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How Sam Koch’s only shot at the NFL led the ex-Husker to becoming a model of longevity with the Ravens | Football



That’s 230 consecutive starts. Most of those on Sundays, including one Super Bowl Sunday.

Koch, who is averaging nearly 46 yards a punt for the 5-1 Ravens, said he is grateful to the people that helped him reach such a milestone, including Frank Gansz Jr., who traveled to Lincoln to watch Koch’s pro day in 2006.

The Ravens needed a new punter after losing Dave Zastudil in free agency, and according to an ESPN story, Ravens director of college scouting Eric DeCosta, now the team’s GM, told Gansz to find a new punter.

After watching 10 punters at the NFL Combine and being unimpressed, Gansz convinced DeCosta to let him fly to Nebraska to watch Koch, a Ray Guy semifinalist who didn’t get an NFL Combine invite. Koch was coming off a senior season at Nebraska in which he set a school record for average (46.5 yards). Gansz’s father, Frank Sr., was a good friend of then-Husker coach Bill Callahan.


Ex-Huskers in the NFL, 10/4

“I just knew on my one pro day and a couple workouts that I had, I had to make the most of it and I do remember that Ravens workout with Cory Ross was one of the best days I had in a while, and I think that was what kind of sealed the deal to the point where I got an opportunity to come here and prove myself,” said Koch, the first punter taken in the 2006 draft (fifth round). “Then on, it was just trying to prove myself each day.”

Koch averaged 43 yards a punt as a rookie, and 43.6 in his second year. His NFL career began to take shape, though he wasn’t on solid footing early on.



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