If Iowa State punter Carl Gomez ever needs any advice on competing at the college level during his first season out of high school, he won’t have to go far.

Placekicker Jamie Kohl was in a similar position two seasons ago, when he took over the placekicking chores his first year at ISU.

Gomez, a true freshman, and Kohl, a junior, spend many of the Cyclone practices in the same area, perfecting their respective kicking games.

Gomez has punted well enough in the Cyclones’ first four games to yield a 44-yard average, ranking him No. 26 in the nation.

His quick start has already drawn comparisons to former ISU punter Marc Harris, who was second-team All Big 12 Conference last season.

“Marc and Carl are both real consistent. Marc kicked real good in some really bad conditions, and Carl has yet to encounter those conditions. But I see Carl doing just as bit as good as Marc,” Kohl said.

“We’ve been real fortunate to have two really good punters in a row here.”

Gomez’s early season results have come as a pleasant surprise to him. He earned All-State honors after averaging 47.7 yards per punt at Miami Killian High School last season.

“I didn’t think I was going to do this well my freshman year,” Gomez said. “Before the season, I was hoping to maybe step in and fill the position, but I didn’t think I was going to do this well in punting and yardage and be so consistent.”

Kohl also found success similar to Gomez during his freshman season. Kohl completed 10 of 17 field goal attempts his freshman season, including three field goals made in his first college game, a 36-21 victory by ISU over Ohio University.

“At first I didn’t feel any pressure during my freshman year because I was just thrown out there,” Kohl said. “I was kind of naive to the whole situation, but I started to feel the pressure at the end of the season. I did finish with a decent freshman year, but I feel I could have done better.”

Kohl said Gomez has not experienced the same pressure that Kohl felt during his freshman season.

“Carl doesn’t really seem to be affected by it as of yet. He’s done real well,” Kohl said. “I think everybody’s different, and everybody matures at a different rate, so if he just continues doing what he is doing, he’ll be all right.”

Gomez did say he had some doubts going into his first collegiate game against Oklahoma State on Aug. 30.

“Before the first punt of the first game, I really thought I was going to shank the first punt,” Gomez said. “It was the first game playing against the Big 12 and playing in a big stadium and everything.”

Not only did Gomez successfully boot his first punt attempt of the season, but he has yet make a truly bad punt.

In the process, Gomez has boomed a 75-yard punt against Wyoming — the fifth-best in school history — and three punts over 50 yards.

Kohl has been equally productive, completing two field goals of over 40 yards this season.

His longest was a 48-yarder against Minnesota. Kohl also completed a 42-yard attempt on the first drive of the Wyoming game.

Kohl has only missed one field goal and one point-after attempt this season, despite being injured before the Minnesota game.

“In pregame warmups, I either pulled or strained my groin pretty bad,” Kohl said. “I just put a wrap on it and took some Advil and tried to play through the pain.”

Kohl said the injury affected his kickoffs more than his field-goal kicking.

He came back to connect on three field goals for the Minnesota game.

“I could kick field goals, but my kickoffs weren’t that good,” Kohl said. “I wasn’t able to create the force that I normally would on kickoffs — my hip wouldn’t allow me to. But on field goals I was fine.”

ISU has been outscored 193-67 in its first four games of the season.

But Kohl and Gomez expressed hope that the team will be able to turn things around and pick up a victory this season.

Kohl looked back to the Ohio University game during his freshman season in 1995.

ISU came back in that game from a 21-12 fourth-quarter deficit to post the win. It was ISU’s first victory in 13 games.

“It was one of my best experiences of being a Cyclone that I can remember,” Kohl said.

“It was a great atmosphere that night, and it was a dream start to the season. It’s a feeling I hope to relive soon.”