By Kevin Skolny / Jambar Contributor
Redshirt junior Brendon Kilpatrick, a player on Youngstown State University’s football team, was the recipient of the 2024 Football Championship Subdivision Punter of the Year award.
Kilpatrick was chosen by the Augusta Sports Council Board of Directors on Dec. 16, 2024.
“It means a lot. It was definitely a good day,” Kilpatrick said. “I got the one I really cared about, that meant a lot to me.”
Kilpatrick is the first Penguin to receive this honor from the council, and along the way set a YSU record for the longest-average punt distance in a season at 46 yards per punt.
“I grew up playing a lot of different sports, but once I got into high school, I was trying out kicking and punting and I found out I could play if I did this,” Kilpatrick said. “I started taking reps with the varsity guys, but I wasn’t a big fan of the hitting part.”
Kilpatrick was designated as a redshirt freshman when he came to YSU in 2021, but did not get his first full season of action until 2023.
“Most coaches would say I would overkick,” Kilpatrick said. “I’ve had plenty of overuse injuries, which our trainers did a great job to help me through. But if you want to be better at punting and kicking, you have to punt and kick.”
According to ysusports.com, during his first campaign in 2023, Kilpatrick had a total of 1,996 yards of distance on 46 punts. 10 were more than 50 yards with 16 landing inside the 20-yard line — an average of 43 yards per punt.
In 2024, those numbers improved across the board with less total punts, as he trotted out 40 times and totaled 1,838 yards. 14 of the punts were over 50 yards and 19 landed inside the 20-yard line.
His average increased to 46 yards per punt, with his two longest being a pair of two 65-yard boots against Villanova University in week one and at South Dakota State University during week seven.
“It becomes a bit easier to work harder when you have that taste in your mouth of what success might be like,” Kilpatrick said. “Some guys might feel like you earned something, but I didn’t want to take it like that. I just put my head down and worked harder, and it worked out in the end.”
Kilpatrick said he’s going to build on his success for next year.
“I want to do everything I can, being my fifth year and feeling so young still,” Kilpatrick said. “Any opportunity that comes my way, I’d love to chase it, and that’s what I’m going to do next year — chase it — that’s my goal.”