Jeremy Kerley has the college football nation all aTwitter. He's also been featured on YouTube and any other video feed that's available on the Internet.
To be more specific, Kerley's slick, nimble-footed 69-yard punt return for a touchdown against Colorado State last Saturday became the highlight du jour this week. The junior's second touchdown return of a punt in three weeks also caught the attention of Brigham Young coaches, specifically Cougar special teams coach Patrick Higgins.
"He can make people miss in a phone booth," Higgins said.
Certainly, Higgins and his special teams players respect the danger Kerley brings to Saturday's game between visiting undefeated No. 10 TCU and No. 16 BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Both teams are coming off victories. BYU won at San Diego State, 38-28.
TCU has won eight consecutive games and remains one of seven unbeaten teams in the nation. This week, one breakdown on special teams could be the difference between victory and defeat between two teams without a loss in the Mountain West Conference.
"Coaches have told us that's it's better to be smart tough than dumb tough," said BYU sophomore special teams performer Matt Marshall. "You've got to be smart but not too cautious. We have to be disciplined, keep in your lanes."
All of that didn't appear to matter against the Rams, who looked like stooges as Kerley tight-roped down the sideline, stopped and started, reversed his field and left a handful of would-be tacklers grasping at nothing but his heels.
Kerley also gained more than 150 total yards and was named the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week. The Hutto, Texas, native ranks fifth nationally, with a 17.1 punt return average. He is also dangerous returning kicks, with a 27.3 average.
"He has well-coached guys in front of him," Higgins said. "Anybody who can start and stop and accelerate quickly is going to be a good punt returner.
"We've talked about doing a lot of things. There's always risk reward. We don't want to let bravado get in the way of sensibility. What is the smart thing to do?"
Field position is crucial for BYU. In a perfect world, if the Cougars must punt, they would rather be at or near midfield and can kick high or deep in TCU territory out of bounds.
"We have to be like a chain," said BYU freshman Brandon Ogletree of the Cougars' punt coverage. "We can't have a weak link."
Ogletree's former high school coach from McKinney, Texas, is now a linebackers coach for TCU. Their text messages have increased this week.
"I told him to tell [Kerley] to settle down," Ogletree said.
BYU's punt coverage team should be confident as it prepares for Saturday. The Cougars have allowed opponents a 2.2 return average.
Meanwhile, BYU punter Riley Stephenson has stuck 17 of 41 punts inside the 20-yard line and forced seven fair catches.
"If we can create a short field on special teams, it will help," Higgins said.
All the best plans might not be enough.
"He's the best we've seen," said Higgins, who offered one sure way to combat Kerley's ability to change a game. "If you don't have to punt ..."
» TCU's Jeremy Kerley is the only player in the nation to rank in the top five in punt returns (17.1) and the top 19 in kickoff returns (27.3).
» Kerley, a two-time Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Week in 2009, has two punt returns for touchdowns in his past three games.
» BYU's punt coverage team has allowed opponents a 2.2-yard return average in 41 attempts. Riley Stephenson has had 17 punts of 41 downed inside the 20.
