After muffs, Rueben Randle looking for his chance at punt returner

The Giants may be looking for someone to handle punt returns. If they are, then Rueben Randle would like to get his shot at it.

The rookie from LSU caught his first touchdown pass in the NFL last night, but he was on the sideline while Jerrel Jernigan and Jayron Hosley each muffed a punt that led to Jaguars points and, essentially, the loss. If there is one thing Tom Coughlin will not abide in his punt returners, it is putting the ball on the ground.

Randle said that won’t be a problem for him.

“I have enough confidence in my hands to catch punts,” he said. “It’s all about concentration, though. We had a couple of guys who were worried about moving before they caught the ball and maybe took their eyes off it for that split second and that’s what happens … Everybody’s anxious to make their play. You take that one step before you’ve got the ball and it goes on the ground.”

Randle doesn’t have much game experience, but the Giants are intrigued by his abilities at the position. And, of course, by his hands.

“He has very good hands,” special teams coordinator Tom Quinn said this week. “Sometimes he’s almost too confident with his hands and he catches the ball as if he’s catching a pass instead of getting up and underneath it.”

Randle said he’s looking forward to getting to do it in a game situation.

“I’m excited for any opportunity I get,” he said. “So when coach feels the need to put me back there, like I said, I’ll go out there and try to prove it to him, showcase my talent, and then they can allow me back there catching those punts.”