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aussie punter alert

G'Day Mate: Blake O'Neill Comment Count

Ace


AUSSIE PUNTER ALERT [photo via Standard Examiner]

A move that's been rumored for a while is now official, as the football program announced the addition of Australian punter Blake O'Neill, a graduate transfer who played for Weber State in 2014.

"We are looking forward to having a player of Blake's level of maturity, background and skill set -- growing up playing Australian rules football -- in our program," said John Baxter, U-M's special teams coordinator. "Australian players have made a big impact on college football in the kicking game, like last year's Ray Guy Award winner, Tom Hackett from Utah. We are looking forward to the impact that Blake will have on our team and within our conference."

O'Neill finished sixth nationally (Football Championship Subdivision) in punting during the 2014 season at Weber State. He played in all 12 games and averaged 44.1 yards per punt, setting a single-season punting average record for the Wildcats.

O'Neill tallied 62 punts for 2,737 yards with a long of 74 yards. He boomed 18 punts of 50-plus yards and notched 25 boots inside the opposition's 20-yard line. O'Neill ran for a first down on a fake punt and tossed a completion for a first down on another fake.

O'Neill didn't play American football until 2014; prior to that he played Aussie Rules Football. First year or not, he put up some really impressive numbers.

Are you ready for some punting highlights? Because we've got punting highlights. (Also fake punting highlights, which is a very exciting development.)

O'Neill displays all the skills you'd ask for in a punter; he's got the Aussie-style directional/backspin kick down, he booms traditional punts, and he can pull off a fake. Most important of all, he's Australian, so we can only hope he can replicate the Brad Wing experience minus the totally BS celebration penalty.

We don't know the current pecking order at punter since Michigan didn't punt during the spring game, but I don't think O'Neill transferred here to sit on the bench; he's the new favorite to take over the starting job, with Kenny Allen representing his chief competition.

Comments

sheepman

April 10th, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^

This is awesome. How much eligibility does he have left? I don't see it.

 

I know usually it is one year for grad students. But I am hoping for more

Joined: 02/05/2009

MGoPoints: 5075

Oost

April 10th, 2015 at 2:27 PM ^

It looks like he finished his BA in Australia in 3 years (based on his age). NCAA treats foreign students who've started university overseas as transfer students. So last year at Weber St would have been his RS-JR season, and this will be his RS-SR season.

Joined: 01/31/2012

MGoPoints: 188

WestQuad

April 10th, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^

I've never been excited about a punter before.  Those Aussie punts where he waits for the coverage guys to get downfield are awesome.  The punt returner had no option but to fair catch.

Joined: 07/22/2011

MGoPoints: 31167

mgoblue0970

April 10th, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^

We are looking forward to having a player of Blake's level of maturity, background and skill set -- growing up playing Australian rules football
That's a curious quote... do we expect to see the punter laying people out on special teams?

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 18648

Zarniwoop

April 10th, 2015 at 1:54 PM ^

I'm married to an Australian woman.

Let me assure you that their reputation for toughness is well-earned.

I would expect him to try to drive his head through someone's skull if he gets a chance to make a tackle and then clap the guy on the back afterwards.

Joined: 09/10/2013

MGoPoints: 10498

Bando Calrissian

April 10th, 2015 at 1:58 PM ^

I just spent several minutes watching punting highlights. And it was awesome.

Those sky punts where he just hangs back flipping the ball in his hands until he launches it off the nose of the ball... So weird, so cool, so effective.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68120

T

April 10th, 2015 at 2:02 PM ^

Those punting highlights were awesome.

 

Can't believe I just said that.  Anyway, that's crazy to see 4 or 5 coverage guys just chilling out within 5 yards of the would-be returner by the time the ball arrives.  Totally antithetical to what we've seen in Ann Arbor for the past decade or so.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 3479

Coach Carr Camp

April 10th, 2015 at 2:05 PM ^

As someone who grew up playing soccer, picked up rugby in high school and immediately became all state kicker, then attended walk on try outs for Rich Rod and was called back to get a second look despite never playing a down of football in my life, I can tell you that kicking translates very easy accross sports. No worries about how "raw" he may be. 

 

Joined: 04/08/2014

MGoPoints: 2967