South Carolina adds scholarship punter to 2020 class

South Carolina has boasted strong punting the past few years, from Joseph Charlton and Sean Kelly.

The staff is now investing a scholarship in Illinois punter Kai Kroeger in hopes of keeping that going.

Kroeger committed to the Gamecocks’ 2020 class on Tuesday, becoming the first kicker or punter to earn that distinction since Charlton in the 2015.

“This has been one of the most important choices I’ve had to make in my life, if not the most important and I wouldn’t want to spend my college career anywhere else,” Kroeger said. “I felt at home at South Carolina and it meant a lot that my parents loved it as well. I can’t wait to play under Coach Muschamp and Coach Hutzler.”

The 6-foot-3, 190 pounder is the No. 2 rated punter in the country according to Kohl’s kicking camp.

According to his bio from the camp: “Kroeger is a long-time Kohl’s camper who showed well again this spring at the Kohl’s Midwest Showcase Camp. He won the punt competition on the cold day by hitting a ball that went over 60 yards from the L.O.S.. Kroeger is also very good at rolling out and hitting punts. He is prototypical size and hits the most consistent spiral in the country. He checks off a lot of boxes with regards to work ethic and composure under pressure. He may be the most game ready player in the 2020 class.”

Last season in high school, Kroeger averaged 40.3 yards per punt and had 29 percent of his 55 kicks downed inside the 20. he averaged 56.5 yards per kickoff.

He’s also the second special teamer whose scholarship will count toward the 2020 group, joining Maryland long snapper grad transfer Matt Oliveira, who will be on campus this fall.

The Gamecocks will be turning over the position after 2019 when Charlton exausts his eligibility. In two seasons as a starter, he averaged 44.1 yards per punt, 44.8 last season.

Other Gamecocks specialists who have come to campus on scholarship Ryan Succop, Nick St. Germain, Ryan Doerr.

SOUTH CAROLINA CLASS OF 2020 COMMITS

▪ Luke Doty, QB (Myrtle Beach HS, SC)

▪ MarShawn Lloyd, RB (DeMatha Catholic HS, MD)

▪ Da’Qon Stewart, ATH, (North Mecklenburg HS, NC)

▪ Jazston Turnetine, OL (Hutchinson Community College, KS)

▪ Tyshawn Wannamaker OL (Calhoun County HS, SC)

▪ Trai Jones, OL (Abbeville HS, SC)

▪ Vershon Lee, OL (Woodbridge, VA)

▪ Mike Wyman, WR, (Greensboro Dudley HS, NC)

▪ Mohamed Kaba, LB (Clinton HS, NC)

▪ Alex Huntley, DL (Hammond HS, SC)

▪ Makius Scott, DL (Gainesville HS, GA)

▪ O’Donnell Fortune, DB (Sumter HS, SC)

▪ Dominick Hill, DB (Jones HS, FL)

▪ Joey Hunter, DB (Sandy Springs HS, GA)

▪ Kai Kroeger, P (Lake Forest HS, IL)

This story was originally published July 30, 2019 at 2:27 PM.