The first kicking specialist taken in the 2009 NFL Draft, Huber upgraded the Bengals punting game last year and looks to further improvement in his second pro season … Played in all 16 regular-season games, plus the Wild Card playoff vs. the N.Y. Jets … His 43.2-yard gross average tied Bengals second-best since 1999 … Had a 36.3 net average, and in the 10 previous seasons, only once did a Bengals punter better that mark … Had 24 inside-20 kicks and only 10 touchbacks … Also did a solid job as the holder for placekicks … Won a national punting title in college and twice led the nation in net punting.
The first kicking specialist taken in the 2009 NFL Draft, Huber upgraded the Bengals punting game last year and looks to further improvement in his second pro season … Played in all 16 regular-season games, plus the Wild Card playoff vs. the N.Y. Jets … His 43.2-yard gross average tied Bengals second-best since 1999 … Had a 36.3 net average, and in the 10 previous seasons, only once did a Bengals punter better that mark … Had 24 inside-20 kicks and only 10 touchbacks … Also did a solid job as the holder for placekicks … Won a national punting title in college and twice led the nation in net punting.
2009 HIGHLIGHTS: Drafted by Bengals in fifth round (142nd overall) … Made regular-season debut Sept. 13 vs. Denver, averaging 39.7 yards on seven punts, with season-best five pinned inside-20 … Showed his promise in win Sept. 20 vs. Green Bay, averaging 46.3 yards on four punts with a strong 41.3 net … Had two key punts in second half at Green Bay, a 48-yarder that went out of bounds at Green Bay four and a 56-yarder to the Packers 26 that backed Green Bay up to its 16 when a holding penalty was tacked on … Averaged 45.1 yards (31.8 net) on nine punts Oct. 4 at Cleveland, with two pinned inside-20 … Averaged a season-best 49.8 yards Nov. 22 at Oakland … On Nov. 29 vs. Cleveland, successfully kicked away from AFC punt return leader Joshua Cribbs, denying him a return, while averaging 42.0 yards on six punts (38.7 net average), with four inside-20 kicks and just one touchback … Had a 49-yard punt downed on the one-yard line Jan. 3 at N.Y. Jets … Averaged 48.0 yards on four punts in Wild Card playoff 1-9-10 vs. N.Y. Jets, with a 36.5 net average.
CINCINNATI ALL THE WAY: Huber is only the second player drafted by the Bengals who has grown up in Cincinnati and attended both high school and college in the Queen City. He attended McNicholas High School before enrolling at the University of Cincinnati. The first such player was RB Clem Turner, a fourth-round Bengals draftee in 1969 who went to Woodward High and then to UC. Turner played for the Bengals only in 1969. He also played for Denver from 1970-72.
COLLEGE: Played four seasons (2005-08) at Cincinnati, with 117 of his 124 punts coming in his last two campaigns … Led the nation in net punting avg. in both 2007 and ’08, and as a junior in 2007, his 46.9-yard gross average made him the first UC player to win the official national punting title … Averaged 45.5 gross yards for his career, becoming eighth player in Division I/FBS history to average 45.0 yards or more for his career … Had 47 inside-20 kicks for his career, with just 14 touchbacks … Redshirted (did not play) in 2004.
PERSONAL: Hometown is Cincinnati … Attended McNicholas High School, where he was a three-time all-league selection … Finance major at University of Cincinnati, twice earning Commissioner’s Honor Roll when Bearcats played in Conference USA … Later made the Big East All-Academic team … Single … Favorite hobby is golf.