By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NATCHITOCHES – Given a choice of positions to make a momentum-turning play, most football fans likely would overlook a team’s punter.
Northwestern State’s Reed Honshtein, meanwhile, took his opportunity and ran with it – literally.
On a day where the Demons’ offense struggled to get in gear, Honshtein, a senior punter from Georgetown, Texas, turned in Northwestern’s longest play from scrimmage in its loss at Nicholls this past Saturday.
Having sensed a fake punt would work and with the Demons facing a fourth and 8 at their 29 in the second quarter of a 14-0 game, Honshtein took off to his right and – 21 yards and a personal foul later – had found another way to flip the field for his team.
“When guys get an opportunity to make a play, they have to take advantage, and Reed did that,” first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “No matter what position it is – a quarterback, a running back, an offensive lineman, a defensive back or a punter – if you get a chance to make a play, do it. Sometimes, you don’t think of specialists in that role, but anybody can make a play at any time, and when your number’s called, you have to be ready. Reed did that Saturday and helped us stay in the game. We’re excited for him for that.”
The first designed carry of Honshtein’s career netted him the Demons’ rushing lead against Nicholls. It also reinforced what has been a turnaround season for Honshtein, who transferred from Sam Houston ahead of the 2023 season.
Honshtein has averaged 40.3 yards per punt on 59 attempts, forcing 18 fair catches and dropping 17 of his punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. A season ago, he averaged 26.3 yards per punt. With each kick, his confidence has grown, paying off a mutual appreciation society between the specialist and his first-year coaching staff.
“The coaches put their trust in me, and I trust the coaching and the schemes they have in place for me,” Honshtein said. “Last year, we were all over the place with schemes. This year, they’ve set a scheme, and I feel very confident that I’ll be protected and allow me to do my job.”
Though not a measurable statistic by the NCAA, Honshtein has forced at least three fumbles on his punts.
Two of those – one at Tulsa in the Aug. 29 season opener and one in the Oct. 12 Southland home-opening matchup against Texas A&M-Commerce – have led directly to touchdowns for the Demons.
Another of those came against Nicholls in a game where Honshtein averaged 42.8 yards on 10 punts, including a career-long 67-yarder that helped the Demons pin Nicholls at its 4-yard line.
“I try to change it up every now and then – change the rotation on my ball, try to hang it up there and get the returner guessing,” he said. “The wind plays a big part of it, too. If they’re coming in and looking at it and it’s really high, it can shift all different ways. Trusting my ability to get it up there and have my team go down there is the biggest part.”
One of the biggest influences on Honshtein’s career is his older brother, Tre, who kicked at Sam Houston when the Bearkats were Southland Conference members.
Tre Honshtein notched a field goal at Turpin Stadium in an Oct. 13, 2018, game against Northwestern. When Reed Honshtein knocked through a 38-yarder against Prairie View A&M in NSU’s Sept. 7 home opener, he joined his brother on the Turpin Stadium scoring list.
“Looking back, it was a big competition,” Honshtein said about growing up with his older brother. “My brother is 6-foot-7, and I’m down here at 5-1. He was always bullying me. I told him, ‘You don’t have to be a big kicker to make it.’ Growing up with him, kicking every day, he really inspired me to be the am I am today and make it here at Northwestern State.”
The friendly sibling rivalry, however, was inadvertently reignited when Reed Honshtein saw plenty of green turf ahead of him during the second quarter Saturday.
“Definitely me,” the younger brother said about who owns the longest rush in the family. “He texted me the other day and said all his friends were texting him saying, ‘Tre, you would never do that.’ I definitely have him beat there.”