One third of the way into the 2019 regular season, senior punter Anthony Lotti has shown improvements in his game. He currently averages more than two yards longer per attempt than last year. Against Michigan two weeks ago, he tied a single-game high in average punt yaradge as well.

For Lotti, the fourth-year specialist, confidence and trust have further emerged in his final season as a Badger.

“I’d say it’s definitely the mental side has changed for me,” Lotti said on Monday. “I’ve walked into games more confident than ever and just kind of trusting myself. Really it’s just nice having all these guys around me, too, that trust me as well. I trust them to get the job done, so it’s nice just feeding off of each other and being around such a great team -- always keep you up no matter how low you are, and always being there with you when you are high, so it’s really nice.”

Last season, Lotti played in just eight games and averaged 38.6 yards per punt. In 19 boots in 2019, he is averaging nearly 41 yards per attempt.

During the 35-14 victory over the Wolverines on Sept. 21, his progression showed when averaging 46.5 yards on four kicks -- matching a career-high in single-game average when attempting multiple punts (in 2018, he recorded one punt against New Mexico for 54 yards).

According to Lotti regarding the aforementioned confidence, there was not “really a certain point of time that it just kind of changed.”

“Just kind of thought to myself, there’s no reason to go through it like this. You don’t need to be worried about every step of it,” Lotti said. “You’re here for a reason, the coaches put you in here for a reason -- they clearly trust you -- you just have to trust yourself.

“Ever since I’ve kind of just accepted that, it’s opened up a whole new world for me. I’ve kind of enjoyed going to practice and having a good time, kicking the balls and just hanging out with my friends. Also it’s playing over to the game side of it. I’m doing a lot better in games as well, so it’s all just kind of about enjoying it now.”

Facing a feisty Northwestern squad, Lotti punted a career-high nine times, with four of those being downed inside the 20-yard line and a long of 50. Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst complimented the senior this week, but also called out two of the nine attempts that went into the end zone for touchbacks. However, he believed blame for both should not necessarily be placed at Lotti’s right foot.

“He’s been more consistent,” Chryst said on Thursday. “Like I said, last week, we had two missed opportunities, I thought, to kind of pinning [Northwestern] deep and not both on him. I’ve liked him, and I think he’s in a better spot. I thought he had a really good off-season and it’s carrying forward.

“Every one of us can continue to improve. We need to improve. Anthony and special teams, no different than offensively or defensively.”

Both touchbacks came when punting across midfield in Northwestern territory during the third quarter of a 7-3 game. The first one, a 4th-and-4 from the NU 36-yard line, Lotti recalled he had the wind at his back and “timed it up wrong.”

“I kind of put it up a little too high and it just kept drifting in, so, I mean, it’s a learning experience,” Lotti said. “Nobody’s perfect, so I just got to do it better next time.”

On Wisconsin’s next possession from the NU 48, he hit a near-perfect coffin kick that came inches away from bouncing out of bounds before crossing the end zone. In that situation, he tries to aim for a “a little bit more towards the boundary.”

“That way if it does kick, hopefully it will kick out,” Lotti said. “I put it right where I wanted it to, just had an inch off on the bounce.”

Out of the nine punts last Saturday, four were attempted inside Northwestern territory, or “plus territory.” Lotti laid out the preparation that goes into those kicks, from communication between those on the coverage unit to the weather elements.

“It’s all about the pre-kick for those,” Lotti said, “about matching up the wind and figuring out the distances and making sure you’re getting in touch with your gunners about where you want to put the ball. It’s all about planning and then just executing it well. I mean it’s not something to overthink, but it’s definitely something you have to thoroughly plan out.”

As No. 8 Wisconsin looks to stay undefeated this week heading into Saturday’s match-up against Kent State (11 a.m. CT, ESPNU), Lotti believes he is hitting punts cleanly. However, he also wants to work on his hang time and put his gunners in the best position possible.

Through four games eight of Lotti’s 19 punts have been down inside the 20-yard line. From his vantage point, the Georgia native praised his punt coverage unit.

“Honestly I feel like I have the best punt team in the nation,” Lotti said. “I’m really good friends with all the guys on my punt team, so it’s nice knowing like you can trust every single one of these guys. I trust everyone on the team, but these are guys I also live with so it’s a whole different level. I live with [wide receiver] Adam Krumholz, too. I know ‘Goose’ [cornerback Rachad Wildgoose]. I trust them completely to get down the field, so it’s just such a relaxing situation to know that no matter what, I know they got my back.

“Especially in protection, too, like Mikey [inside linebacker Mike Maskalunas] and all those guys on there, I don’t have to worry about a thing. I’m just out there, get to do my job and go hang out.”