Former USC Punter Koch Dies at 58

Des Koch, who set the current USC record for punting average in 1953 and won a bronze medal in the discus at the 1956 Olympics, has died at 58.

Koch died in Northridge Saturday of injuries suffered in an auto accident the previous week.

Koch averaged 44.6 yards punting in 1953. In USC’s 7-0 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin that year, Koch set records for punting average (52.7 yards) and longest punt (72 yards).

Koch was on the USC teams that won NCAA track titles in 1952, 1954 and 1955. He won the discus title in 1955 and the bronze at Melbourne, Australia, the next year.