VOL 78 /12
Athlete of the week
BY ROBERT DOWNS
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
Luke Radke
Name: Luke Radke
Year: Senior
Number: 19
Hometown: Oconomowoc, Wis.
Major: Communication
Of all the positions in football, there is one person that never truly gets their talents recognized: the punter.
A punter is not just good at cleaning up for the team when they don't get first downs or make mistakes. A good punter keeps the ball in the opposing team's territory, and ensures that their team wins the battle of field position.
Football is said to be a game of inches, in which the slightest and seemingly insignificant yards could mean a win or a loss.
Luke Radke's punts of 40 yards (1,440 inches), can make or break the way the opposing team's drive turn out, and can influence the overall outcome of the game. He has been winning the field position battle for UMD for the last four years, and he's got the records to prove it.
This year Radke, a senior from Oconomowoc, Wis., broke the previous UMD school records for punts (206) and yards punted (7,582), which showed the fans and the players that the punter is a valuable and vital part of the Bulldog Football squad.
Radke ended the season with 215 punts and 7,815 yards for his career.
Radke considers holding the records an honor. "It's pretty humbling, looking back at 75 years of football," Radke said. "There's been a lot of great people, and to be in their graces is exciting. It's a lot of hard work that's paying off." Radke had a few reasons for making the decision to come to UMD for college.
"[UMD] is a beautiful campus. I have family around here, and it's a five and a half hour drive from my hometown," Radke said. "It's close enough that I can go home on the weekends if I have to." Radke said that spending time with the team is the best part of UMD football.
"Road trips are fun," he said. "It's the ultimate bond between everybody. Eating food with 70 guys dressed up in suits, it's a lot of fun."It's obvious that Radke has the skills to play his position, and for the team's sake, hopefully a new punter will be able to duplicate his talents next year.
