(S24) - PT 3 - Midseason Mania

[Yeenoghu]

At the halfway point of the season, Chicago Butchers' K/P Sam Sidekick deserves a hard look for consideration as ISFL Punter of the Year. Through 7 games, Sidekick boasts a punting average of 51.2 yards, highest in the entire league. This is a particularly impressive feat as Sidekick has the 'Accurate' archetype and can boost his Kick Power no higher than 90--despite this limitation, Sidekick is still ahead of a couple of other players with higher Kick Power TPE investment. When considering Sidekick for this award, I believe it is also crucial to examine the context in which the player is used. It is no secret that the Butchers have gone through some struggles this season on the offensive side of the ball. In fact, at the time of this post, Chicago is the only team that has still not passed 100 points on the season. In an environment where every point is difficult to come by, the punter's job becomes even more important in negating the opponent's starting field position as much as possible. In addition to his punting responsibilities, Sidekick has gone 9/9 on extra points and 11/12 on field goals when called upon in the kicking game. in total, Sidekick has accounted for 43.75% of his team's total scoring, a proportion that ranks 2nd among all ISFL kickers. While he may not have the volume to be considered for Kicker of the Year, he is certainly putting together an impressive punting season that has kept his team fighting in close games.