Dabo Swinney's 'Three Rules' Help Lead Robert Gunn to Clemson
At times, special teams can be a very unvalued part of a football team. The importance of reliable punters and kickers can not be overstated.
On any given night, field position, as well as an ability to hit field goals, can be the difference between a win and a loss and over the years Clemson fans have become all too familiar with the impact lackluster special teams play can have on the football field.
After the loss to Alabama in the 2015 national title game, in which special teams play played a vital role in the Tigers 45-40 loss, the Clemson coaching staff made improving that aspect of the team a priority. And since then the program has seen a marked improvement.
Over the weekend, the Tigers took a major step towards making sure things remain that way by offering 2022 specialist Robert Gunn and on Monday the kicker and punter from Seminole, Florida made it official when he announced a commitment to the Tigers.
Gunn worked out of the coaching staff late last week and it went so well the Tigers offered on the spot. He knew almost instantly that Clemson was where he wanted to be.
"I knew that they were offering one 2022 kicker and I knew I performed really well," Gunn told All Clemson. "And there's something special (there). I just knew this was the right school for me, the right fit, so on the spot, I knew I wanted to be a Tiger."
Head coach Dabo Swinney's three rules for his players really resonated with Gunn, not to mention the desire to play and win on the sport's biggest stages.
"Coach Swinney's three rules are to get a degree, surround yourself with great people and continue your faith in God," Gunn said. "The Clemson atmosphere just, it's really something special and I could see myself fitting in there. And I want to win a national championship one day."
After his workout, Swinney invited Gunn to stay through the weekend for the Elite Retreat and the rising junior didn't waste any time in making a lasting impression on the Tigers head coach.
"Saturday night at the Elite Retreat, we all went on the field, and we walked up the hill," Gunn said. "I was talking to Mrs. (Kathleen) Swinney, his wife, and she said to go over and take a photo. Coach overheard and was like 'Come on John, let's take a photo together.' I said all due respect, but I don't want to touch the rock until my first game when I have that uniform on. He was like, 'Ah I like that, I respect that. That's awesome.'"
Gunn is rated as the top kicking prospect in the country by Kicking World. Brent Grablachoff, who owns and coaches at the kicking academy and has been Gunn's kicking coach since the eighth grade, told All Clemson the Tigers are getting a kicker unlike any he's seen at the high school level.
"He's rated the number one kicker in the nation by Kicking World," Grablachoff told All Clemson. "Roberts kickoff is unlike anything I've ever seen before, for a high school kicker. Currently, as a high school junior entering his senior season, he already kicks off better than half of the kickers in the NFL. Period."
Clemson commit Robert Gunn working out at Kicking World
Kicking World
Grablachoff said that Gunn has absolutely earned the privilege of being called the best kicking prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.
"Kicking World goes to over 25 states every year and trains over 1200 students a camp season," he said. "In the four years he's been coming to our camps he's bested nearly 5,000 kickers to show that he's finished at the top of the list."
The longtime kicking coach said the Tigers are getting a kicker who has the kind of leg strength rarely seen in his players his age. However, not only does Gunn excel at kicking off but he's also been extremely successful when it comes to punting and kicking field goals.
"He's the only high school kicker I've seen that ever hit an 85-plus yard, 4.5-seconds (hang time) kickoff. Ever," Grablachoff said. "Which, in a special teams world that's just mind-blowing, no matter what level."
"I would say that he's almost equally impressive on his field goals as he is his kickoffs. Ranking the order of his ability, kickoffs is his strongest suit, followed by field goals, and then he's also an excellent punter. He had a very respectable punting season and he has several punts over 60-yards with I believe a net punt average in the 45-yard range."