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King Rises from Duke

Updated: Friday, October 19 2012, 02:38 PM CDT
University of Texas punter Alex King is making an impact early with the Longhorns ranking sixth in the nation in punting.

"I'm just one guy with one job and it's my job to kick the ball as far as I can. It's a pretty simple job."

But this simple job took a turn last year when Alex's father committed suicide during his senior season.

"He was really sick for a long time and had some mental issues and had rheumatoid arthritis.He was an orthopedic surgeon and couldn't work anymore so that was his whole world and if he couldn't work he couldn't help people and couldn't be happy."

At the end of the season King said he felt lost, so he decided to take a fifth year and continue playing football, but Duke didn't have a scholarship for him. That's when one of King's coaches put him in touch with Mack Brown. Ever since King has been looking at life in a different way.

"A lot of people look at that as a terrible tragedy, and yes, of course, it was a big deal but my dad taught me a lot of things. The time I had with him was an honor."

As King goes through his final college football season with the horns without his father, he says he has gained a team full of brothers.

"They mean everything. My teammates here I feel like I've known them for four years it's just been truly a blessing."

King will continue his punting excellence this Saturday when the Horns take on the Baylor Bears in Austin. King Rises from Duke