Iowa’s new punter is 4th-generation Big Ten player

Mike Hlas, The Gazette

IOWA CITY - Is there a kicking gene? Something extra in the makeup of certain humans that helps make footballs fly off their feet?

Leaving that for scientists with too much time on their hands to ponder, the fact is Iowa's new starting punter has a father who knows a lot about how to thrive at that position.

This week, junior college transfer Dillon Kidd was named Iowa's starting punter for the Hawkeyes' game against Northern Iowa Saturday. After learning that, the first person he told was someone who had 957 punts in 15 NFL seasons from 1984 to 1998. That was John Kidd, Dillon's dad.

'It was something I watched my dad do from basically the time I was born until I was eight years old,” Kidd said.

'Having my dad as kind of a mentor and coach has definitely helped me more than him just being an ex-NFL guy. On-field stuff, off-field stuff, handling of pressure, how to talk to you (media) guys, and basically how to be the best well-rounded athlete I can be as far as this position goes.”

The Kidds look at themselves more as football players than punters. Dillon's brother, Garrett Kidd, is a wide receiver at Miami. Dillon played linebacker at North Broward (Fla.) Prep School and was All-Broward/Dade County at that position as well as punter.

John Kidd was recruited to Northwestern as a quarterback but was almost exclusively a punter there from 1980 to 1983. He was a No. 3 quarterback in addition to his punting duties during his first 10 NFL seasons.

'We've had somewhat similar paths,” John Kidd said by phone. 'Dillon had a couple of shoulder surgeries, so he focused more on punting after his high school career.”

In fact, Dillon is a fourth-generation Big Ten football player. His great-grandfather, Max Kidd, played at Indiana in 1922-23, and coached football at several Indiana high schools. Max Kidd Jr., played at Purdue in the early 1950s.

Yet, Dillon appeared anything but destined to follow them and his father to the Big Ten. He was a walk-on at Florida State for two seasons, then left to play for a season at El Camino Community College in California. From there, he was headed to Florida International University to be a scholarship punter.

'I was already committed,” he said. 'I was almost fully enrolled and everything. I was pretty much approaching the point of no return when I got the phone call that the special teams coach (Kevin Wolthausen) at that school, Florida International, had taken another job opportunity at a different school (Connecticut).

'So I called a couple of main recruiting guys that help out with kickers and punters and one of them called back and said ‘Hey, Iowa's about to offer a guy. Do you want your name in the mix?' I thought about it, knew about the situation with a guy that had already been here (two-year starter Connor Kornbrath). When the opportunity came, it was just something I couldn't turn down.

'It took a lot for me to turn down other offers where I pretty much was guaranteed a starting spot, but I just have that competitive nature in me.”

He's a Kidd. Playing in the Big Ten is as much a part of his DNA as kicking a football.

More comments:

Dillon Kidd:

'They basically told me they'd give me the start for the first game. We know as Hawkeye football players that nothing is given to us. We've got to earn it every week, every day in practice.”

'I'm lucky for the opportunity. We both kicked well in camp. Connor has a great leg and so do I. Obviously, we really competed hard for a job that only one guy can do.”

John Kidd:

'I know he's very happy with the Iowa program, as am I. I've been nothing but impressed with the way Coach Ferentz runs his program. I've been around a lot of football people my whole life and he's right up there with the best of them. Kids earn their spots to play. It's fair for everybody. That's all you can really ask for.”

'(Dillon's) year in junior college was more of an exposure thing. It was a little like the Bad News Bears. He was more like a shortstop, taking snaps from all over the place. I can't say he had huge numbers and stats, but it was good exposure for him.”

'Dillon's really matured the last couple years so I don't have to say much to him. Like any dad, I just want my kids to keep their heads on straight. ... I'm obviously a proud dad, but not only with the progress he's made as a punter, but how hard he's working in school and trying to do everything the right way.”

And finally...

Dillon has another brother, named Max. He is a high school senior who, besides being a position player, is a punter and placekicker. John thinks his best option for playing college ball might be placekicking.

Dillon's stepmother is Jackie Johnson, a weathercaster for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles.