Joseph Charlton Stays Cool Under Pressure

Joseph Charlton doesn’t get stressed out about too many things. The senior punter and holder for extra points and field goals may only be on the field for a handful of plays each game, but they can be critical to the outcome of the game, especially if it’s a punt from his own endzone or holding a last-second field goal.

“I don’t think anything is stressful anymore,” Charlton said with a big smile peeking through a face full of mustache and beard. “I kind of like it. I like the stress that’s built into it, I guess.

“For the holding part of my job, the hardest part is getting the laces right. Usually, that’s a snapper and holder thing. As for the punting part, I feel like I’ve adjusted really well to it.  It’s pretty easy and routine now. I just want to do my job and help the team out.”

The Columbia native graduated from nearby A.C. Flora High School. After redshirting his first year at South Carolina in 2015 and serving as a backup the next year, he won the starting job at punter in 2017 and has become a special teams weapon, earning Second Team All-SEC honors last year and the team’s Jim Carlen Most Valuable Player Award for special teams after each of the last two years.

Charlton entered the 2019 season as the school record-holder for career punting average at 44.1 yards per punt and set a single season record last year with an average of 44.8 yards per boot. Prior to the start of this season, he was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List, with the award being given at the end of the year to nation’s top collegiate punter. In the last two seasons, he had 32 punts of 50 yards or more, including a career high 73-yard punt against Missouri in 2017. He also places his kicks well with 31 falling inside the 20-yard line in 2017 and 2018. He continues to sour in 2019 and was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week on September 30 after pinning Kentucky inside its own 20-yard line on five of nine punts, while averaging 51.2 yards per punt for the game.

“Earning my degree is awesome. I’m glad to have that in my back pocket.”
– Joseph  Charlton

While repetition is key to his success, Charlton said he’s not a superstitious guy, so he just stays relaxed in games.

“I just warm up and kick it in the net a few times in games, and then go out there and try to bomb one,” Charlton said. “The only thing going through my mind is that I did my job and gave my team better field position.

“During the week, being a specialist, we have a couple of periods every day at practice. We have punt period, field goal period, and kick-off. We have some down days where we don’t kick at all. For me, that’s usually on Thursday. You have to keep your legs fresh.

“We like to have fun. We play some games in there at practice, but we get our work done and do our job so we’re ready on game day.”

Charlton played other sports growing up, but it didn’t take him long to find his niche.

“I played soccer growing up for about nine years, but I stuck with football ever since,” Charlton said. “I realized I was kind of good at kicking back in middle school, so I just kept doing it through high school and got better. I was always a kicker and punter. They wanted me to try different stuff during my ninth grade year, doing stuff on the b-team, but I always just wanted to be a kicker and punter.”

One of the top-rated kickers coming out of high school, Charlton’s decision to stay close to home for college was a no-brainer.

“Both of my parents went to South Carolina, and being close to home is great,” Charlton said. “It’s great to be around the family. I was a Gamecock fan growing up, too, so that was part of it.”

While he doesn’t often have to make tackles on special teams, Charlton smiles when he explains that he is probably the best tackler out of the kickers on the team.

“I’d go with me, all day,” Charlton said. “I think I’ve only had to make one tackle in a game, and that was last year. The guy ran out of bounds before I could hit him though.”

Charlton admits that he may not have the best form when it comes down to taking down a returner, however.

“I may not lower the shoulder. I’ll definitely dive at the ankles,” Charlton said.  “Sometimes they come after you. Last year in the Missouri game, I got lit up on one of the runs.”

Standing 6 feet, 5 inches tall, Charlton is happy in his role with the Gamecocks, but said he would gladly help out the team wherever its needed.

“If I could be anything else, I’d probably be a wide receiver,” Charlton said. “I’ve got the height. I’ve got pretty good hands. My speed could be better.

“If we did a fake punt, I’m down for anything. Whatever they want, I’ll do it. I’d like to throw it if we faked it though.”

Charlton earned his degree in retail management last May, and while he’s not sure what life holds for him after football, don’t be surprised that he’s not stressing out about it.

“Earning my degree is awesome,” Charlton said. “I’m glad to have that in my back pocket. I haven’t figured out what I want to do yet, but that’s OK.

“When I’m not playing football, I like fishing. I love fishing and hunting and being on a boat. I haven’t gone fishing with any of my teammates yet, but I have three uncles on Lake Murray. It’s great to be close to home.”