"Inside The Chart" (Special Report) with Andy Demetra - October 16, 2012

Ace Sanders locks in on his target. As the ball spirals towards him, he calculates. A check of the gunners. A check of the ball's trajectory. A survey of his position. A measure of his speed. A peek at the field ahead of him.

Dozens of calculations fill up the few seconds from when the ball strikes the punter's foot to when it lands in his hands, informing him what to do. Signal fair catch or take off? Cut left or right? Swing wide or accelerate straight ahead?

Yet once the punt finishes its descent, landing with a "thwack" inside Sanders' hands, all that data gives way to instinct. In a split-second, Sanders has to convert his information into action.

Ace Sanders (Middle) after a punt return against Missouri.

Seven weeks into the season, few punt returners have done it to more devastating effect than the junior from Bradenton, Fla. After a 50-yard punt return against LSU Saturday, Sanders has raised his season average to 17.4 yards per runback.

That average doesn't even lead the SEC. But can you make the argument that Sanders is the best punt returner in college football?

Let's do some calculations of our own.

Compare Sanders' numbers against the other widely-acknowledged best punt returners in the country, Missouri's Marcus Murphy and Texas A&M's Dustin Harris:

Overall NCAA Stats

Category (NCAA Rank) Sanders Murphy Harris Leader

Returns 18 3^rd 16 6^th 22 1^st Harris

Return Average 17.4 4^th 18.9 3^rd 15.7 11^th Murphy

Returns of 20+ yards 6 T-2^nd 4 T-7^th 7 T-1^st Harris

Returns of 30+ yards 4 T-2^nd 3 4^th 5 1^st Harris

Returns of 40+ yards 3 T-1^st 3 T-1^st 1 11^th Murphy/Sanders

TD's 1 4^th* 3 1^st 1 4^th* Murphy

*-Murphy leads the nation with 3 returns for touchdowns. Two players have 2 returns for touchdowns. 23 players are tied with 1 touchdown.

At first glance, Murphy and Harris appear to have an edge over Sanders. But Murphy had a pair of punt return for touchdowns against FCS member Southeastern Louisiana. Harris feasted on South Carolina State with an SEC-record 246 punt return yards.

How much did those FCS-level opponents bloat their stats? Compare the trio's numbers against FBS competition only.

Vs. FBS-level teams only

Category (NCAA Rank) Sanders Murphy Harris Leader

Punt Returns 18 T-1^st 11 13^th 14 T-6^th Sanders

Return Average 17.4 3^rd 11.1 18^th 7.07 46^th Sanders

Returns of 20+ yards 6 1^st 2 11^th 2 11^th Sanders

Returns of 30+ yards 4 1^st 1 11^th 1 11^th Sanders

Returns of 40+ yards 4 T-1^st 1 11^th 0 (NR) Sanders

TD's 1 2^nd* 1 2^nd* 0 (NR) Sanders/Murphy

*-Northwestern's Venric Mark has 2 punt return TD's. Fourteen others have 1.

Take away those lesser opponents, and Murphy's and Harris' averages dip considerably. Sanders begins to stand out.

How about one more comparison, since all three play in the SEC? Look at their punt return yards in conference games-only:

SEC Games Only

Player Net Return Yards Yards/Game

Sanders 5 games, 231 yards 46.2

Murphy 4 games, 24 yards 6.0

Harris 3 games, -13 yards -4.3

In the most powerful conference in the country, Sanders' numbers - like his punt returns - leave his competition in the dust.

Another stiff test awaits him Saturday, as Florida ranks 18th in the nation in punt return defense (3.7 yds./return). Yet when comes off the sideline for his first time on a Florida 4th down, Ace Sanders may trot out with another title: best punt returner in college football.

Join us Friday for our final "Pre-Snap Reads" before the Gamecocks and Gators get after it in the Swamp. -AD--