uniform. The Gamecock senior (along with defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway) will break Parker White’s all-time record for games played with an appearance against Illinois in the Citrus Bowl. He also will beat Joseph Charlton’s program record for single-season punting with a good showing against the Illini. The title “all-time great” is appropriate for No. 39.
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“He’s going to be a pro, in my opinion,” said DeCamillis. “If I was still in the NFL, he’d be up on my chart. I can promise you that much. He can do a lot with the ball. He’s a consummate pro. He’s worked his tail off to be where he’s at, and I think he’s going to be a guy that’s going to play in the league for a while. So glad to have coached him [and], hopefully, helped him get better.”
Though they were together for just one year, DeCamillis’ NFL experience gives him a unique perspective on Kroeger’s potential future. Following 21 years in the league as a special teams coach, DeCamillis knows what NFL punters look like, and he knows Kai Kroeger is one.
Special teams players don’t usually get selected in the NFL Draft. Because of that, Kroeger’s path to the professional game likely is through being an undrafted free agent. However, there have been some NFL Draft analysts who think a team could take a flyer on Kroeger next April. If drafted, he would be the first South Carolina specialist taken since Ryan Succop was Mr. Irrelevant in 2009. He also would be the Gamecocks’ first drafted full-time punter since Max Runager back in 1979.
A look at Kroeger’s career makes it easy to see what the NFL sees in him.
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Kroeger has a strong leg that combines distance and hangtime at a big-time level. But the Gamecock punter is even better at sacrificing a little distance for pinpoint accuracy. He has dropped more punts inside opponents’ 10-yard lines than one can count. The former high school quarterback also was a legitimate weapon with his arm, throwing three touchdowns, four first downs, and multiple 2-point conversions. Plus, in his one onside kick attempt, he delivered an uncatchable, sidewinding drop kick that gave the Gamecocks the ball back with a chance to win against Alabama.
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If not for his left-footed (and right-armed) heroics, South Carolina likely has a few fewer wins over the past several years.
Adding to his legend, one of the best performances of his career came against Clemson in 2022. Called on to punt seven times, Kroeger averaged 53.7 yards per kick, dropping five of them inside the Tigers’ 15-yard line and three inside the 5-yard line. Two of his kicks traveled over 60 yards, and his shortest of the day resulted in a fumble.
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With one last chance to don the garnet and black (and one last chance at some special teams wizardry and trickeration), Kroeger will look to go out on a strong note. The South Carolina-Illinois matchup in the Citrus Bowl will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday. ABC will broadcast the contest, and ESPN+ will make it available for streaming.
