Coach thinks punter/kicker Jackson Smith could play early at Kentucky

Jackson Smith with his parents after Boyle County's 2021 state championship win. (Chris Zollner Photo)

It’s hard to know where kicker Jackson Smith of Boyle County might fit into Kentucky’s plans for the 2022 season since coach Mark Stoops has all his starting specialists returning from last season. However, Boyle County High School coach Justin Haddix thinks his player has all the tools to be a big success at UK.

He hit 72 of 78 extra points in 2021 and seven of nine field goals. He had 68 touchbacks on kickoffs and averaged 42.1 yards per punt on his 13 tries with zero return yards.

“We had high expectations for him. If he did not kick the ball to the end zone we were jumping on him,” Haddix said. “He did a great job punting and we had some fakes in for him because he’s a good athlete.

“I really think he will get to play early. Whatever they need, he will do it because he is such a competitor.”

He’s so competitive that he started at linebacker for Boyle in 2021 and had 36 tackles, six tackles for loss, and one interception for the state champion Rebels.

“I don’t know how many punters/kickers have also played linebacker,” Haddix said. “He started at linebacker for us in 14 games and also played some at defensive end. He’s just a strong kid who loves to compete.

“Most kickers are content to sit at practice. Not him. He wanted to play other positions because he is a competitor.”

Smith was on the track team as a junior and was on the bass fishing team four years.

His father, Andy, was an all-SEC punter at UK in 1999 when he averaged 42.7 yards per punt, the third-best mark in school history.

“I am glad he did not have to punt too much for us but when he did he flipped the field,” Haddix said. “He made four field goals against Lexington Catholic to help us win a game. He made a big-time kick in the state final. He is a weapon wherever you want to put him.”

Boyle was 52-3 with two state titles and three state title game appearances in his career and was ranked as the top kicker/punter in the 2022 class by ProKicker.com.