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Altitude Not a Factor for CSU Punter
from the Associated Press
Nov. 4, 1999 FORT COLLINS (AP) - While most punters welcome the effect of kicking in mile high air, Colorado State punter Deone Horinek prefers sea level conditions. "I come from Kansas and I haven't noticed a difference," said Horinek, who grew up in Atwood, Kansas and spent two years kicking at Garden City Junior College. "I probably punt it farther in Kansas because of the wind." But Horinek seems to be doing well on the high plains. A year ago he punted well enough (44.8 yards a punt) to earn second team all-WAC status and allowed only one punt returned for a touchdown. "The only one run back on me in my career," said Horinek of the 82-yard return by Colorado's Cedric Cormier. "I kicked it too far." "Deone has give us everything and more," Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick said. "Whenever we've been successful, it has always come down to special teams play and Deone has been a major part of it." Horinek, who has a 41 yard average with 22 of his 42 punts downed inside the opponent's 20 yard line, has been particularly deadly the last two weeks against Wyoming and Utah. After shanking a 14-yard punt in the first quarter against Wyoming, he rebounded with five outstanding punts including a 60 and 67 yarder. "I wasn't concentrating and kicked the 14-yarder right into the stands," Horinek said. "I tried to kick it high and I hit it off the side of my foot." Lubick said the poor punt wasn't a wakeup call. More a continuation of short slump that began the week before against San Diego State. The slump was short lived as indicated by his 45 yard average at Wyoming and the quick turnaround carried over to last week's 31-24 victory over Utah. Horinek averaged 45-yards on seven punts and he boomed one for 53 yards. His most impressive punt carried 48 yards which was his most critical of he game. Utah was set deep in the hole when the ball was downed at its own two yard line. Five plays later Dallas Davis took a punt and returned it 56 yards for the game-winning touchdown. "Somebody said that was the defensive play of the game," Horinek said. "Whenever you set up your defense to make a big stand and they have to punt from their own end zone, that sets up a lot of stuff." Like any punter, Horinek enjoys the 50-plus yard punts. He likes the ones that travel shorter distances that land inside the opponent's 10 yard line even better. "This past summer I worked really hard on my form, kicking it as hard as I can and trying to put it into the corner," Horinek said. "I am not really directional kicking, I am kicking it to where I am suppose to." This offseason fine tuning was rewarded in CSU's opening game with Colorado, probably his best game as a Ram. His six punts in that game all were inside the 20. "And Ben Kelly didn't have any return yards," Horinek said. "That set the tone for the whole year."
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