Kansas University’s football team has used its share of punters since three-time All-Big Eight selection Dan Eichloff finished his four-year run as KU’s punter and kicker in 1993.

In 2003, senior Curtis Ansel was KU’s sixth punter — and fourth junior-college transfer at that position — in the last 10 years.

But the Jayhawks might have found a long-term solution when Texan Kyle Tucker made an oral commitment during a recent campus visit.

“He gives you all three facets of the kicking game,” coach Don Clayton of Katy (Texas) Cinco Ranch High said. “Prior to this year I’d have said he was a good place-kicker, but he really worked on it this year and became an outstanding kicker.”

His main responsibility at KU will be punting.

Tucker punted 39 times for a 39-yard average last fall and 10 of those punts landed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, including six inside the 10.

He also made 29 of 29 extra-point attempts and five of seven field-goal attempts. Four of his field goals were from more than 40 yards — including a 50-yarder — and three came on the last play of a half.

Eighty-three percent of his kickoffs were touchbacks.

Tucker will represent Texas June 19 in the Texas-Louisiana All-Star Game at Baytown, Texas.

His standout senior year followed a difficult junior season. Tucker was a varsity receiver, defensive back and kicker for two years at Victory Christian in Tulsa, Okla., before moving to Katy for his junior year.

A broken hand limited him to place-kicking and kickoffs for the first half of the 2002 season.

When his hand healed, he still wasn’t allowed to punt.

“During the course of the year we realized Kyle was a better punter, but the other kids didn’t do anything to screw up, so we stuck with him because he was a three-year starter,” Clayton said.

Tucker attended a Ray Guy punting camp during the offseason in New Orleans, altered his technique and won the job as a senior.

“That was real frustrating,” Tucker said of his junior year, “but I think it worked out well because it made me work harder.”

Tucker (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) said KU’s coaches “mainly want me to focus on punting and kickoffs,” but added he wouldn’t mind being in the mix for place-kicking duties.

Kansas juniors Johnny Beck and Jerod Brooks combined to make 14 of 21 field-goal attempts and 38 of 42 PATs last season. Freshman Scott Webb, who took a red-shirt season, also is expected to be in the mix when spring drills begin March 14.

Tucker — who’s spending the winter playing center for Cinco Ranch’s basketball team — also had a scholarship offer from Tulsa and had late interest from Texas A&M, while Texas Christian asked him to walk-on.

“He’s very athletic,” Clayton said. “I think he’s got a tremendous upside.”

Tucker is one of 19 known KU commitments. National signing day is Feb. 4.