Billy Gowers, Indiana P: the 2026 season story
Billy Gowers is a sophomore punter for Indiana (Big Ten). He ranks 167th of 232 punters in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every punter on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Every measure is set against every ranked punter, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Billy Gowers's strongest measure is touchbacks at 3%, 32nd of 134 (the average is 6%). His weakest is gross punt average at 39.6, 127th of 134 (the average is 43.6).
Against every punter
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked punters he sits, on average, in the 40th percentile for efficiency and 44th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 9 games, Billy Gowers's best came in week 8 at Michigan and his quietest in week 9 against Minnesota.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every punter on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Billy Gowers is 118th of 134 FBS punters and 17th of 18 in the Big Ten. Next up nationally is Nathan Tiyce of Penn State, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Career
Why it matters. A player's track record is the best guide to whether a season like this one is likely to last. His best season by the Player Index was 2025 at Hawai'i, 2nd of 238 punters.
Punters like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is Kye Collins of Jackson State.
