Kamdyn Koch ready to ‘keep legacies going’ with Cornhuskers
WESTMINSTER, Md. (BVM) – Winters Mill High School rising senior punter Kamdyn Koch had a good example to look up to when he was growing up. Kamdyn’s father, Sam, spent 16 years in the NFL as the punter for the Baltimore Ravens. This gave Kamdyn a front-row seat to not only watch the game but see what the professionals do to get to the league.
“It was great watching him play. I watched every single one of his games, every single one of his punts and learned from that,” Kamdyn said. “Him playing for the Ravens really helped because I got to go to the practices and see how the guys were there and how they all act at the highest level of the sport.”
Now, it is Kamdyn’s turn to take his career to the next level. On June 11, Kamdyn committed to the University of Nebraska as a member of the Cornhuskers’ 2024 recruiting class.
“It feels great all around,” Kamdyn said. “I always wanted to go to Nebraska and knowing that I’m going there makes me feel a lot better now.”
Kamdyn’s affinity for the Cornhuskers is also a byproduct of his father as Sam is a Nebraska alum who still holds the program record for punting average in a season and is second for career punting average. While Kamdyn always wanted to join the Cornhuskers, the official offer came as a complete surprise.
“It was unreal,” Kamdyn said. “I went to the camp just thinking I was going to go and learn from the coaches and I wasn’t expecting an offer or anything like that. When Coach [Matt] Rhule came up and offered me, it was crazy and everything I could’ve dreamed of.”
Of course, the scholarship offer and subsequent commitment was a special father-son moment for the Koch family.
“He was super happy because he didn’t expect that to happen either,” Kamdyn said. “He’s glad I’m going there. He’s very proud.”
Much like his father, Kamdyn’s punting ability is elite. He is rated as the No. 5 punter in the country by 247Sports and was also selected as part of the Baltimore Touchdown Club’s Super 22 team which recognizes the top juniors in the Baltimore area.
“The punting has really become a weapon for us,” Winters Mill head coach Matt Miller said. “An offensive-minded guy might cringe thinking about having to punt but I can’t tell you how many punts and kicks we’ve recovered in the last couple of years just off of kid’s dropping kicks because Kamdyn knows how to put these funky spins on them.”
Kamdyn attributes some of that success to having his father as a mentor and coach.
“He teaches me a lot,” Kamdyn said. “He knows tons of things which helps me out a lot. He basically taught me everything I know today.”
Among some of the lessons he has taught are the various punting styles from rugby punts to knuckleballs and boomerangs and the mental and emotional side of the game.
“He taught me to stay calm and collected and keep my steps super short,” Kamdyn said. “He makes sure when big moments come around I step up and I take them and don’t get too worked up about them.”
Amazingly, Kamdyn isn’t the only Class of 2024 Cornhuskers commit with an NFL alum for a father. Tight end Keelan Smith and Willis McGahee IV both also had standout NFL fathers and that doesn’t even mention the numerous other commits with Nebraska ties. For Kamdyn, it adds an extra something to his commitment.
“We have a lot of people who had dads play for the Cornhuskers,” Kamdyn said. “It makes it very special for all of us to come and play and keep the legacies going on.”
With big shoes to fill, Kamdyn will be a welcomed addition to the Nebraska program once he arrives on campus in Lincoln.
“He’s the kind of kid you want in your program and on your team,” Miller said. “I think he’s only going to get better. His best football, kicking-wise, might not come until he gets to college because I think he’s still growing into his body a little bit. I think the upside for him is immense.”
