How golf, trash talk carry Memphis football's Joe Doyle, Chris Howard to kicking success

The question was a rite of passage on Chris Howard’s official Memphis football visit. "Do you play golf?" punter Joe Doyle asked. Howard said yes.

While Doyle and long snapper Colby Cox were satisfied, Howard wasn’t sure they could hang with him. It didn’t take long once the group hit a course after Howard’s transfer from Florida in June.

“As soon as I saw them play, I knew they could play and this is a group I need to play with. Because I played with a couple of other guys and they weren’t that good,” Howard said. “As soon as I started playing with Joe, I just felt our bond because you can just get away from football and you can joke and have a good time.

Golf added to the glue connecting Doyle and Howard besides starting their careers in the SEC. Howard is all-business but might talk trash after a hole. Doyle, who arrived from Tennessee before last season, is even-keeled whether he hits a great drive or errant tee shot.

The synergy carried to the field where the sixth-year seniors boost each other up in warm-ups or after a big kick. It’s happened often. Doyle is second nationally with 47.94 yards per punt and Howard is 14-for-14 on field goals, tying him for the national lead in field goal percentage entering Saturday’s game against No. 25 Central Florida (2:30 p.m., ESPN2)

“We serve as each other’s hype man and just trying to have as much fun as we can. So I think that’s why we are having so much success because we’re feeding of each other,” Doyle said.

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Both aren’t just bright spots for the Tigers this season. Doyle and Howard have arguably been the most successful Memphis transfers added in the past two years. After last season, when field goal kicking was a liability, the duo have a chance to make history.

Only two schools since 2012 – Florida in 2017 and Washington State in 2020 -- had players finish in the nation’s top five in field goal percentage and net punting average. Middle Tennessee is also in the top five this season, but punter Kyle Ulbrich is three spots behind Doyle. Howard has nearly twice as many made field goals as MTSU’s Zeke Rankin, who is 8-for-8.

“They’ve been tremendous assets to us. Obviously, we’ve got a long history of specialists doing things at a high level, and those two are falling in line with that,” coach Ryan Silverfield said. “I think anytime you have veteran people kicking the ball, it makes you feel a little more comfortable.”

It also helps the two knew of each other from past games. Howard recalled being in awe seeing Doyle launch big punts during warm-ups. Doyle was a fan of Howard, too, but he was more bothered that Howard wore No. 71, a number typically reserved for offensive linemen.

“I hate a kicker wearing a number in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I think it’s disrespectful and it’s a non-traditional number,” Doyle said.

“I liked it because 71 is used a lot in hockey so I think we should just bring it over to kicker,” added Howard. “When I got the number, I asked if they wanted me to put 75 pounds and be a scout team offensive linemen.”

Their shared sense of humor and love of golf made it easy for Howard to fit in. If Howard converts a long field goal, Doyle reminds that he hasn’t matched his personal best of a 51-yard field goal last season against Mississippi State.

But the chemistry is more friendly than competitive since Doyle is also Howard’s holder. They know it’s their last chance to impress NFL scouts, so the smack talk helps them relax before each kick.

“There’s immense pressure on going out there and executing your one opportunity,” said Howard, who is two shy of tying Memphis’ record for most consecutive made field goals. “So going out there and just trying to mellow out the situation and take some pressure off with a laugh or joke, that’s definitely the best case.”

Doyle was relieved to give up double duty after kicking and punting most of last season because of injuries to kicker David Kemp. But the experience taught him to take better care of his body and he entered this season 20 pounds lighter and with improved flexibility after spending more time in the weight room.

“My body just wasn’t really adjusted to it and I started dealing with some smaller injuries,” Doyle said. “I started being wishy-washy in both areas. … So just punting this year, it helped me bring Howard along because we knew we were going to have to solve any problems we had last year.”

Those problems are in the past. Once Doyle crosses 80 career punts – he’s at 73 – he’s on pace to be the school’s leader with an average of 46.97 yards per punt. Howard has a chance at the Tigers’ single-season field goal record of 23.

But those goals are secondary to having fun. The golf course keeps also both entertained as Howard tries to crack the pecking order among Doyle, Cox and backup quarterback Hunter Hulsey.

Howard might be among the nation’s top kickers, but he admits Doyle is the better golfer, for now.

“Right now he’s got me by about five or six strokes,” Howard said. “But I’m still better than Cox.”

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: How Memphis football's Chris Howard, Joe Doyle find kicking success