ISU special teams noticing change, looking for improvement

AMES - Spring practices, in Colin Downing's estimation, were without question a success. Through the summer and into fall camp, though, something felt different.

Now Downing is searching to get back to that place he felt in the spring and feels like he's nearly there.

'This fall camp has really kind of humbled me in a way,” Iowa State's sophomore punter said. 'It's just taught me how to work on the little things. Definitely it's been a little bit of a struggle, but we're getting there and getting back to where we were at the end of last season.”

Downing took over primary punting duties last season from Kirby Van Der Kamp, who posted one of the best punting careers in ISU history and averaged 42.4 yards per punt in his career. Downing averaged 39.4 yards per punt in 69 attempts a year ago, but Iowa State Coach Paul Rhoads is looking for a bit more.

Consistently hitting a predetermined spot on the field always is the goal when it comes to punting. It's the nuance of combining it with hang time that will be the primary focus this season.

'We'd like to have a net punt of 39 yards for the season,” Rhoads said. 'So the first thing is you've got to hit it above 39 if we're going to have a net punt of 39 and then you've got to let the coverage team get down there. Putting it in an area with enough distance and adequate hang time.”

More often than not, kickers and punters see the mental aspect of their craft just as important as the physical side. Somewhere in the offseason, Downing felt he lost a little bit of that.

To correct his errors, Downing just relied on the skills he's developed through high school and his first season with the Cyclones - and not trying to over think anything.

'Just get yourself aligned and knowing you know what to do,” Downing said. 'That's been a little tough for me this camp, but you've just got to remind yourself. That's a big thing with kicking and punting is that you've just got to remind yourself you're the best and you're there for a reason.”

Red-shirt junior kicker Cole Netten has honed his confidence, but now he's contending with the new addition to Jack Trice Stadium in the south end zone. Exterior construction of the club seating is complete with interior construction expected to be finished in time for the ISU season opener against Northern Iowa on Sept. 5.

Jack Trice Stadium developed the reputation of being a wind tunnel because of the open hillsides on either side of the stadium. The addition to the stadium changed that, so Netten is taking advantage of every opportunity to get repetitions in the stadium before game day.

Netten said he's noticed the wind typically come from the south in the past, but has noticed the wind swirl in scrimmages now that construction is completed.

'There was one time we were out there and the wind was changing so much,” Netten said. 'I told Coach (Rhoads) to lick his finger and tell me to go in when he thinks it's getting calmer. I had a practice from about 55 (yards) or 60 and I also had one from 35 that barely made it there because it was swirling so much.”

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