Eddie Czaplicki needs to be ready if USC offense struggles

Eddie Czaplicki hopes to not take the field, but if USC’s offense bogs down, he will be needed.

Senior USC Trojans punter Eddie Czaplicki occupies an uncomfortable but important role on the 2024 Men of Troy. On one hand, USC needs him when called upon. On the other hand, USC doesn’t want him to take the field too many times. The less we see of him, the better. Czaplicki is an intriguing part of USC’s move to the Big Ten Conference, and his place on this team could become more central than many currently appreciate.

Czaplicki was selected to the 2024 Ray Guy Award Watch List. The Ray Guy Award honors the nation’s top collegiate punter. In his collegiate career, he has handled punting and kickoffs duties. He has recorded 139 punts for 6,159 yards (44.3-yard average) with a long of 75 yards and 36 punts going 50 yards or more. He has touchbacks on 43 of his 86 kickoffs (50%).

He transferred to USC in the spring of 2023 from Arizona State and served as USC’s punter in the 2023 season. He averaged 43.3 yards on his 44 punts in 2023, of which 15 pinned opponents inside the 20. He also had 30 kickoffs, totaling 1,906 yards. He appeared in all 13 games.

The thing about Czaplicki is that in a shootout game — which could be USC’s opener versus LSU — the Trojans don’t want him to punt at all. However, when USC gets into a slog in Big Ten play, such as a game at Maryland in mid-October when the offense struggles in a noon start, Czaplicki might make the difference in a 16-13 final score. Czaplicki won’t be needed all the time, but he might be needed if Miller Moss and friends can’t light up the scoreboard. USC’s battles against Michigan and Penn State might also be the kinds of slugfests in which field position turns the tide for the Trojans.

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