2021 College Net Average in Opponent Territory Leaders
Net average counting only punts that started on the opponent's side of the 50-yard line. There is little room to work with, and every touchback costs 20 net yards, so this is the hardest place to punt well.
Only punters with enough such punts are ranked. In 2021, Will Spiers (35.1) led college football punters in net average in opponent territory, ahead of Carson King (34.5) and Zach Harding (34.3). 20 punters qualify (minimum 12 punts from the opponent's 50 or closer). The median qualified punter had 32.4.
Final 2021 regular-season numbers, updated October 23, 2026.
| Rk | Player | Team | Net (opp. 50) | Punts | Avg | Net | In 20 | In 20 % | TB % | FC % | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Will Spiers | Clemson | 35.1 | 58 | 42.1 | 39.4 | 28 | 47% | 3% | 43% | +2.8 |
| 2 | Carson King | Fresno State | 34.5 | 52 | 41.6 | 39.3 | 24 | 46% | 6% | 37% | −0.9 |
| 3 | Zach Harding | Army | 34.3 | 35 | 44.1 | 40.5 | 16 | 46% | 11% | 31% | +5.9 |
| 4 | Seamus O'Kelly | Texas State | 33.8 | 60 | 38.4 | 37.1 | 20 | 33% | 2% | 53% | −8.8 |
| 5 | Jonn Young | East Carolina | 33.4 | 48 | 43.0 | 40.5 | 19 | 40% | 4% | 55% | +3.9 |
| 6 | Cesar Barajas | Louisiana Tech | 32.9 | 54 | 41.5 | 37.9 | 25 | 47% | 4% | 41% | −3.5 |
| 7 | Trenton Gill | NC State | 32.7 | 65 | 44.4 | 41.7 | 36 | 55% | 8% | 44% | +7.4 |
| 8 | Tom Hutton | Oklahoma State | 32.6 | 66 | 42.2 | 40.4 | 27 | 41% | 9% | 52% | +6.5 |
| 9 | Luke Elzinga | Central Michigan | 32.6 | 50 | 41.1 | 37.7 | 20 | 40% | 8% | 33% | −4.9 |
| 10 | Josh Smith | Kent State | 32.4 | 51 | 36.4 | 35.0 | 15 | 29% | 6% | 38% | −12.3 |
| 11 | Tommy Heatherly | Florida International | 32.4 | 75 | 46.9 | 39.8 | 26 | 38% | 18% | 16% | +0.1 |
| 12 | Charlie Mendes | Rice | 32.0 | 59 | 42.7 | 36.9 | 17 | 27% | 8% | 12% | −12.7 |
| 13 | Kirk Christodoulou | Pittsburgh | 31.8 | 53 | 41.1 | 38.5 | 24 | 45% | 9% | 47% | +1.7 |
| 14 | Tory Taylor | Iowa | 31.6 | 76 | 45.9 | 41.6 | 36 | 47% | 15% | 30% | +13.1 |
| 15 | Will Hart | San José State | 31.2 | 67 | 44.4 | 41.6 | 31 | 46% | 10% | 40% | +7.3 |
| 16 | Matt Araiza | San Diego State | 31.0 | 76 | 51.4 | 44.6 | 38 | 48% | 19% | 17% | +26.2 |
| 17 | Bailey Flint | Toledo | 31.0 | 57 | 40.0 | 36.4 | 20 | 36% | 9% | 41% | −15.3 |
| 18 | Mason Hunt | Southern Miss | 30.3 | 71 | 43.6 | 39.7 | 22 | 33% | 6% | 48% | +4.9 |
| 19 | Mac Brown | Ole Miss | 30.3 | 38 | 44.0 | 39.4 | 15 | 39% | 16% | 35% | +6.2 |
| 20 | Joshua Sloan | UTEP | 29.7 | 60 | 40.2 | 37.2 | 23 | 40% | 7% | 43% | −8.2 |
All 2021 College punter rankings
Net Average in Opponent Territory in other seasons: 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
More 2021 College punter leaderboards
- Punts
- Punting Yards
- Gross Punting Average
- Net Punting Average
- Punts Inside the 20
- Inside the 20 Percentage
- Longest Punts
- Punt Touchbacks
- Fair Catches Forced
- Punts Downed
- Punts Out of Bounds
- Punts Returned
- Punt Return Yards Allowed
- Average Punt Return Allowed
- Blocked Punts
- Punt Points Added
- Punt Points per 100 Punts
- Fair Catch Percentage
- Punt Touchback Percentage
- Touchbacks Avoided (STOP Rank)
- Punts Out of Bounds Percentage
- Punts Downed Percentage
- Punt Return Percentage
- Return Yards Allowed per Punt
- Opponent Starting Field Position
- Punts Inside the 10
- Punts of 50+ Yards
- 50+ Yard Punt Percentage
- Inside-20 to Touchback Ratio
- Net Average in Cold Weather
- Net Average in Wind
Other 2021 College rankings
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