Preston Fox credits his time spent on the baseball field for preparing him in his role as a punt returner.
It seems like an odd correlation but as a center fielder he became used to tracking down the baseball and those skills translated over onto the football field.
Fox had 3 punt returns for 46 yards against Cincinnati including a 29-yarder which helped the Mountaineers flip the field on multiple occasions. The Morgantown native has embraced his role at the position and ultimately it comes down to confidence.
“Just taking as many reps as you can at it. A lot of people aren’t very good at it but it’s just a skill set that I’ve had,” Fox said.
The Mountaineers ended up with a 20-yard advantage in field position starting at their own 41-yard line compared to Cincinnati at their own 21-yard line. That was critical in a game where West Virginia mustered just 248 yards and only 9 first downs which led to scoring opportunities.
Fox, who has battled back from partially tearing his calf, straining his hamstring and had some back problems, is finding his stride down the back end of the season. The redshirt junior believes that while that 29-yard return was a high mark, there was a chance on his first return to go even further.
“It was blocked perfectly. I just made the wrong cut. I went left and it was wide open to the right. I just made a mistake on my part but it closes quickly,” he said.
There is also the balance on whether or not to fair catch the football and that’s a department that Fox has excelled as well. Against the Bearcats he was able to even force a kick-catch-interference.
“It’s just a feel thing. Just make my mind up last second,” he said.
But the first order of business is simply catching the football and Fox admits that the time he has spent with the coaching staff and others such as Ryan Switzer who worked with the team last year was key. Switzer drilled in his head to keep his eyes on the ball all the way through the tuck.
“Seeing it all the way in gives you a better chance to catch it,” he said.
It also helps that Fox has been able to practice with Australian punter Oliver Straw and prepare him for a multitude of different ways that the ball can drop in on any given kick.
“Ollie gives me the best practice because it moves all over the place,” Fox said.
On top of his role as a punt returner, Fox also handled kick returns and turned 3 opportunities into 84 yards including a 43-yard return. That too was Fox taking advantage of some short kicks and having the ability to run up and take off from the 10-15 yard line with a good start.
There isn’t time for hesitation and it requires taking the football and moving up-field in a hurry. Just another way that Fox has bought into helping this team and it’s a role he’s certainly made his own.
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