MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama football punter Brandon McKee recently sat down with USAJaguars.com to discuss how he became a kicker, what he wants to do after his football career done and how playing another sport has helped develop as a kicker among other things.

McKee, a senior from Cumming, Ga., has lettered the last three seasons for the Jaguars.  Last season, he averaged 39.8 yards per punt last season in his 39 punts.  McKee's longest punt of the season came against Georgia Southern where he had a long of 54 yards – one of 11 punts to reach 50-plus.  He also had six punts downed inside the 20 yard line.

After playing soccer for most of your early high school career how did you come to football as a kicker?
"I actually played football my freshman year and was a receiver and had one catch the whole year for 15 yards.  I was in the gym at the end of my sophomore year waiting for school to end and the soccer coach mentioned to me that the football team's kicker was graduating and he told me that the coaches were looking for a kicker.  I went out there during their spring training and kicked some field goals and they liked what I did."

How did your time playing soccer prepare you for kicking in football?
"It helped me a lot.  I don't have the biggest legs, but they were conditioned from the repetitive kicking.  I was a goalie in soccer, so I didn't run a lot, but I still did some punting, goal kicks, etc.  That kicking motion was very familiar to me and translated well for me.  Obviously, I had to tweak some stuff, because football and soccer are two different sports, but the motions are almost the same."

How have you seen yourself develop as a punter over the past few years?
"I actually could not punt a football to save my life when I first began.  I could kick a soccer ball 70 yards, but I couldn't punt a football.  I sometimes think I still have that issue, but I really have grown into the position.  My junior year of high school, I was only averaged 38 yards a punt, which wasn't very good.  I went to some camps and bumped my average up to 45 yards my senior season and go all-state.  After that, I have just continued to tinker with the drop and tried to keep my swing straight because sometimes my leg goes left, which I don't know why.  I think getting stronger has also helped with my development.  
"Just continually working on getting that motion down and the fundamentals.  It's like dribbling in basketball, which you always have to work on.  To get a good punt, you have to have a good drop, so I'm always working on that."

What factored into your decision to come to South Alabama?
"I was actually very intrigued with being part of history with the new program.  I can't remember who it was that I was talking with during the recruiting process, but they mentioned to me about coming to South Alabama and being part of a new program.  That sounded really good to me.  I also liked the location.  Mobile is a beautiful city and we have a beautiful campus, but to be part of the first few teams really pushed me over to commit."

Did you set any personal goals for yourself this season?
"I always try to do better than I did the season before.  Last season, I averaged 39 yards per punt, so I'll try to increase that by two or three yards and steadily keep climbing.  For some games, I might be doing regular punts and some I might just be trying to sky it and so I can't really have goals for the season.  I'll just have a goal for each game.  For example, against Mississippi State, I was only doing skies, which was from the 50-yard line and in, so my goal was for every punt to be inside the 20.  If I do that, I put the defense the best chance to succeed.  My goals will be more of a game-by-game according to what I'm asked to do, rather than season."

What are you wanting to do after your football career is over?
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I'm asked that, I'd be rich and wouldn't have to worry about that.  I graduate in December so I would like to get a graduate assistantship and stay here at South Alabama and work with [former Jag kicker] Aleem Sunanon, who is a GA now.  We could team up and coach the kickers.  I would love to continue to play football, just as every other player does, so I'm definitely going to give that a shot as well and see how that process works out.  I'm also currently interning at a YMCA here in Mobile, which is good because everyone knows what that is and it will be a good stepping stone for me.  I could maybe be a coach there or a sports director.  I'm going to go for a GA job here first though and see where that takes me and then dive into other stuff later on."

What do you like to do in your spare time?
"The cliché college student response would be to sleep.  I love to sleep and eat.  I really don't have a lot of spare time because I'm so busy, but when I do have some, I spend it with my girlfriend.  I kind of got out of playing video games, but I might try to get back into it.  I also watch TV and just hang out.  I'm a pretty chill person."

Will you have family at this weekend's game?
"My dad and step-mom are planning on coming down.  I don't know if my mom is going to be able to or not, she might.  My dad and step-mom usually attend most games."

What type of leadership role have you assumed on the special teams unit?
"Since Aleem went out, I'm now the lone veteran on the group having played the most games.  I just try to be a calming factor in the games especially with [Andrew] Zink, Gavin [Patterson], Corliss [Waitman] and the others.  I'll tell them what it's all about because I've played in front of 90,000 people and I've played in front of 20,000 people.  I just want to be that 'Old head' for them so they can look to me for advice."

Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
"I would probably say my dad.  Growing up, I played every sport under the sun and he was my coach.  He was always there helping me with stuff.  I'm not saying my mom wasn't because she was too.  My dad didn't know anything about kicking because he was a pitcher and a quarterback when he played, but he saw that was where I was going and he read books and looked at YouTube videos on kicking, but those will only take you so far.  He did his very best to try to help me, especially with my attitude.  I tend to get frustrated if I string together several bad balls and he would keep me level-headed.  He was always there for me on the sports side."

You mentioned earlier that you hope to continue your playing career after your time here at South Alabama.  What do you need to do this season to try to further your playing career?
"This season, I just need to do the best that I can as cliché as that may be.  I need to take advantage of every opportunity I get out there.  I need to work on increasing my height on my punts and get up to the 4.9s and 5.0s to give the gunners and the rest of the team time to get down and cover the punts.  I just need to be efficient in what I do and be the best that I can be; limit the bad punts."

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