Tag: Ryan Stonehouse

Titans’ Ryan Stonehouse on pace for historic season

The Titans appear to have something special in rookie punter Ryan Stonehouse.

Tennessee Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse had the unenviable task of having to take over from a franchise great in Brett Kern, who he beat out for the starting role this offseason.

Stonehouse once again showed exactly why that happened with another impressive performance in Week 3.

The rookie totaled 60.3 yards per attempt in the win, bringing his league-best average up to 57.1. Stonehouse successfully flipped the field with his three punts that went for 70, 57 and 54 yards, with two landing inside the 20.

Stonehouse has now averaged 55 yards per punt or better in three straight games, making him the first punter in NFL history do so.

The single-season record is 51.7, set by Washington great Sammy Baugh in 1940. Stonehouse’s current average is nearly six yards better.

“I knew it was different when I first saw [Stonehouse] punt a ball,” Kern said during the preseason, per Paul Kuharsky. “I knew that [the competition] was going to be a grind. I told him, I’ve been in the league a long time and I’ve seen about three or four people in my entire life hit a ball like he does.”

Kern was telling us then what we know now: the Titans have something special in their rookie punter.

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Titans’ Ryan Stonehouse talks winning competition, relationship with Brett Kern

Stonehouse and Kern have maintained their relationship even after the rookie beat the veteran out for the starting job.

For the first time since 2009, the Tennessee Titans will have a starting punter not named Brett Kern — and his name is Ryan Stonehouse.

A 2022 undrafted free agent signing of Tennessee, Stonehouse earned the role after a very impressive training camp and preseason that saw him flash his monster leg, along with the touch necessary to pin opponents deep.

The fact that the Titans would part ways with their long-time punter says a lot about how well Stonehouse did. It also didn’t help that Kern had a few down seasons in a row that also included injuries.

“It was exciting,” Stonehouse said of his competition with Kern, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “I felt like it was a great opportunity that I worked hard for, and I felt like I earned it.”

Despite beating Kern out for the starting job, the two have maintained their relationship and Stonehouse is taking what he learned from the veteran and is trying to incorporate it into his own game.

“I learned a lot [from Kern] honestly,” Stonehouse said. “Most of the stuff I learned from Brett was just how he handled himself. I have a lot of respect for Brett and what he did and just seeing how he handled his practice routine and how he practiced holding and just some of the little details, and just how he carried himself, those are the things I took mental notes of and picked up and hope to have in my game.”

“He wished me luck,” Stonehouse added. “He told me: Congrats. We talked the other day, too. I told him going forward: I hope this is a great relationship that we have. I learned a lot from Brett, and I have the utmost respect for him.”

While Stonehouse enters the 2022 campaign as the starter, the Titans are apparently keeping Kern in their back pocket just in case. Kern’s dad, Cal, said the team wants the 36-year-old to stay ready just in case.

Not exactly a great showing of confidence for Stonehouse, but it’s a smart move for the Titans with the jury still out on how the rookie punter will perform in the brighter lights of the regular season.

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Titans’ Brett Kern praises Ryan Stonehouse, talks possibility of getting cut

Saturday night might have been the last time we see Brett Kern in a Titans uniform.

While preseason games are usually mostly uneventful, there was one thing about the Tennessee Titans’ preseason Week 3 contest that was very notable: it might have been the last time we see punter Brett Kern, who did not play, in a Titans uniform.

After a few down seasons for Kern the past few years, the Titans brought in rookie punter Ryan Stonehouse as an undrafted free agent, and the Colorado State product has, at the very least, given Kern a run for his money.

And, after another impressive showing in the preseason finale on Saturday night, one can certainly make the argument that Stonehouse should win the job over Kern, as he coupled his huge leg with great touch, dropping three punts inside the 20.

“I knew it was different when I first saw [Stonehouse] punt a ball,” Kern said after the game, per Paul Kuharsky. “I knew that [the competition] was going to be a grind. I told him, I’ve been in the league a long time and I’ve seen about three or four people in my entire life hit a ball like he does.

“I knew it was going to be hard, I knew what he was really good at I’m probably not and what I’m really good at he just needs some work on it,: Kern continued. “So it was just kind of back and forth a lot and gave it all I had. We’ll just see what happens.”

As Kern pointed out, he had the advantage with touch and accuracy to pin opponents deep, but Stonehouse made strides in that area on Saturday night. As far as leg strength is concerned, Stonehouse easily has the advantage.

Kern is being realistic about his chances of being cut, but he appreciates his time in Nashville no matter what happens.

“If I am here then I probably overreacted and if I’m not, then I definitely probably underreacted,” he said. “I’m thankful for whatever happens. If I’m here, I’m ready to go I’m ready to roll. If I’m not I am beyond blessed with the years that I have been here, the friendships that I’ve made, the brothers that I have for the rest of my life. I’m sure thankful for that.”

Kern, who would be entering his 14th season with the Titans if he makes the cut, will find out his fate no later than Tuesday at 4 p.m. EDT, the deadline for teams to trim their rosters down to 53.

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2022 NFL Draft Profile: Colorado State P Ryan Stonehouse

The Rams’ record-setting punter is looking to hear his name called at this year’s NFL Draft. What might teams see in what he’s done?

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2022 NFL Draft Profile: Colorado State P Ryan Stonehouse

The Rams’ record-setting punter is looking to hear his name called at this year’s NFL Draft. What might teams see in what he’s done?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

A potential game changer… under the radar?

It’s one thing to be the best at something for a season and another to be the best at it among everyone who’s ever done it as a career.

The Mountain West had a punt god last year, sure, but Colorado State’s Ryan Stonehouse has been booming kicks that flip the field for a good long while now. A graduate of California high school powerhouse Mater Dei, Stonehouse saw the field right away as a true freshman in 2017 and became an instant hit in a conference full of crack specialists. He averaged 45.9 yards per punt that year and nabbed the first of three first-team all-Mountain West nods, the first punter in the conference to do that.

From there, he’d go on to average over 50 yards per punt in 2021 and blow away the FBS career record with 47.8 YPP over five total seasons. Strangely, though, the conversation about his chances to be selected in the NFL Draft has been muted, so the big question is… well, what gives?

Measurables (taken from Dane Brugler)

Height – 5′ and 9 1/2″
Weight – 193 pounds
Arm length – 30″
Hand size – 9 1/2″
Wingspan – 72 3/4″

Highlights

Strengths

The career record grabs the headlines, but Stonehouse made both power and placement a habit: Among 244 punts, 106 (43.4%) went for more than 50 yards and 90 (36.9%) pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line. By contrast, only 32 punts (13.1%) went for a touchback.

And if you were wondering whether the distance he accrued was a product of kicking at elevation, consider that Stonehouse averaged 47.5 yards per punt away from Fort Collins.

Weaknesses

While it may not be a weakness in the traditional sense, one thing that war rooms will probably mull over is that Stonehouse’s technique for getting his kicks away is a unique one, so there may be a decision to make about whether to refine it or overhaul it completely.

Compared to the other punters prospects in this year’s class, Stonehouse is also the only one who measured in at under six feet.

Player Comparison

Andy Lee

Draft Prediction

From here, it seems crazy to me that some draft analysts are talking about Matt Araiza as a potential top-100 pick when Stonehouse did what Araiza accomplished and then some for years. I think he makes the cut as a draft selection, and I think he’s picked in the sixth round on Day 3.

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