The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Big brother is watching
12.28.2002 | Football
Every time Nathan Vasher drops back to return a punt, he can't help but think of his oldest brother. Nathan has always looked up to R.L. III (short for "Roy Lee"). R.L., who is four years older than Nathan, has basically been a father to him since their dad (R.L., Jr.) passed away from cancer when he was four.
As is the case with most little brothers, Nathan (the youngest of three boys) idolized his oldest brother. Everywhere R.L. went, Nathan followed.
Everything R.L. did, there was Nathan emulating his big brother.
"Mom forced him (R.L.) to take me everywhere he went when we were growing up," Vasher said. "If he was going to the mall, I'd be there with him. He was definitely my role model."
When R.L. began handling the placekicking and punting duties at Texarkana's Texas High, in addition to splitting time at quarterback and cornerback, Nathan was there to help his older brother practice. Of course, he did not realize then that he was taking the first steps toward becoming one of the most feared punt returners in college football.
When Nathan was 12, R.L. spent a lot of time in the summer working on his place-kicking.
"I don't know if (R.L. and his teammates) were a couple of guys short, but he used to make me hold the ball," Vasher said. "Then he'd kick it, and I'd have to go get it. We did that for hours on end."
Vasher then upgraded to fielding punts for his big brother. He still remembers the first time he dropped back to catch one of R.L.'s punts.
"It scared me half to death," Vasher joked. "I couldn't believe the ball was supposed to go that high and drop that fast. I remember that ball hit me square in the chest. We didn't have shirts on because it was summer, so it left a big red mark on my chest for a long time."
Vasher has not dropped many balls that have come his way since then. In addition to earning first-team Texas 4A all-state honors as both a wide receiver and cornerback during his senior season at Texas High, he also returned punts throughout his high school career.
Once he arrived in Austin, Vasher quickly emerged into a key defensive back for the Longhorns. Although he returned just three punts as Hodges Mitchell's backup during Vasher's true freshman season in 2000, he quickly made noise as a sophomore.
In UT's second game that season (vs. North Carolina), Vasher tied the Big 12 Conference and Texas single-game record with eight punt returns for a school-record 153 yards. He electrified a sold-out Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium crowd and ABC regional television audience with a 44-yard touchdown return and brought back another punt 59 yards that also was headed for the end zone before he lost his balance and stepped out of bounds inside the 5-yard line against the Tar Heels. Later in the year, he returned seven punts and broke his own school record with 173 return yards, including a 60-yarder at Baylor.
Vasher went on to set a UT single-season record with 554 punt return yards. His 15.0-yard return average ranked sixth nationally and third on the school's single-season list. His work didn't go unnoticed, as he earned third-team All-America honors from The Sporting News.
The formula for Vasher's success at returning punts stems from plenty of practice and repetition, both on and off the field.
He begins each week watching film of the opponent's punter, looking for trends on where the ball is punted and how the ball comes off the punter's foot. Once on the field, Vasher says it's all about concentration and catching the ball. Of course, that's easier said than done.
"I probably take two quick peaks at the coverage before catching the ball," Vasher said. "I'll get a quick read when the ball is punted, then when the ball is in the air, I'll look toward the coverage.
"If I don't see anybody in my peripheral sight or right directly in my face, then I've got a chance to catch it," said Vasher, who catches punts with the bottom of his palms and cradles the ball in with his elbows tucked.
Then the real fun begins.
"My favorite part of a punt return is catching it and actually going downhill," he said. "I love going out to the wings and making a left or right turn. You get a chance to see everything develop.
"It all really starts with the kick. If you get a good line drive, things can really slow down for you. The ball comes off so short and you can concentrate on just catching the ball. Then if you can make the first guy miss and turn the corner, blocks start getting picked off quickly and you can go for days."
Despite an ankle injury that slowed him early in this his junior season, Vasher has continued to develop into one of the nation's top punt returners. Entering Wednesday's SBC Cotton Bowl Classic, his 14.2-yard average ranks 16th nationally and fifth on UT's single-season list.
Vasher gave all Texas fans a moment to remember midway through the fourth quarter of UT's 50-20 victory against arch-rival Texas A&M in late November. He fielded a punt at the Texas 40-yard line, made the first A&M tackler miss, turned the left corner and raced 60 yards for his second career punt return for a touchdown.
In the sea of Texas fans cheering for Vasher during the return, one of his biggest fans was missing from the stadium. R.L. couldn't make the game in Austin, but he saw the return on television while at his job at a Wichita Falls, Texas, hospital.
"He called me after the game and said, 'I taught you everything you know,'" Vasher said with a smile. "You know how older brothers always try to take credit for everything."
