#80 Chad Kessler Season 2023

1997 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete
1997 First-Team All-America (AP, AFCA, Football News, Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News)
1997 First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches, AP, Football News)
1997 GTE Academic All-America
1997 SEC Football Academic Honor Roll
1996 SEC Academic Honor Roll
1996 New Orleans Quarterback Club Award (highest team GPA)
1995 First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches, AP)
1995 SEC Academic Honor Roll
1995 GTE Academic All-America Region VI Team
1995 New Orleans Quarterback Club Award (highest team GPA)
1994 SEC Academic Honor Roll

CAREER
Consensus first-team All-American in 1997 along with first-team All-SEC honors in 1997 and 1995 … The first punter in NCAA history to end a season with an average of more than 50.0 yards per punt … Graduated with a 3.91 in Microbiology … 1997 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete … Two-time GTE Academic All-America … Four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll … Two-time winner of the New Orleans Quarterback Club Award for highest team GPA.

SENIOR SEASON (1997)
A consensus All-American and Academic All-American … The first punter in NCAA history to average over 50 yards per punt for an entire season, Kessler finished with an average of 50.3 in 1997 … Punted 39 times for 1,961 yards … A first-team All-America selection by Associated Press, The Football News, Walter Camp Foundation, American Football Coaches Association, The Sporting News … One of only eight Division 1-A players named as a 1997 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete; he was also the acceptance speaker for the Scholar-Athletes at a banquet in New York City … Twice won AT&T Long Distance Award for best punting average in a game (at Mississippi State, vs. Auburn) … Best game came at Vanderbilt when he averaged 53.3 yards on six punts … Also averaged 53.2 yards on five punts at Mississippi State … Longest punt of season was a 66-yarder at Vanderbilt and he also had a 64-yarder at Alabama and a 61-yarder vs. Auburn … Made 24 punts of 50 yards or more; 3 punts of 60 yards or more … Did not punt at Kentucky in a 63-28 LSU romp … Has the top cumulative GPA on the team (3.91 in Microbiology) … Named to SEC Football Academic Honor Roll for the fourth time in 1997.

JUNIOR SEASON (1996)
Averaged 42.3 yards per punt in 1996 to rank No. 5 in the league … Named to the SEC Football Academic Honor Roll for the third time with a GPA of 3.88 in Microbiology … Had best game of the season vs. Tulane, averaging 53 yards per punt on three kicks … Punted twice for an average of 46.0 yards vs. Houston … Average of 44.3 yards on four punts at Ole Miss with one 59-yard boomer … Averaged 43.4 yards on five punts at Auburn, with a long of 52 … Punted seven times and averaged 42.3 yards per kick in LSU’s Peach Bowl win over Clemson.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (1995)
The leading punter in the SEC for the final 11 weeks of the season with a 44.1 average … Also ranked fifth in the country in punting … His 44.1 average set an LSU record for the best average per punt in a season … Punted 47 times for 2,072 yards … Selected first team All-SEC by the SEC coaches and Associated Press … The last time LSU had a punter chosen first team All-SEC was Matt DeFrank in 1987 … An outstanding student, he was named to the GTE Academic All-America Region VI Team, putting him in contention for Academic All-America honors … Averaged 48.5 yards on six punts against Florida … Best game was 55.5 average on four punts in upset win over Auburn … Averaged 40.0 yards or more in 10 of LSU’s 11 regular season games … Also averaged 44.5 yards in LSU’s Independence Bowl win … Tied a career high for punts in a game with eight at Alabama … 61-yard punt in opener at Texas A&M was a career long, but he booted a longer one vs. Auburn with a 64-yarder … Had three punts of 60 yards or more … Had 15 punts of 50 yards or more … Placed 11 punts inside the opponents’ 20 yard line … Also a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll with a 3.9 GPA in Microbiology.

REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON (1994)
Played in nine games … Averaged 36.7 yards on 51 punts in 1994 … 34.0 yards on four punts at Arkansas … 30.8 yards on six punts at Tulane … Averaged 38.2 yards on five attempts vs. Southern Mississippi … 33.8 yards on five punts at Ole Miss … Averaged 37.9 yards on eight kicks vs. Kentucky … Had his best game of the season at Florida, averaging 42.3 yards on seven punts … Averaged 38.3 yards per kick on six tries vs. Texas A&M … Long kick of 52 yards, with one kick going out at the Texas A&M two-yard line … Averaged 33.6 yards per kick on three tries at Auburn … Averaged 37.3 yards on seven kicks against South Carolina … did not play vs. Mississippi State; vs. Alabama.

HIGH SCHOOL
Kicked two 47-yard field goals and had a 43.4-yard punting average … Won three games with last-second kicks … 90 percent of his kickoffs went into the end zone … Was perfect on all extra point attempts during his career … Career-long punt of 60 yards … Member of National Honor Society … Also played quarterback in high school … Coached by Doug Peters.

PERSONAL
Full name is Chad Stephen Kessler … Born June 24, 1975 in Orlando, Fla. … Parents are Steve and Susan Kessler … Has two siblings – Kyle and Kris.