It is the dream of most athletes to some day don the jersey of a professional team. But few players leave college and pursue a profession in the sport they played. For someone like Ken DeBauche, that dream not only became a reality, but an especially sweet reality.
The former punter for the Badgers was signed as a free agent following this weekend's NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Growing up in Suamico, Wis., - minutes away from Green Bay - the former Bay Port standout not only has the chance to move on to the professional ranks, but with his hometown team.
However, the fairytale ending that can easily be envisioned for DeBauche is anything but certain, and as history has shown, he has a tremendous hill to climb in order to make an impact in the NFL.
The Packers have been without a true standout punter since Craig Hentrich left after the 1997 season. During the glory days of the Mike Holmgren era, Hentrich was one of the most reliable players on a team stacked with potential Hall of Famers.
Hentrich averaged 42.75 yds/punt during his four seasons with the green and gold, including an impressive 45.0 yds/punt average during his final season in Green Bay.
But since the Packers let him go for more money, the team has desperately sought a replacement. Sean Landetta, Louie Aguiar, Josh Bidwell, Bryan Barker, B.J. Sander and Jon Ryan have taken turns catching snaps from Rob Davis, and with the exception of Bidwell and Ryan, have failed miserably.
Bidwell was an above-average punter for the Packers, and was caught in the same situation as Hentrich. He left after the 2003 season for more money and a warmer climate, signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ryan, on the other hand, came down from the Canadian Football League, and there has never been a question about his leg strength. He has averaged 44.5 yds/punt in his two seasons with Green Bay, with a long of 66 yards and 72 yards each year, respectively.
But the knock on Ryan has been his accuracy, as he seems to have just as much ability to punt the ball out of the stadium as he does placing it at the one-yard line.
Enter DeBauche. DeBauche has been a very good punter for the Badgers, but has struggled at times - mainly his senior year. Fans and critics alike thought that DeBauche would be a lock for the draft coming into his senior year, but the punter's numbers dropped significantly since his sophomore season.
As a sophomore, DeBauche had 57 punts for a total of 2,555 yds (44.8/punt). He had 18 punts over 50 yards, and 22 downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line. DeBauche also had a career-high 59 yard punt during his sophomore campaign, two yards higher than his second best.
But over his final two seasons, everything began to drop. DeBauche had a combined total of 17 punts over 50 yards from 2006-'07, and 29 punts downed inside the 20. His average per punt also dropped, going from 41.8 yds/punt as a junior to 41.2 yds/punt his senior year.
These reasons surely played a part in DeBauche going undrafted, but his signing by Green Bay made up for some of that, or did it?
Green Bay, in its search for another premiere punter, has become known for changing punters' styles and footwork, and the results have usually been devastating.
After Mike Sherman moved up to draft B.J. Sander in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft, the Packers did a complete overhaul on Sander's technique.
The 2003 Ray Guy Award winner was crippled by Green Bay's tinkering, and is now out of the NFL.
Badger fans undoubtedly remember the tale of Matt Stemke, the greatest punter to come out of Wisconsin. During his four years as a Badger, Stemke punted 245 times for averages of 43.5 (gross) and 40.8 (net). He only had two punts blocked and put 31 percent of his punts inside the 20.
Stemke was the exact opposite of what Ryan is today: a punter who prided himself on accuracy over distance, and was extremely successful at what he did. Coming into the 2001 training camp, many thought Stemke would beat out Bidwell for the job. Stemke out-performed Bidwell in college, and the general consensus was that he would do it again. Being a Green Bay native, the story was ripe and ready to be plucked, as Stemke would have easily been a crowd favorite despite his diminished"" role as a punter.
But the Packers once again worked their magic, forcing Stemke to change his technique in order to try and shave milliseconds off his delivery. The result again was not worth it, as Stemke was unable to perform at the same level with a completely different technique.
So what does this disastrous trip down memory lane mean?
For the Packers, it's a reminder of the old saying: ""Don't fix something that isn't broken."" For DeBauche, it's a warning of what can happen to a player desperately trying to make a team.
The Packers are always looking for a more talented player, no matter what the position. If DeBauche can come in and recapture his sophomore distance while outperforming Ryan in the accuracy category, he may have a shot to make the team.
But as history has shown, Green Bay fancies itself the all-knowing authority on everything that is punting and will surely leave a mark on Ken DeBauche, whether good or bad.
E-mail ncarey@dailycardinal.com.
