Honors & Awards
» 2016 Cletus Fischer Native Son Award
» Ray Guy Award Watch List (2016)
» Eddelman-Fields Big Ten Punter of the Year (2015)
» First-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches, Media, AP, Phil Steele, ESPN.com, 2015)
» Ray Guy Award Watch List (2015)
» Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches, 2014)
» Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. McNeese State, 2014, at Illinois, 2015)
» Big Ten All-Freshman Team (BTN, 2013)
» Five-Time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2014, 2015; Spring 2013, 2015, 2016)
» Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award (2016)
» Brook Berringer Citizenship Team (2016)
» Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2016)

Sam Foltz was a preseason candidate for the Ray Guy Award and was expected to be one of the nation's top punters in 2016 before he tragically lost his life in an automobile accident on July 23, 2016. The 2015 Eddelman-Fields Big Ten Punter of the Year, Foltz died after attending a kicking camp near Waukesha, Wis. He was 22 years old.

A native of Greeley, Neb., Foltz earned his degree in agronomy in May of 2016 and was set to play his senior season as a graduate student. Foltz was a three-year starting punter for the Huskers, and his career average of 42.6 yards per punt ranked fifth all-time at Nebraska.

Foltz was also a standout in the classroom and in the community. He was a five-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and earned a spot on both the Brook Berringer and Tom Osborne Citizenship teams in 2016. Foltz also was awarded a Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award in 2016, which recognizes exceptional leadership, consistent and dedicated community service and positive influence on the team.

2015 (Junior)
Foltz started 12 games and led the Big Ten and ranked 22nd nationally in punting with a 44.2-yard average on 56 punts. In conference games, Foltz was even better, averaging 45.0 yards per punt. Foltz finished the season with 16 punts of 50 yards or more, including a season-long 67-yard against BYU. Foltz also downed 15 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Foltz averaged 46.0 yards per punt in the opener against BYU, but suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss the South Alabama game and slowed him for several weeks. He was back at full strength for Big Ten play, averaging 46.9 yards per punt at Illinois with three punts inside the 20. His play earned him Big Ten Special Teams Player-of-the-Week selection.

Foltz averaged a season-high 50.7 yards on six punts against Northwestern, and averaged at least 43 yards per punt in six of eight Big Ten Conference games. He placed a season-high four punts inside the 20 in NU’s win at Rutgers.
2014 (Sophomore)
Foltz averaged 42.2 yards per punt to rank fifth in the Big Ten. His punting helped Nebraska to a 37.3-yard net punting average and a starting field position advantage in 11 of 13 games. Foltz had 18 punts of at least 50 yards, and opponents returned just 16 punts for 143 yards. 

Foltz was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance against McNeese State. He averaged 51.2 yards per punt and trapped the Cowboys inside their 20-yard line four times. Against Northwestern, all five of Foltz’s punts pinned the Wildcats inside their own 20-yard line. Foltz had three punts of more than 50 yards against Purdue, pinning the Boilermakers inside their own 20 three times, and inside the 10 twice.

Foltz ran 14 yards for a first down on a fake punt at Wisconsin and also had a career-long 70-yard punt in the fourth quarter. He averaged 44.7 yards per punt in the Holiday Bowl, including an NU bowl-record 64-yard punt.

2013 (Redshirt Freshman)
Foltz started all 13 games and averaged 41.6 yards per punt, with 16 punts of at least 50 yards. He downed 22 punts inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. Foltz’s punting also helped Nebraska’s punt coverage unit allow an average of just 8.1 yards on 15 punt returns. Foltz pinned Penn State inside its own 20 four times, while pinning three punts inside the 20 against both Purdue and Northwestern. Foltz had a season-long 64-yard punt at Michigan.

2012 (Redshirt)
Foltz redshirted in his first season in the program in 2012. He was also a receiver when he joined the program, but quickly focused on punting.

Before Nebraska (Grand Island HS)
Foltz helped Grand Island High School to a 9-2 record and a trip to the Class A quarterfinals as a senior. Foltz was one of the most versatile athletes in the state, starring on both sides of the football. A first-team All-Nebraska pick as a senior defensive back, Foltz led the Islanders in tackles with 84, including 61 solo stops, and four interceptions.

On offense, Foltz teamed up with fellow Husker Ryker Fyfe to make up one of the most dangerous passing duos in the state. Foltz caught 39 passes for 686 yards and 10 touchdowns as senior. He was also a valuable asset on special teams, where he was member of the Lincoln Journal Star Super State team as a senior punter.

Foltz had 60 total tackles and five interceptions as a junior. Foltz also competed in track and field, earning a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash at the 2012 state track and field meet. Foltz caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Fyfe in the 2012 Shrine Bowl. Foltz chose to walk on at Nebraska over scholarship offers from South Dakota State, Northwest Missouri State, Nebraska-Kearney and South Dakota.

Personal
Foltz was born on Jan. 21, 1994, to Gerald and Jill Foltz. He passed on July 23, 2016, weeks before his senior season was set to begin. Sam was named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll five times before graduating with a degree in agronomy in May of 2016. Foltz volunteered his time with team hospital visits, School is Cool Week, the Lincoln Marathon and Nebraska’s Sportsmanship Rally. He was named to the 2016 Brook Berringer and Tom Osborne Citizenship teams.

Foltz's Career Statistics

Year

G/S

No.

Yds. Avg. Long

TB

FC I20

50+

Blk.

2012         Redshirt          
2013 13/13 71 2,954 41.6 64 at Michigan 7 16 22 16 0
2014 13/13 63 2,659 42.2 70 at Wisconsin 5 20 26 18 0

2015

12/12 56 2,477 44.2 67vs. BYU 5 9 15 16 0

Totals

38/38 190 8,090 42.6 70 at Wisconsin
17 45 63 50 0
Single-Game Highs
» Punts - 9 at Illinois, vs. Wisconsin (2015)
» Punting Average - 51.2 vs. McNeese State (2014)
» Inside 20 - 5 at Northwestern (2014)