Bloomington Leader

‘Winning Edge’ -- Evans, Campbell Put ‘Special’ in Special Teams

When it comes to Indiana's special teams, kicking and punting in particular, the Hoosiers are rolling. Punter James Evans and kicker Charles Campbell are delivering elite production.

That matters at any time, and it might really matter during one of the final three regular-season games, starting Saturday at No. 2 Ohio State (9-0).

Head coach Tom Allen calls Campbell "clutch." He praises Evans' "high-level" performance.

"They are doing what we asked them to do when they came here," Allen says, "which is provide the winning edge to our team by making game-changing plays."

Let's start with Evans, a 6-1, 218-pounder from New Zealand, who after a sometimes rocky freshman season (41.9-yard average on 69 punts) due to unfamiliarity with American football, has emerged as a field-position-flipping force.

Evans has punted 55 times (tied with Iowa's Tory Taylor for the most in the Big Ten) and averaged 44.8 yards, with a long of 69. He's had 19 punts of 20-or-more yards.

Evans has had moments when he's been as good as any punter in America. He averaged 48.2 yards in his six punts against Michigan. He averaged 49.7 yards in three punts against Maryland. He had a punt downed at the 2-yard line against Western Kentucky. Another was downed at the 6-yard line against Rutgers.

Overall, he's had 21 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

"He's been excellent," Allen says, "and with our offense struggling, that's huge for us to have those opportunities to flip the field."

Allen has always made special teams specialists a recruiting priority, and hasn't feared crossing the Pacific Ocean to sign key players. That includes former punter Haydon Whitehead, who was from Australia.

What Evans lacked in experience, he made up for in athleticism and toughness. He played rugby and squash in high school.

Allen and his staff saw the potential, even if other programs did not.

"A punter is a big deal," Allen says. "I believe in that. That's what we have always emphasized, recruiting the best that we can find who fit us and can do a great job.

"James has continued to punt at a high level. It's been neat to see him develop into the kind of punter that I thought he would be when we recruited him."

Then there's Campbell, who is 12-for-15 on field goals for the season, 20-for-20 on extra points. That includes September's game-winning, 51-yarder in overtime to beat Western Kentucky.

"Charles continues to be consistent," Allen says. "He's just a rock-solid guy who is one of most accurate kickers in America."

Campbell has made 37-of-46 field goal attempts. He's had the Big Ten's longest field goal in each of the two previous seasons at 53 and 55 yards. He's twice made four field goals in a game.

"Charles has proven to be really clutch, which is a great quality for a kicker," Allen says. "You can have a strong leg, but if you're not clutch in those pressure moments, it doesn't matter. He's a guy that, when the pressure is on, he's at his best."

Original source can be found here.