Mike Larsson

Class:
Senior
Position:
K/P
Height:
5-10
Weight:
175
Prev School:
Piedmont HS
Hometown:
Monroe, N.C.

Big South Preseason All-Conference

An Inside Look from the Coaching Staff: Has matured during the last several seasons … coaching staff is looking for him to have a great senior season … leg continues to get stronger … comes into the season with the third-best career punt average in program history (38.3).

2010 (Jr.): Member of the Big South Presidential Honor Roll … Big South first-team all-conference selection … started all 11 games … had a career year, setting a new program record for punting average (41.7) … 11 punts inside the 20-yard line … eight 50-plus yard punts … against Big South foes, he averaged 43.9 yards per punt, with seven of 19 punts sailing 50+ yards and six landing inside the 20-yard line … averaged 40 or more yards against all six Big South opponents and in seven of the last eight games of the year … came into the year with just three career games where he averaged 40 or more yards per punt … because of Liberty’s prolific offense, he does not meet either the Big South or NCAA standard of average punts per game to qualify for rankings (averaged only 3.0 punts per game) … if he qualified, he would have led the Big South in punting by more than 2.0 yards per punt and No. 13 nationally in punting average … had a career game at VMI, finishing the contest with five punts for 232 yards, averaging 46.4 yards per punt … finished the James Madison game by averaging 40.2 yards per punt, with six punts for 241 yards … averaged 46.0 yards per punt against Gardner-Webb, with four punts for 184 yards.

2009 (So.): Named to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll … Big South second-team all-conference … two-time Big South Special Teams Player of the Week … started all 11 games … because of Liberty’s prolific offense, he finished the year with the fewest punts by a Big South punter who started all 11 games … placed 18 of his 40 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line … helped the Flames finish the year ranked No. 10 nationally in punt return yardage defense, as Liberty’s opponents were limited to an average of 3.38 yards per attempted return … helped the Flames finish the year ranked No. 10 in the country in punt return yardage defense (3.38 yards per return) … there were only 16 teams in the country that finished with fewer total punt returns allowed than the Flames (13 total punt returns allowed) … finished three games with a punting average over 40 yards per game … finished the game against No. 6 James Madison with five punts for an average or 41.4 yards per punt despite kicking during a downpour most of the contest … had a career day at Charleston Southern with 219 punt yards and a career-long of 71 yards .. the 71-yard boot was the third-longest punt in program history.

2008 (Fr.): Saw playing time in eight out of 12 games … sat out four games during the middle of the year with an injury … finished his first collegiate season with 17 punts for 605 yards … averaged 35.6 yards per punt … placed six of his 17 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line (35.2 percent) … was named Big South Special Teams Player of the Week after recording a season-high four punts for 158 yards (39.5 yard average) to help the Flames to a 19-16 road victory over Western Carolina … two punts for 72 yards (36.0 yard average) during Liberty’s road victory over Coastal Carolina, while adding three kickoffs for 173 yards (57.7 yard average) … tied his season high by averaging 39.5 yards per punt (two punts/79 yards) in his first game back from injury against VMI … placed both his punts inside the Phoenix 20-yard line in the Flames’ 26-3 victory over No. 12 Elon to close out the year.

Prep: Graduated from Piedmont High School … three-year member of the varsity program … booted two field goals during his first varsity season as a sophomore … first-team all-conference and all-county as a junior, as he averaged 38 yards per punt and placed 12 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line … first-team all-conference, all-county and Special Teams Award recipient as a senior … average 39 yards per punt during his senior campaign, placing 10 kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Personal: Son of Jeff and Linda Gaura … birthday is Sept. 26 … business management major.