Dougherty Continues ECU's Long Tradition of Outstanding Punters
November 11, 2003 | Football
When you think of East Carolina football and its history in punting, you think of success. Names like Jarad Preston, Andrew Bayes, and John Jett immediately come to mind.
Preston, who finished his last season with the Pirates in 2002, was an all-conference selection and ranked among the nation's top dozen punters for two straight years; Bayes (1996-1999) was a three-time all conference member and a first-team All-American; and Jett (1988-1991) was honorable mention All-America, second-team all-conference, and has enjoyed a successful 11-year NFL career.
It is not unusual for Pirate fans to anticipate a strong punter every season. The 2003 campaign, under first-year head coach John Thompson, is no different.
Ryan Dougherty, a redshirt freshman from Orlando, Fla., has stepped up and continued ECU's strong tradition.
"I was nervous at first," admits Dougherty. "There's a little more pressure on you coming after all those guys because the fans expect to have a good punter. I've settled down quite a bit and just do my best."
Dougherty, a graduate of William R. Boone High School, was rated one of the top six high school kicking specialists in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel, averaging 41.1 yards per punt his senior year. During his first season with the Pirates, Dougherty spent his time on the sidelines, learning the system and watching former punter Preston.
Realizing this season would be his shot to step up at the helm, Dougherty made a lot of preparations in the offseason.
"I worked hard in the weight room to make my legs stronger;" said Dougherty. "I took snaps and practiced just about everyday. In college, practices are longer; it's a lot more serious. I knew I needed to work on all the little things to be successful."
Competing in high school and competing in college are two very distinct levels of play. Being able to take the step forward requires a lot of extra time and effort to make a smooth transition.
"It's a tough transition for punters to go from the high school level to the college level," said ECU coach Shep Campbell. "The speed of the game is so different. You have bigger, faster, and stronger athletes coming at you, but Ryan has picked it up very well."
Dougherty has definitely opened some eyes and made his presence known. Before the season started, Dougherty was one of 32 players to be named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List.
"I thought it was weird at first to be nominated because I hadn't punted in a game yet," Dougherty stated. "It showed me how much confidence the coaches had. I am very excited and hopefully I can come pretty high on the list, and if not, I'm just going to do the best I can."
So far, Dougherty has kept every bit of confidence. Coaches have nothing but praise for him.
"Ryan is a very hard working kid," says Campbell. "He's quick with getting the ball off, has a very strong leg, and is fundamentally sound. He's gotten the team out of some jams, pinning the ball deep inside the 10-yard line a few times. We want him to continue to do what he's been doing for us."
Dougherty is currently ranked first in Conference USA in punting and ninth in the nation with a 44.9-yard average. The Pirates as a team are ranked eighth in the nation in net punting, at 44.2 yards per punt, a statistic that factors in opposing teams' punt return yardage.
"My goals for the season are to have a net punt average of over 42 yards," says Dougherty. "I want to have a better average than every opponent I face, minimize touchbacks, and give our defense good field position. As punters and kickers, we don't get a chance to help the team as much, so every chance I get, I want to do my best."
Not only is Dougherty making marks in the book for punting, but he has been involved in some key plays for the Pirates. Trailing 17-3 against Wake Forest, the Pirates faked a field goal attempt and Dougherty ran in from nine yards out for a touchdown. Against Miami, Dougherty faked a punt and completed an 11-yard pass to teammate Mickey McCoy for a first down.
"We practiced those plays a lot, and I was confident they would work if we got the chance to do them," notes Dougherty. "But as soon as the play was called, I was nervous. I was like, 'holy cow!' Once they were executed, I was happy. Hopefully we'll see some more in the games to come because they were a lot of fun."
Ryan Dougherty has had a phenomenal season thus far. Out of his 53 punts, 12 have been inside the opposing team's 20-yard line, and his longest punt this season is 65 yards. Only 28 of his punts have been returned.
"From last year just watching and working on the sidelines to working hard this summer, I'm just glad that all my hard work is paying off in getting here. Hopefully it will continue for the rest of the time I'm here."
