Freshman punter a game-changer versus Indiana

Scott Ravenesi stood on the Indiana 39-yard line as a freshman charged with a veteran's task.

He had to produce a game-sealing punt.

If Ravenesi, an 18-year-old Carol Stream native, was nervous, he hid it well. After battling for a starting job throughout summer camp, Ravenesi was tested. He passed that test on Sept. 16 in Bloomington, Ind.

The Hoosiers featured a dangerous return game ˜ one capable of taking a poorly punted ball all the way back for a game-tying score.

Just two weeks earlier, the Hoosiers returned a punt 87 yards in their season opening win over Western Michigan.

"There were definitely nerves, but I wasn't too nervous," Ravenesi said. "I've only punted about 10,000 times in my life."

The practice paid off.

Ravenesi calmly rolled out and placed a perfectly struck rugby-style punt inside Indiana's 5-yard line. Senior cornerback Craig Turner downed the ball at the 3-yard line, effectively stymieing any chance of an IU comeback. The Salukis won the game, 35-28.

"That may have been the play of the game," head football coach Jerry Kill said.

But it was not the only big punt Ravenesi had in a game that hinged on field position.

His 43-yard, second-quarter punt from the Indiana 45-yard line put the Hoosiers' speed-laced offense on its own 2-yard line and set the stage for SIU's first score.

Ravenesi said he only followed orders.

"I knew my job was to get the ball inside the 10-yard line," he said.

Ravenesi said the result of the momentum-changing punt was more a result of coverage, but one of his coaches disagreed.

"His punt before the half gave us life," said Jay Sawvel, SIU's special teams coach. "It wasn't downed because of great coverage by the punt team. It was downed because it was a great punt."

And great punts don't come easy.

Ravenesi said punting required a different set of skills than those he displayed as an all-conference basketball, baseball and offensive football player. Maintaining focus while executing kicks requires a blend of power and accuracy tests him, he said.

Then there was the test he had to pass to earn his job.

Ravenesi found himself in direct competition with senior Jason Emert to become the team's punter. Ravenesi won battle but said without Emert's help he could not do his job as effectively.

"I give Jason 90-percent of the credit," Ravenesi said. "He's like a coach. He's always helping me get better."

But Ravenesi is still a punter in some players' eyes. Carrying that title sometimes separates him from other skill players who look down their noses at the guys whose jobs are simply kicking a ball.

Ravenesi said his teammates don't give him too hard of a time, but there is still a divide. After his performance Saturday, the divide should close a little.

He showed he could deal with pressure in a role that seldom gets noticed.

"He's stepped into a job that's ˜ obviously it's a very visible job when you're the punter," Sawvel said. "Most of the time, people don't notice the punter unless he punts it bad. Or if he does it really good."

Ravenesi did his job really good when it mattered most.