Football
- Title:
- Kicking Coach
- Email:
- kanneraaron@yahoo.com
Aaron Kanner enters his second season as kicking coach for theMercer University football program, working specifically with thekickers, punters and holders.
In his first season in Macon, Kanner guided a kicking game thathelped Mercer lead the nation in red zone offense. He also oversawthe development of a pair of standout freshmen, punter Rob East andkicker Tyler Zielenske. East had four punts of 50 yards or more andplaced 11 inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, while Zielenskeranked fourth in the FCS in field goal percentage after connectingon 10-of-12 attempts on the year.
Kanner has coaching experience at a pair of local high schoolsas he was the kicking coach at Stratford Academy in 2009 and as thespecial teams coach, receivers coach and secondary coach at MonroeAcademy in Forsyth.
An accomplished athlete, Kanner starred as a two-sport athletein football and baseball at Catawba College. On the gridiron,Kanner was a two-time South Atlantic All-Conference First Teammember, an NAIA All-American and a Football GazetteAll-American.
Following his collegiate career, Kanner was signed by theShreveport Pirates of the Canadian Football League in 1994 andaveraged 42.6 yards per punt during his lone season with thePirates.
Following a season with fellow CFL member Memphis Madogs, hereceived an invite to the Carolina Panthers training camp in 1996and earned a spot on the practice squad. Kanner received invites totwo more NFL training camps with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1997 andthe Chicago Bears in 1998 before retiring from the game.
Kanner returned to school following his playing career andearned a bachelor’s of arts in recreation management with aminor in coaching from Catawba in 1998.
