AN EXCITING TIME FOR FOOT-BALL

Football is not a sport that tends to focus on all-time individual records. This is largely a good thing, because it means that football is not baseball, but it does create a blind spot where history can creep up on us without anyone even noticing.

We refuse to let that happen to Zac Murphy, punter for the Miami Redhawks. Through two games, Murphy has punted 20 times for 976 yards, a pace that, if maintained, would result in him destroying the single season record for total punts (101, set in 1969) and total punting yards (4,138, set in 1938). That's even if the Redhawks don't make the MAC Championship Game or a bowl game, in which case Murphy might be able to rack up six thousand punt yards.

This isn't a situation like that of Virginia's Alec Vozenelik, either, who's one punt and roughly 200 yards behind Murphy. Virginia's played possibly the two toughest defenses it will face all season so far. Miami has played Marshall and Kentucky and been stomped by both. Does it seem so farfetched to suggest Murphy will punt ten times against UMass, or 13 against Akron? Could he set the single-game record for punts? The answer is no, because, per the NCAA record book, that unassailable number is:

MOST PUNTS, GAME
36 - Charlie Calhoun, Texas Tech vs. Centenary (LA), Nov. 11, 1939 (1,318 yards; 20 were returned, 8 went out of
bounds, 6 were downed, 1 was blocked [blocked kicks counted against the punter until 1955] and 1 went into the end zone for a touchback. Thirty-three of the punts occurred on first down during a heavy downpour in the game played at Shreveport, LA.

So unless Miami decides to play all its home games at Independence Stadium (note: do not do this, Redhawks, especially if you are not up to date on your immunizations), that entry seems safe.

The rest of the record book? ZAC MURPHY'S FOR THE TAKING. Mark it down: this is going to be the feel good story of the 2013 season.