Turner Working on Meeting His Expectations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The task was daunting, plain and simple.

Paddy Turner knew the recent history, but he didn't use any of it as an expectation of his own. All he wanted to do was contribute to the team, and the Australian punter doesn't feel he's done his job.

"Definitely not. I'm very disappointed with how I've performed this year. I haven't contributed to the team at all," Turner said. "I can hold my head high on a few things, but there's a long way to go. Until I get there, I really need to find other ways to help this team. Whether that's being a leader on the sideline and trying to help motivate these young guys if things don't go their way, if they miss a rep or make a mistake, that's football, that's life. If I can be on the sideline to help them there to make an impact on the next play, then that's what I'm going to do. Then I'll still give 110 percent in my punting game as well."

Turner worked on the craft last year at Nevada as the Wolf Pack backup. He came to Fort Collins to do the same, with special teams coach Tommy Perry tasked to help him with his development. Turner hadn't really punted an American football before his arrival, so naturally there's been some adjustment.

Right now, the person most disappointed in Turner is Turner. Not a single coach questions the work he's putting in on himself.

"I think he's improving all the time. What we do with our punters is really not easy," CSU head coach Jay Norvell said. "It's pretty challenging. When I went to hire special teams coaches, I started with Coach Perry, and there's really not many people out there who do what we do. We try to move the pocket, we try to move directional punt and keep the punt returners moving. Three's a little bit of a learning curve with that with Paddy. I think he's improved every week; I think he's getting better. I think he's getting to the point where he'll start to be a weapon for us where we can move the ball around on return men and really make them have a hard time fielding the ball."

Naturally, he wasn't trying to be anybody else. Especially not Ryan Stonehouse, who graduated as the NCAA career leader in punting average and currently leads the NFL with his 54.0 average. That's not who Turner expected to be.

He also didn't think he'd be Jimmie Kaylor (44.0 average at CSU). Or Hayden Hunt, a Ray Guy Award finalist (43.8). Not even Pete Kontodiakos (43.8). That's the who of Colorado State punting and all of them have filled the spot since 2004 for the program.

"Not at all. I know I'm not as good as those guys, and I'll be the first to say it," Turner said. "The expectation I had was to contribute to this team more than I have. It's only been one game this season I've averaged 42 yards, and that's what I want the minimum to be going forward. I definitely didn't think I was going to match what those guys have done in the past. They are amazing athletes and amazing at their craft, and that's showing with how well Stoney is going in the NFL right now. I wasn't trying to fill their shoes, I was just trying match my expectations to contribute to the team."

Last week, Turner did, averaging 42.6 yards on his eight attempts at Boise State. He's had four punts of 50 yards or better and one came last week. It was just the third time this year he's averaged 40 yards or better, so his focus is on being more consistent with his numbers, and that requires him being more consistent with his two strokes.

He appreciates Perry is giving him the opportunity to do both, a bit of a balance between the two and when and how to use each.

He will sit comfortably in the pocket and fire off kicks, but the Rams also employ a rugby kick, which is the one Turner has had the most trouble with at this juncture. He knows it can be a weapon in his arsenal, and the Rams want it to be, but it's also new to him. Gaining consistency with the style is a primary directive every day at practice.

"The feel of the rugby punts are a lot different than I'm used to, and Coach Perry has been very understanding and very patient with my development with that," Turner said. "There's been a couple we've hit well, and they've worked well for us, but there's been quite a few which haven't worked in our favor. My development in that is definitely what I'm focusing on. I think my directional game from the pocket has been better, and that helps out my guys who are trying to help me. I'm just trying to develop the rugby game to win a few turnovers or push the field position back.

"If you hit it the way you're supposed to hit it and at a good trajectory, then it's going to bounce forward, and I haven't been able to get on top of that consistently yet. We want it bouncing forward, and I have to keep my consistency on the training field to work on those drops and those contacts to make sure you get that good trajectory for it to bounce forward."

His first collegiate punt came in front of 109,000 fans. Now, he's more confident on the field and feels more composed.

Event still, Turner admits he has to work on his head, which both he and Perry talked about during the spring. Turner tends to get down on himself after one bad ball, a case of the teacher not practicing his own lessons. He was elected a captain for his ability to encourage his teammates and keep them moving forward, and he believes he's getting better with himself through those actions.

He's also not one to leave a stone unturned, and Norvell doesn't think that's exactly a negative.

"I think it's a good thing. I know in this game there's a lot of pressure from outside forces, but there's no pressure like our guys put on themselves," he said. "They want to do well, they have high standards for themselves and Paddy really wants to be great. He's also a captain, so he has a responsibility to play well and do his job. I think that's a good thing. It helps motivate him. He's working all the time. He's always up in the offices as a punter. He's not like a position player where's he's trying to read defensive schemes and stuff; his job is basically to repeat the same motion over and over again, but he's always up in the offices and really takes pride in getting everybody ready in special teams meetings. I think it's a good thing. I think he's going to continue to improve."

Turner wants his average up to where he finds it acceptable, but he is happy with those on the punt team and the effort they've put into the unit. He points to net punting, where the difference between his 38.2 yards is less than 2 yards off the net (36.6). He will talk all day about the unit, the gunners, the snapper, those who protect him and those who chase his kicks. He hasn't felt any team has come close to blocking a punt, and he's proud of the fact there hasn't been a touchback this season.

As for being a captain, he's perfectly fit the bill.

"He's usually lifting other people up whether he's having a good day or a bad day," Jack Howell said. "He's always bringing the energy. It's just checking in on him every now and then. He's a great player, and he's doing fine."

The support means the world to him, because it's a big part of who he is and being a captain. Performing that role has been crucial.

It's just not enough for him.

"I came here for a reason, and that's the reason that I needed to be out there. I could lean back on a few excuses, but that's not what I'm here for," Turner said. "I'm here to contribute and I haven't been able to do it, so excuses go out the window when I'm not contributing to the team."

The goal remains to raise his numbers while keeping the net just as close. Until then, he'll continue to pursue his expectations, not those of others. He's not chasing ghosts of the past, just the consistency to meet his expectations for production in the future.

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