Joseph Charlton’s power leg makes impression on Gamecocks

In the world of college recruiting, kicker/punter Joseph Charlton is a rarity. Since Steve Spurrier arrived at South Carolina prior to the 2005 season, the Gamecocks rarely have signed a specialist in the recruiting wars.

Current kickers Landon Ard (kick-offs), Tyler Hull (punter) and Elliott Fry (place-kicking) all began as a walk-on.

Charlton will be the fifth kicker signed by Spurrier at South Carolina, and it didn’t take much convincing. The 6-foot-5, 180-pound A.C. Flora product has grown up going to South Carolina games and has been a fan as far back as he remembers.

He was thrilled when the offer came from special teams coordinator Joe Robinson in August. It took Charlton one conversation with his parents before pledging to become a member of the 2015 recruiting class.

“I was born and raised a Carolina fan,” Charlton said last week. “So I was very surprised – and excited – when I got the offer. I’ve been working with Carolina, visiting and stuff since the beginning of my junior year. I got a message from coach Joe Robinson one day, and he asked me to call him. He offered me a full scholarship. I talked it over with my parents and accepted it. It was a quick decision.”

Charlton developed his power leg playing soccer as a youth. He didn’t take up football until he reached the seventh grade, but that has been his only sport since.

“I played soccer for eight years before switching over to football,” Charlton said. “It’s been a huge help. Soccer has helped me transform into a better football kicker.”

Charlton handles all three aspects of kicking for A.C. Flora. He is 11-of-12 on PATs this season and 1-of-4 on field goals, even though the Falcons feel comfortable using him from 50 yards and in.

He expects to focus on kickoffs and punting when he arrives at South Carolina and hopes to add place-kicking later in his career. He set a goal for himself this season of having all touchbacks on kickoffs, since the high school rule is that any ball that enters the end zone on a kickoff is not returnable, and the offense will start at its 20-yard line.

This season, Charlton has reached the end zone on 13 of 15 kickoffs, with one of those that didn’t reach the goal line being a called kick high along the sideline.

“All three phases of kicking have different aspects,” Charlton said. “To me, kickoffs are probably easier than the other two. In, punting you rely on one person to get you the ball. In place-kicking, you have to rely on two people. Place-kicking is probably harder than punting in my opinion. In college, I want to start with kickoffs and punting and work my way into field goals.”

A.C. Flora coach Reggie Shaw believes having a kicker who can routinely make the offense drive 80 yards for a score is a luxury.

“It’s unusual in that you don’t have a kicker in high school that can put it out of the end zone every time,” Shaw said. “Field position is huge, especially in high school. We like our chances, especially if we can make them start at the 20 each time. Not many offenses are going to be able to consistently drive it 80 yards.”

Charlton is averaging 36 yards per punt, and that is shorter than last season’s average when he was between 45-50 yards. But he has done a better job at placing the ball than in the past. He still can boom one when needed, but most of his punts this season have pinned teams deep in their own territory.

That is another added weapon for A.C. Flora. The Falcons (3-0) have allowed 23 points with one shutout in three games, so the defense is taking advantage of Charlton’s skills.

“Punting, he can place it and he can boom it, whatever the situation calls for,” Shaw said. “It’s a situation at times that you almost don’t know what to do with it because you don’t have that luxury a lot of times on the high school level.”

He wants to finish the season strong, but he’s also ready for the next stage of his career.

“It’s going to be a blessing,” Charlton said. “It’s going to be amazing, and I can’t wait to do it.”

This story was originally published September 15, 2014 at 11:09 PM.