Punter A.J. Trapasso (official thread)

[DaddyBigBucks]

Last year, Texas would have scored more points on us if not for a player named AJ.

The same can be said this year.

Troy would have found a way to win either way, but AJ played a role in that 17 point outcome. no doubt about it

[BB73]

Congrats to A.J. for being named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for this performance against Texas.

From the Ozone:

OSU punter A. J. Trapasso was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. Trapasso averaged 50.8 yards per kick and had two kicks downed inside the 20-yard line. His long of the day was 59 yards and four of his six kicks traveled at least 53 yards. His shortest kick of 39 yards was downed on the six-yard line.

Both Laurinaitis and Trapasso are sophomores. It is the first weekly conference award for both players.

[osugrad21]

Link

Trapasso gives OSU a giant leg up
By JON SPENCER
For The Advocate

COLUMBUS -- When all is said and done this season, Ohio State punter A.J. Trapasso might own the most lethal leg in college football -- whether the NCAA recognizes his prowess or not.
At 52.13 yards per kick, Washington's Sean Douglas is the only punter among the NCAA leaders with a better average than Trapasso (49.7) as the top-ranked Buckeyes prepare to host heavy underdog Cincinnati at noon Saturday.
Here's the rub: Trapasso hasn't punted enough to qualify among the national leaders -- nor have Justin Brantly (Texas A&M) and Matt Fodge (Oklahoma State), who would otherwise be No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in punting average.
Trapasso had six punts in last week's win over Texas, but was called on only once in the opener against Northern Illinois. Qualifiers must average 3.6 punts per game, so Trapasso just missed this week's cut-off.Given the explosive nature of Ohio State's offense, the odds seem stacked against the sophomore from Pickerington getting enough opportunites to crack the list.
"If we didn't punt again, I'd be happy with that," said Trapasso, who was in the middle of the pack of Big Ten punters last season. "I don't really care about my statistics. I'm not concerned with them. If I'm ranked up there at the end of the year, great. If not, I'm fine with that, too.
"I don't even know how to look (the stats) up. I wouldn't know where to begin. I'm not real concerned with those things."
Trapasso may have to settle for honors like the one he just received as Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Longhorns. He averaged 50.8 yards on his six punts and placed two inside the 20 when the Buckeyes bullwhipped the defending national champions 24-7 in Austin.
Four of Trapasso's punts went 53 or more yards, including a 59-yarder on his first kick of the night. His favorite, though, was his shortest -- a 39-yard pooch that was downed at the Texas 6.
"I liked that one because that's exactly what I wanted to do," Trapasso said.
Texas started inside its own 25 on five of Trapasso's six punts. The only time the Longhorns didn't start in a hole was when Aaron Ross returned a 57-yard rocket 15 yards to the UT 39.
Coach Jim Tressel, whose mantra -- "The punt is the most important play in football" -- should be sewn into the back of his sweater vests, was understandably elated with Trapasso's performance.
"If you look at the impact of the punt on that game, with A.J. averaging 4.48-second hangtime and our 43-yard net average (kick minus return yardage), that was huge," Tressel said. "The defense's best friend is the punt team, and the punt team did an outstanding job.
"We knew it might be hard for us to get the edge in the return game, with their kicker keeping it away from Teddy (Ginn), so we needed to get the edge in the punt game ... and that happened for us."
Trapasso doesn't share his coach's opinion about the importance of his speciality, probably because he still thinks of himself as a running back first and special-teamer second. He rushed for 3,754 yards and 50 touchdowns in high school, but those numbers were overshadowed by his skills as an All-Ohio placekicker and punter.
"I agree the punt can be a big momentum-changing play, but being a former running back I wouldn't necessarily say it is the most important play," Trapasso said. "Third-and-short, with time running out, might be an important play.
"But I take (punting) seriously. I try to do my best and take it for what it is."
As soon as Trapasso accepted a scholarship from Ohio State -- "the only school I really wanted to go to" -- he sacrificed his dream of being a college tailback.
"I would like to contribute (on offense), but I would never venture to say I could do as well as some of those guys on the team," he said. "It's humbling, but nice to be able to contribute to a team like this."
Tressel has already produced two All-America punters at OSU in Andy Groom and B.J. Sander. Trapasso might be next in line.
"This place has been a punter's haven, with guys going on to the NFL and winning awards in college," he said. "Those are big shoes to fill."
Right now, it looks like a tight fit.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Trapasso doesn?t fit the mold of a punter
Former running back grudgingly accepts role
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




A.J. Trapasso had a golden chance to curry favor with his coach and committed heresy instead.
Coming off the game of his life last week at Texas, the Ohio State punter was asked recently if he agreed with coach Jim Tressel?s mantra that the punt is the most important play in football.
It was a softball question of major-league caliber, served up on a tee. Trapasso fouled it off.
"Ahhhhh, I don?t know," he said sheepishly. "I agree that it is a big momentumchanging play. I wouldn?t necessarily say that it is the most important play. I think third-and-short with not too much time left in the game, I think that might be an important play."
The answer was genuine, because in his heart, Trapasso still is the standout running back who rushed for 3,754 yards and 50 touchdowns at Pickerington Central.
He had scholarship offers as a running back, to Purdue and a number of Mid-American Conference schools. But his decision was made for him when Tressel came calling.
"When the only school I really wanted to go to offered me as a punter, that was it, that was all that was needed," Trapasso said. "I?ve accepted the role."
Call him the reluctant punter, then, but call him one of the best around. At Texas, he averaged 50.8 yards on six punts, with a net of 44.2. Tressel said the average hang time was 4.48 seconds. Four seconds is considered good.
It was the third-best punting day in Ohio State history.
Afterward, Texas coach Mack Brown mentioned punting as one of the two keys to the Buckeyes? 24-7 victory. The Big Ten named Trapasso its special teams player of the week.
And yet one of these days, quarterback Troy Smith might look up to call a play and see an unfamiliar face.
"When the offense rolls out there, he wants to run into the huddle and play football," said Jay Sharrett, Trapasso?s coach at Pickerington Central. "Some of his favorite times are in practice when they work on fake punts, and he kind of gets to play football for a moment."
His teammates have noticed. Trapasso not only doesn?t look like a lot of kickers ? he?s a solidly built 6 feet 1, 220 pounds ? but he doesn?t act like one, either.
"If you met him, you probably wouldn?t think he?s a punter. He?s a cool guy," cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "He?s a real good athlete. When we do fakes, sometimes he outruns some of the defensive backs in practice."
As a redshirt freshman last year, Trapasso averaged 40.4 yards per kick, sixth in the Big Ten. He came into the season wanting to work on his consistency.
Sharrett said he also has worked on mentally handling the role, which sometimes requires long periods of standing on the sideline. Trapasso punted once in the opener against Northern Illinois.
At Texas, two punts in particular made a big difference. With OSU up 17-7 and the outcome in doubt, Trapasso boomed a 53-yarder that was so high it was fair caught.
Television announcer Brent Musburger said, "That one came out of the clouds."
Texas started on its 15-yard line and ended up punting.
A bit later, with the score still 17-7, Trapasso uncorked a 57-yarder. The Longhorns managed two first downs on their possession but had to settle for a long field goal attempt, which they missed.
The Buckeyes then drove for their final touchdown.
In general, Trapasso is accepting rather than enthusiastic about his job. But he has seen one benefit to it.
"It?s better than going to (another) Big Ten school and playing running back and getting beaten up by our linebackers," he said. "I like punting now, so it?s good."
kgordon@dispatch.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Scout.com$ (Dave Biddle)

Trapasso reflects on the Texas game and gives credit to the entire punt team. A.J. feels he needs to work on not kicking the ball down the middle of the field. Good Read.