Boston College Football 2014: Mike Knoll, K

Freshman Mike Knoll looks like he might be the kicker of the future for the Boston College Eagles. Is he the kicker of the here and now?

The Ohioan kicker was considered one of the best at his position in the 2014 class following some very good high school years. As a matter of fact, Rivals called the three-star Knoll the second-best kicker for all of 2014.

Mike Knoll punted as well for Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, south of Cleveland and just outside Akron. The Zips, by the way, were not officially listed on Knoll’s offer list, but schools like Purdue and Toledo were.

The Eagles were not the first school to recruit Knoll, but they were ultimately the only one that mattered. Boston College got a player who, much like Nate Freese before him, kicked and punted for his school

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He comes to Boston College at what could be an interesting time for him. By virtue of Freese’s departure, the punter and kicker roles are wide open. Alex Howell, who has been waiting for his chance for a few years now, will be a contender. Will Mike Knoll?

Mike Knoll: Fast Facts

• Position: Kicker/punter
• Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
• High School: Walsh Jesuit High School, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
• Measurements: 6-foot-1, 210 lb.
• Class year at 2014 opener: Freshman
• BC games played: 0

Mike Knoll: 2013 Season (HS)

• Handled all kicking and punting duties
• Did not appear on Spring 2014 roster

The answer to the previously-posited question is yes, he will. Knoll believed himself that he would (paywall article), and he has every right to think that. He is a highly-regarded kicker recruit who is now at Boston College with both positions wide open.

We might end up with Howell as the punter and Knoll as the kicker in 2014, but there is time to figure this out for the coaches. My expectation is that Knoll will not redshirt and will play in a relatively significant capacity this season. The Eagles have gone with true freshman kickers out of the gate before, and they just might do it again.

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