TOOMBS NORMAN At anywhere but the most bare bones high school football program, it's rare for a freshman to see much time of consequence with the varsity team. So when Toombs Norman earned a spot as Dalton's starting punter on Friday nights last season, his first at the high school, he was excited about the opportunity - but as with many good things, a sample only awakened a hunger for more.

And so it was with even more eagerness that Norman approached this season, knowing he had a chance to continue his role on special teams and add to the list of duties a job in the secondary, where he's starting at safety and holding his own.

"It was cool getting to play under the lights that early in my career," Norman said of his freshman season, "but I was glad to get to play another position now."

Because he had to devote much of his practice time to punting and needed to be ready to do that throughout Friday night games, Norman didn't even have the chance to play safety - he switched to the position after working at defensive end as an eighth grader at Dalton Middle - with the Catamounts' freshman and junior varsity teams last year.

But the layoff of game action doesn't seem to have had an effect on his ability to defend. "He's getting better each week," Dalton coach Adam Winegarden said.

"He's getting better at being a more physical player as the year has progressed and he's learning how to play the position. It's his first year and the more reps he gets, the better he's getting at being in the right spot and doing what he's supposed to do."

With four games behind the Cats - all of them wins - Norman's 26 tackles rank fourth among Dalton defend- ers and in the top 15 among area players. Mixed in are a couple takeaways for Norman, including a nifty, lookwhat I-found fumble recovery that came in the season opener against Calhoun.

With the Yellow Jackets trying to make something happen against Dalton, they went to the tricks bag and ran a hook-and-lateral play - except the lateral found Norman instead of another Calhoun back. The turnover led to a Cats touchdown, one of three times the defense helped set up the offense during a 30-7 Dalton victory.

"I wasn't expecting it at all," Norman said. "(Cornerback) Trae Washington had a really good hit on the guy with the ball, and it was kind of in my arms before I knew it."

Norman is still sharpening his punting as well.

Although he had been the deep snapper for the Cougars, hiking to teammate Blake Raber, those roles were reversed halfway through the season. Norman punted only a couple times in games for Dalton, which compiled a 6-0 mark that year, but practice helped prepare him to earn the varsity spot a year later when the Cats needed someone to take over one of the vacancies left by standout Adrian Mora.

Although disappointed with his average so far this year - he's at 28.3 yards after eight attempts, down from a 32.2 mark in 2007, and would like to be in the neighborhood of 40 yards - Norman said punters are naturally self-critical and often know what they did wrong as soon as a bad kick leaves their leg.

He's still building the endurance needed to handle his expanded role, though, and said an extra-sharp focus on mechanics helps when a punter is tired.

"I don't have the strongest leg in the world, but I'm really flexible," Norman said. "So that helps a lot with your technique."

And with his contributions on defense, Norman is showing he's flexible in a more figurative sense, too. His potential is something the Cats will no doubt try to tap in what could be a very bright future.

"He's only a sophomore," Winegarden said. "As he progresses, he can only get better. And he can be as good as he wants to be. He's just got to keep on being Toombs."

Toombs is the son of Dr. and Mrs. John T. Norman, Sr. and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Murray Toombs Norman.

(Article and photo reprinted with permission of The Daily Citizen of Dalton, Georgia. Photo by Misty Watson.)