Notre Dame’s Secret Weapon from Down Under: A Game-Changer

Notre Dame's new punter from Australia is a beast. He's about to be fantastic for the Irish.

Notre Dame punter James Rendell watches other kickers during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a few short weeks, Notre Dame will be unveiling its latest football weapon.

James Rendell is a 6-6 225-pound punter from Australia who can boom the ball 55 plus yards with reported hang times over five seconds. He's such a unique physical specimen at this position, he's ... different.

What is he capable of on the football field that a more typically sized punter would not be?

Bailing Notre Dame Out Of Deep Trouble

While it's idealistic to think that the team you are a fan of will score every time they possess the ball this upcoming year, everyone knows that is unrealistic to expect.

Teams will need to punt. Teams will get backed up in the shadow of their own end zone.

These times are when it pays to have a punter with a huge leg. James Rendell has just that, and it will be a huge benefit for the Irish. It's easy to forget about many of the hidden yards in a football game gained or lost.

Having a punter that can flip field position consistently is a massively valuable asset Notre Dame will possess.

Creating Fumbles Due to Australian Rules Spin

One of the first things noted by reporters once they got their eyes on Rendell in fall camp was that the ball spins off his foot in an atypical way compared to how it does for most traditional American punters. That's due to Rendell's Australian rules football background.

Can Rendell's funky spin cause a few fumbles this year by players who aren't expecting and aren't familiar with an atypical ball rotation? Notre Dame fans certainly hope so.

Meet the Irish ☘️: @JamesRendelll16

On the first edition of Meet the Irish, let’s get to know the punter from down under#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/ssfmKPN1tK

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 3, 2024

Can His Size Be Used For More Than Just Big Kicks?

This is where things really get exciting. With Rendell an imposing figure, he's not like most punters. Should Notre Dame have some trickeration up its sleeve this fall on special teams, Rendell would be a hard man to bring down on a fake punt.

I've got to think that Notre Dame's staff is well aware of the unique nature of their punter's stature and will draw up a play or two to take full advantage of it. The question I have is when will it be deployed and how well will it be schemed up.

Notre Dame Lands Australian Punter James Rendell

Notre Dame Football: Pleasant Surprises Early in Fall Camp

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