KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Rookie Jim Arnold of the Kansas City Chiefs has not yet launched a single punt in the National Football League but he believes he's the best kicker in the game.
Arnold, the first punter selected in the 1983 draft, doesn't want to appear naive nor is he trying to sound conceited. He readily admits that perennial Los Angeles All-Pro Ray Guy is 'the best punter the NFL has seen since Jerrel Wilson.' But Arnold feels to become the best he must believe he is the best.
'When you go on the field, you play a role,' Arnold said. 'You've got to believe you're the best kicker, the best punter, the best linebacker, the best quarterback ever. You have to play that role.
'After you've produced in that role long enough you start living the role. After you've lived the role, you become the role... You become the best. If you can't play the role -- if you don't feel you are the best -- you'll never become the best.'
Arnold punted more times (277) for more yards (12,171) in his four-year career at Vanderbilt than anyone in NCAA history and his 43.9 average is the 10th best on the all-time list.
Arnold ranked fourth in the nation last season with an average of 45.8 yards per his 74 kicks but his net punting average of 42.1 yards was tops. That net average contributed mightily to his selection as UPI's first-team All-America punter.
In a game against North Carolina last fall, Arnold punted eight times for a 53.1-yard average. Even more impressive, not one of his punts was returned in that game nor did any wind up in the end zone for touchbacks.
'After that game I asked myself if I kicked like that each week would I be satisfed,' Arnold said. 'Their answer was no. I felt I could have done better. There are so many more things you can improve on. Improvement in all of those areas would result in a great kicker.'
The Chiefs drafted Arnold in the fifth round with hopes he could fill one of their biggest holes from a year ago. Kansas City opened the season with Jeff Gossett as the punter, waived him prior to the seventh game and then brought him back the following week after a disastrous showing by rookie Case deBruijn against the Denver Broncos.
Gossett finished with a 41.4-yard average, the fourth best in the AFC, but his net average of 30.9 was the worst of the league's 28 punters. The Chiefs -- counting deBruijn's five-punt, 34.8-yard average that game against the Broncos -- were the only team in the NFL to finish with a net punting average under 30 yards (29.0).
Arnold has one advantage over most punters coming out of college. While most punters wait until they turn professional before they pare their kicking routine from three steps to two, Arnold did it during his freshman season at Vanderbilt. So the only adjustment he has to make in the pros is in theory.
'Punting is a lot more precise here,' Arnold said. 'In college, you could get away with kicking the ball X amount of yards. But you've got to be more directional here. They want you to kick it 43-to-45 yards but they want it kicked to a certain spot -- either out of bounds, to hash marks, to the (yard-line) numbers.
'I made my goal at Vanderbilt to be the best punter my school has ever had. Fortunately I was able to do that. Now I feel I can become the best kicker in this league. My leg is still maturing. Last week in practice I had a couple 5.2 (second) hang times. Consistency in that range will make anyone a great punter.'
