Services Thursday for former KU, NFL punter Bucky Scribner, who has died at 57

Those who watched Bucky Scribner punt for the University of Kansas in the early 1980s still marvel at the power generated by the 6-foot-0, 207-pounder’s left foot.

“It was incredible. I was totally impressed watching him. I was like, ‘Wow,’ ” former KU running back Kerwin Bell said Wednesday in recalling his teammate and friend, who died Saturday of cancer at the age of 57.

Scribner’s visitation is set for 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, with a memorial service to begin at 2 p.m. at Johnson County Funeral Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park.

“He was a left-foot punter. Growing up, I only saw right-foot punters coming up through Pop Warner and high school. Even watching the pros, I hadn’t seen many punt left-foot. Watching Bucky … you never saw anything like that,” Bell, a first team all-Big Eight pick in 1980, added of Scribner’s high and deep punts.

Former KU offensive lineman and current Jayhawk radio analyst David Lawrence called the punts of KU’s single season (45.8 yards in 1982) and career (44.6 yards on 217 attempts) school record-holder, “big-time spirals. They would shoot off his left foot like a rocket. The ball would look so perfect, like a punt machine sent it off.

“Then he kind of mastered a little backspin, back in the day when I don’t think people knew how to do that,” Lawrence, an all-Big Eight selection in 1981, added of Scribner. “Bucky would get the ball to hit and bounce backward when he was trying to pin somebody back against their own goal line.”

William Charles “everybody called him Bucky” Scribner, who played high school football at Lawrence High and one season at Pratt Community College, earned first-team all-Big Eight honors at KU in 1980, ’81 and ’82.

He averaged 43.8 yards per punt in 1981 during KU’s 8-4 season. Coach Don Fambrough’s Jayhawks beat Missouri 19-11 in the regular-season finale in Lawrence before losing to Mississippi State in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

“We had heard the week before they (Tigers) had a deal with the Tangerine Bowl set up before the game (against KU) happened. We were pretty fired up. They (Tigers) were ranked. They scored eight points in the last second to make it sound close. Our defense and Bucky were phenomenal that day,” Lawrence recalled.

“Bucky pinned Missouri back. He pinned so many of our opponents back in 1980 and ’81. He was a weapon that few teams get to utilize.”

Lawrence pointed out that Scribner helped on punt coverage, using his experience as a lineman in high school and juco.

“Bucky had a respect. He could lay the wood on anyone. Coach (Don) Fambrough loved him. He knew Bucky was like an extra weapon. He was a defensive end at Pratt (Community College as a freshman). He had experience as a position player, so he was covering punts like he was another linebacker. Some of the biggest hits laid out were by Bucky,” Lawrence said.

“Bucky was tough. He was a tough dude,” Kerwin Bell said, before adding, “he also was one of the nicest guys. When I come back for games (as alum) I never miss his tailgate. He’s one of those guys who was serious and also liked to have fun … everybody liked him.”

“I have tremendous respect for him as a person. He got along with everybody,” Lawrence added of Scribner, who after playing at KU went on to a five-year NFL career with Green Bay and Minnesota. Scribner, an 11th round pick of the Packers in the 1983 NFL Draft, earned all-NFC honors for Green Bay in 1984.

Scribner retired from football in 1990 and went to work for Holliday Sand and Gravel, where he was employed until the company was sold in 2008. He then retired to the Lake of the Ozarks, where he was an avid golfer and boater. He also enjoyed traveling to Mexico and spending time with family and friends.

Scribner is survived by his wife, Cindy Scribner; sons, Jake and Cody Scribner; brothers, Tommy and Rocky Swearingen; sisters, Natalie Scribner and Heather Swearingen; as well as a number of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, Mo., 64105 or Kansas City Hospice House, 12000 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Mo., 64145.

“I had no idea he was sick,” Kerwin Bell, who lives in California, stated. “I had planned on seeing him this Homecoming. I will go to his tailgate spot and hope to see his wife, Cindy.”

This story was originally published September 20, 2017 at 11:13 PM with the headline "Services Thursday for former KU, NFL punter Bucky Scribner, who has died at 57."