Truth be told, University of Alabama freshman punter JK Scott has grown in more ways that expected.

But it’s nothing compared to the way he did in high school.

“I had a big growth spurt,” Scott said during his first interview with Alabama reporters after the SEC Championship Game. “I struggled a little bit trying to get consistent with it, but I’m starting to get that consistency down. I’ve gotten better at getting inside the 20s.”

When Scott first started attending Mullen High School in Denver, he was 5 foot 8. He’s now closer to 6-5.

He grew seven inches one year in high school, which caused havoc with his kicking.

“To be honest with you I’ve grown a half-inch since I got here in May,” he said.
Tonight, Scott might be the youngest person in the room during the Home Depot College Football Awards (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) and also the one to beat for the Ray Guy Award for best punter. An Alabama player has never won it before.

He’s up against Tom Hackett of Utah and Austin Rehkow of Idaho, who are the only two punters in the nation with a better punting average (Rehkow is first at 47.8, while other two are 47.0).

But Scott topped everyone with 26 punts inside the 20, and had 18 attempts of 50 yards or more – including a season-best 70-yard punt. Among FBS teams Alabama was second in net punting at 43.3 yards, and allowed just 73 total punt-return yards.

“Definitely consistency,” was the thing that Scott said improved the most this season.

He credited most of that from being a routine and focusing on the little things to help his technique, like weight training, a lot of flexibility work, and yes, pilates.

“I know that everything I can control is just three yards in front of me,” Scott said. “I know that if I just do it the same way every time I’ll get the same results.”

Slowing down growth-wise has also given Scott some more stability although he’s already become a fan favorite by the way he flips the field and has helped out on kickoffs with Adam Griffith dealing with back issues.

“It’s been great,” he said about his rookie season. “Alabama fans are great. Every time I see them in public and they recognize me they always say, ‘You’re doing a great job.” It’s been all good feedback so far.”