Punter Sam Loy leaving Vanderbilt football

Since the end of the regular season, backup QB Jacob Free and part-time starting OL Bailey Granier have announced that they are leaving the Vanderbilt football program.

Add Sam Loy to the list. Vanderbilt’s sophomore punter announced on Thursday night via Twitter that he would be leaving the program.

Loy signed with Vanderbilt in the 2016 recruiting class and became Vanderbilt’s punter practically from day one. In 2017, Loy punted 64 times for an average of 40.2 yards, with eight of 50 yards or more and 14 landing inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

It’s not clear what Vanderbilt will do at the position in 2018 now. Walk-on Ryley Guay is the only kicker returning, and he’s primarily a placekicker; incoming freshman Javan Rice will likely be the team’s primary placekicker. One possibility: Jake Genyk, the son of special teams coordinator Jeff Genyk, is a four-star punter who currently has a preferred walk-on offer from Northwestern.