Rams Punter Invented a New Punt and It's Broken

[@craigritchie8470]

These punters have realized the perfect spiral punt is no longer valid. Throw up the knuckle ball with long hang times. Much harder for the returner to catch. If the returner is spending more time just trying to catch the ball the less time he has to pick a lane to run through.

[@IsaacPunts]

I would push back on this notion a bit, the spiral is still the premier ball for distance and hang time optimization and the best way to for sure flip the field, but I think it's time as being the go to punt to hit 90+% of the time in the open field is over as these trick punts begin to integrate further into the league.

[@craigritchie8470]

@@IsaacPunts There’s definitely no doubt that the punt is a highly specialized kick. Long and deep, corners, back spins, knuckle balls, left side, right side, moon balls… the list is long.

[@BeerMetal58]

Torpedoes are for distance, backspin for accuracy, bananas for curve, etc. These are all variations on aussie rules football kicking techniques.

[@josh4466]

The hufflepuff, the durag, eagle bomb, once-y daisy, once-y twice. The no man’s land

[@johnkruton9708]

How about from a returners view? Oh shit! No NO NO! Oh Imma get cut now! Or I’m creamed now!

[@funnymime123]

You’ve single-handedly made punts mandatory viewing. Sure, I’m not gonna be happy when the Ravens go 3 and out this year, but I’m gonna watch with *rapt* attention when Jordan Stout walks out there.

[@IsaacPunts]

And you should, I have a feeling Stout will have a break out year this year.

[@ELI_ATL]

Wouldn’t a punter breakout require a terrible team?

[@IsaacPunts]

@@ELI_ATL No, many great punters have played on great teams and still stood out. You only need like 2-4 punts a game to really shine.

[@ELI_ATL]

@@IsaacPunts I’m dumb lol idk what I was thinking

[@brubie7584]

@@ELI_ATL Having a good team as a punter can be good because you are more likely to make midfield punts too, and pinning people deep can be exciting.

[@TonyCrenshawsLatte]

I actually noticed this while I was watching the highlights of the game. I mean, I didn't notice it in such detail, but I did think, "huh, Texans are receiving the punt funny." I never would have noticed a detail like this if it weren't for this channel.

[@SldOnEmWithDa45]

@@TV47WOILThis guy obviously 😂 but even then when 3 different punt returners muff a catch, you start to ask questions lol. Like he said you don’t notice in such detail, but it doesn’t look like a traditional return, they look flustered out there.

[@shelfcloud487]

Maybe it’s the lighting. If the ball is high up going through that you’d lose track of it. 2:08

[@JK8]

Congrats. Do you want an award or something???? Who cares

[@NickzAndMikz]

@@JK8u cared enough to comment lol

[@Blackfilmguild]

Its probably the light from stadium. wait for week 2

[@rafman016]

In rugby we call it a “spiral bomb” - looks like he’s perfected it 👍

[@amcarthur5003]

Yeah, George Ford did a class little video on it. It spirals up and then knuckleballs down

[@mmp5453]

@@amcarthur5003 I did NOT read that name correctly.

[@DJmathcat]

@@mmp5453 lmao

[@KomaTimeKev]

@@mmp5453SAME! 😂

[@usarugbyleagueunionfan]

@@mmp5453I think it’s funny you saw George Ford and thought George Floyd.

[@forceinfinity]

Somehow this came up on my list of videos to view. Now because of this I'll never look at punts the same way again! Great analysis

[@shindanu]

Subscribe you won't regret it. Videos are short, doesn't post a crap ton. Great insight.

[@tinkmaster1054]

It's videos like these that really helped me understand how incredibly complicated and nuanced football really is. This is a great example of how a tiny adjustment to what most people look at and say "he's just kicking the ball to the other team" can turn it into a massive playmaker

[@shindanu]

@@tinkmaster1054 yup. Even the work each player including the o-line men do, to make a run happen. It all matters. So when a play gets a huge run off, it's a team effort not just a player achievement.

[@RA-gy1ft]

Same here!

[@anthonydaniels7293]

I would have never noticed this... nickel done.

[@markthompson7503]

In high school my son would punt similar and the chaos it caused was like throwing a 40 yard hail mary for his team. 50% of his punts were dropped and or muffed.

[@RemingtonMK]

Nice. Proud parent moments hahaha

[@kimyona9746]

I imagine in highschool a punter could very much win MVP

[@thegoon3088]

nice what college did he play for?

[@shanewall4470]

We use that kick in Australian AFL football all the time because of how it 'bends' in flight. It's mostly used for kicking at goals from acute angles. In some States it is called a 'Checkside Punt', while others call it a 'Banana'. Not effective for distance, but can be kicked very high.

[@CYCO1631]

We are the Carlton Blues!

[@gregstuart9783]

@@CYCO1631😂❤😅

[@darkassassin6457]

i honestly dont know if this is actually a checkside cause of the way the footage shows it come off the boot, it still seems a bit more like a drop punt but obviously would have to have better angles/vision of it. the checkside lacks distance but it makes up for it in height and if kicked correctly turn a crazy amount which i can imagine causes a lot of confusion for whoever has to sit under it lol. also ive got no idea who's gonna win finals, seems like any team (but carlton) could have their day

[@robertlight2370]

It's used a lot in rugby league, too, when you're kicking away possession on your last tackle. It's done because it's so hard to catch. Also, the potential reward is greater because any fumble forward is a "knock on" which returns possession to the kicking team.

[@LJBuncle]

@@darkassassin6457 Agreed, I don't think this is the same, though the kicking action looks similar. I think the different ball shape turns it into something different.

[@truthseeker9454]

OK, so how do we convince the networks to add a new "punt cam" view to their coverage so we can see these balls in flight? 😃

[@IsaacPunts]

You may be on to something here

[@truthseeker9454]

@@IsaacPunts Liking and commenting to help you get over 100K subs is a start. 😁

[@Jonnytjat]

That's actually a great idea and would be pretty cool to see and something "new" to watch out for. Great idea!

[@edm1207]

Yeah should be easy with drone cams...we have missed watching some insane punts especially the ones that hit objects up in the air in dome stadiums lol

[@TheCruc1fy]

The NFL should be broadcasting from either end zone 100% of the time anyway so we can watch the plays unfold, but that makes too much sense.

[@bonusbaby801]

Yep. A lot of people don't understand how important punting & having a killer punter is. All the credit goes to quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, coaching, etc. But punters can change a game.

[@cyclopsvision6370]

no offense to punters, but if a punter is the most effective player on the team, something has gone wrong, really, really wrong

[@kraig7777]

@@cyclopsvision6370 They didn't say that, they just said having a killer punter. I grew up in the Ray Guy era so I can relate. A great punter is a weapon most people don't think about.

[@cyclopsvision6370]

@@kraig7777 so the days of directional punting, to pin the returner near the sideline to prevent a long punt return are over?

[@bartdrennon1764]

@@kraig7777 Al Davis understood. Guy was one of the most successful first-round picks in history. He was so good he was a rockstar in college.

[@qaaronrodgers2479]

@@kraig7777Punters don’t win championships bozo

[@north6star]

Bringing something new to a sport that’s 100 years old is legendary

[@plus1praxis]

I grew up around a football family but never felt like the punters got enough appreciation. This fills a little hole in my heart :)

[@Luka-lq2qm]

This is the best breakdown of a punters game that I've ever seen.

[@EmptyHand49]

As a Niner fan I just know we're gonna muff one of these punts vs the Rams

[@maxmacfarland8439]

Muffed like Ricky 😢

[@richwinds7179]

niners fan, do you know who America's team is? It is not the niners !

[@nicholasklangos9704]

It’s THEE PATRIOTS!!

[@1kkn11]

@@richwinds7179not the cowgirls

[@zninebiggs4911]

@@richwinds7179there’s 32 teams of America, so I’m confused on this comment mate.

[@MrHkballer1]

I never gave punters a second though, but now they have my full attention every time they kick. Love the content! I'm pumped to see all your videos this season!

[@davidjackson2690]

They are getting better and better.

[@darcyanddutch]

Thanks for the insightful post. Many Rams fans have been "unimpressed" and are voicing their displeasure with Evans punts this preseason. Mostly the inability to pin opposition inside the 10-15 yd line. I noticed that he seemed to be kicking differently than last year and was also concerned as to why. Increasing the difficulties to field a punt is a GREAT idea. If he learns to hone in the distance control, he would become a game changer. Enjoy your channel.

[@BenDRobinson]

Indeed I wouldn't complain about not getting opposition pinned inside their 15, if that's balanced by a significant number of punts being dropped for a turnover. Risk v reward.

[@cyclopsvision6370]

Whatever happened to old school directional punting, where the punter kicks towards the sideline, so the coverage team could use the sideline as an extra man to prevent a long punt return?

[@captainchaos52]

Ray Guy, 1970s-80s punter for Raiders had 8 sec hangtimes. He would hold the ball until he kicked it, which would be close to the height of his waist & foot would go above his head & left foot would come off the ground several inches. I see now that the new style punting seems way better. Thanks 4 exposing the new concept to me.

[@itsmejayfree]

Listeningvv cf to you describe punting and kicking is so informative. I’ve learned a lot from watching your channel, keep up the great work! All For The Brand!

[@Cooler_By_The_Lake]

This isn't inventing a new punt, but it is perfecting an existing technique and using it really well.

[@optimumplatinum2640]

So good it looks new

[@Etdiederich]

🤓☝️

[@Cooler_By_The_Lake]

@@Etdiederich Ehhh that's not really a nerd moment.

[@bingecringe]

What's the hang time here? And what's the average across all punt variations?

[@kaizenkonversations8337]

Mitch Wishnowsky been perfecting this for years

[@IGI_Media]

Isaac - Years ago i had a volleyball serve that opponents did not like. As i was prepping to serve, I'd spot the air nozzle and place that where my hand would hit. Upon striking the ball, I'd hit the ball so my hand would strike the nozzle. This technique would cause a knuckle ball effect, like you get in baseball. I noticed in the early shots that the punter kicked with laces facing him, which meant the laces would cause the same effect. For those that pay attention to point after kicks, the balls often start circling to the left, then circle back to the right. This occurs due to the centrifugal forces putting torque on the ball. Striking a ball on the portion where the ball is not smooth, exaggerates the effect.

[@JamesSullivan-c8f]

That's how Yamaguchi made his mark on the way to winning the inter-high.

[@scooter73-i2]

That's called a floater serve, and you don't have to hit the nozzle...you just have to hit with no spin and it moves like crazy and is difficult to return. But yeah, a killer serve even at the high levels.

[@ChazzleDazzleVideos]

​@@scooter73-i2yeah I was going to comment it just has to do with little to no spin I was a knuckleball pitcher back when I used to pitch back in little league. Mainly 3 finger fastball, changeup, and knuckle ball until I learned how to throw sliders and curves consistently.

[@bencopeland3560]

Ray Finkle does not approve of this post

[@PawpiChoolo]

That’s a float serve

[@nahualito]

I'm on 0:16 and I can see that bruh is hitting the "back" of the ball is it comes down (as it spiraling vertically down so it'll go super high too) ... that is going to be an absolute NIGHTMARE to catch ...

[@PAP-o7l]

I've always thought of a punt as just a - kick it as far as you can - play. Not any more. This was really interesting & informative...👍

[@petewilson2314]

Thank you for pointing out the nuances of punting that I've missed over the years

[@crit-c4637]

Look at the way he holds the bowl before dropping it into his kick. I've never seen a punter do it like that, and I'm thinking that's gotta be how he gets the kick to be so squirrely, but still have good hang time and accuracy.

[@Snanthx]

Your channel is awesome man it’s made me appreciate and understand special teams so much more over the last couple years

[@HammerJammer81]

A Ball travelling from shadow to sun and then back into shadow also does not help matters.

[@jimmyjamm4432]

Seems like a very stupid design to the stadium.

[@jtrout5]

@@jimmyjamm4432 The stadium is in Houston, a city that was just hit by a hurricane. The roof was damaged and has yet to be fixed because you can't exactly find stadium roof paneling at home depot

[@Maxgasimus]

@@jimmyjamm4432 The roof was broken, hurricane damage.

[@jimmyjamm4432]

@@Maxgasimus Thanks! Wasn't aware of that.

[@joeblow8379]

@@Maxgasimus Nothing is built well in Texas

[@gullreefclub]

I am an old F’er and this punter has either watched old tapes of Mike Bragg, Ray Guy, and other punters from the ‘70’s who first started specializing with punts that had tons of hang time and moved around in the air erratically on there decent.

[@brian9670]

Great video, punting is evolving more than almost any other aspect of the game!!

[@JParkerAdair]

This is wonderful. Nice work! The hang time plus the unfamiliar spin is what makes it work. It’s a distant cousin of Frank Beamer popularizing the use of left-footed punters.

[@ballroomdru]

That is one hell of a punt…reminds me of some baseball pitchers with cutters.

[@the_algorithm]

Forkball/Split Finger

[@MrButterInaCan]

Went to HS in surry county and saw this guy kick some BOMBS in person. We knew he was special back then. Glad to see him in the league now 🤙

[@AronFigaro]

I was gonna say "is this guy kicking oblong rollers 45 yards consistently? Christ in a canoe" and it looks like that's exactly what he's doing. Christ in a canoe.

[@Pii-RuCryptoCuhThroat]

among other positions, but as a former high school punter you literally have made punting more enjoyable for the casual and hardcore fan. Love the channel

[@tylermoody2383]

Hope I don't see it too often, but I've been loving Tory Taylor so far! Legitamately excited to see him play as needed.

[@nw4042]

Leg-jitamately, you say? 😉

[@jacobdavis1768]

Patty Mac is gonna love this guy. Rams will win games because of this alone. Absolute weapon!

[@ethandowler4669]

This is the kind of quality content I subbed to this channel for. Happy 2024 NFL season, Isaac. Hope your baby girl is doing well 😊

[@franksilva4175]

This video reminded me networks used to have a timer for hang time for punts. I miss that

[@mythikry]

If there is one thing I can say about Isaac, its that this man clearly punts. This is the kind of niche KZbin expert I love.

[@deathlessgamer]

This just gave me an idea, keep in mind as you read this I am not a punter and that I am more involved with baseball than football. There is a pitch in baseball known as the knuckleball I pitched thrown with intentionally no spin and moves in some really weird ways that batters cannot predict. What does this have to do with a punt? Well, here's my idea. I know that a punt is kicked in such a way so that it has a lot of spin on the ball so it flies as far as possible. So what if you took away that spin? Sure, the ball would not fly quite as far, but you never would be able to predict how it would fly in the air. Just an idea though and if anyone knows more about this than me please feel free to comment on how I'm dumb.

[@CiviGG]

I feel like this only really applies in baseball & soccer because of the ball shape, I don't think you could do that and get reasonable distance with it with an NFL or even a rugby ball because of the pointed ends which would cause unwanted drag and start to cause spin, you've also got the laces on an NFL ball to worry about as well. Cool concept and it'd be sick if somebody could pull it off but I think the benefits you'd get from wanting it to knuckle would be out done by the distance you'd get from it and it being even harder to replicate than a knuckleball in soccer so I don't think it'd get used. I think best consistent use case scenario would be that it would end up being a shorter, more unpredictable punt with the goal of getting it to bounce further down field/out of bounds/back into your gunners but it'd be a massive coin flip still.

[@Postman795]

I always enjoy watching J.K. Scott punt the ball away bc of his ridiculous hang time on every punt. Evans looks to be another punter worth keeping your eye on! Shoutout to Pat McAfee.

[@alejandroguerrero7841]

1:55 the sun was in his eyes on that one so idk if that was part of the problem

[@dustinholland6892]

No it wasn’t, the sun was behind him. Watch it again numb nuts

[@RageGainstKIDDER]

Sun was behind him look at the shadows

[@brandongarceau6213]

These guys really have kept punting relevant these days. Big fan of these videos, shows more to it than just kicking a ball. An it can be a weapon when you drop one in the returner cant catch. Like a free deep pass right there.

[@AriaTheGoat]

Love that my punter Ethan Evan’s getting the love! Rams baby🐏💙💛

[@jahbrake9791]

The knuckleball is BAACK!!😮

[@HW-ow9zp]

Just pausing at 1:10 to say that based on the number of punts i just heard about it in one game STL not an offensive powerhouse right lmao

[@burns3012]

The Rams haven’t been in STL since 2015… It’s the LA Rams

[@MrQBam4]

This is a preseason game

[@heavymetal06]

Don't disgrace my city like that. We don't have a team that is run by corrupt pos rich terrible humans

[@lemonsqweezy9532]

​@@burns3012 just shows how irrelevant they are 😂

[@youn1versoul]

​@@lemonsqweezy9532 They've won a Super Bowl that they hosted as "LA" lmao

[@zackcruise]

Great video! Came across it randomly but now I will actually enjoy watching punts in the game, thank you :)

[@toddbarnes8104]

Makes me happy to see that the Rams had to punt that many times in a game. Hope it continues.

[@forgeteverythingyouknow5413]

I can't believe I'm amazed at how accurate this is. I guess you learn a lot about one thing If you focus on one thing.

[@andrewadams530]

bro the lights flashing behind the split screen at 0:35 is actually going to make me have an epileptic attack and I don't have epilepsy. Cool video, editing was a bit much.

[@Revalusion]

The algorithm DEMANDED i see this. it's been no 2 or 3 suggested over all my subs for a week. You did something.

[@UFCpicksnbalances]

punters in fantasy football would be epic!

[@danielmolnar5886]

Back in the old days, there were some ESPN leagues with punters, if I remember correctly punts inside the 20 were worth .5, inside the 10 were worth 1 point.

[@wickedspank]

Our league has used punters for over 20 years now! MyFantasyLeague makes it possible.

[@slimfit1017]

The unspoken arts of the Punt. Thanks Isaac

[@RsChrisG]

The punting game is in Logan Cookes world and we're all just punting in it.

[@devonsamo1939]

Tom Hackett

[@Thaihandmade-wd9mh]

As someone named Ethan, that last line felt pretty darn good 😆

[@bootn13]

The drop punt you can thank us Aussie's for that 😊

[@shanewayney]

Thanks. This put a whole new aspect of the game front and center for me.

[@JOZoSo.]

2:50 for you to finally get to the point of the video.

[@BenDRobinson]

He did say he was giving us a chance to figure out what his point was first

[@55123Swiftfoot]

Meh it’s a 3 min video brah

[@tmorelli1982]

It's called putting things in context, and obviously showing us the examples.

[@BrownieCFB]

Worst attention span ever 😂

[@JOZoSo.]

Ya well the whole time all we see is he moves over to the right. At least explain what we are looking for and then explain why this is happening. It was just a bunch of kicks and catches.

[@philiptechi000]

I have not watched a football game in over forty years, but the KZbin algorithm put this video up as a suggestion for me. It was interesting!

[@adamcj73088]

Interesting take. You always blame the returner for failing but never give credit to kicker for succeeding. I never knew kicking could be so technical

[@DevotedDisciple-x]

He just gave the kicker credit, he concluded with, "keep giving them hell Ethan."

[@calebverdu3091]

The "you" in his comment was rhetorical.

[@spencercutlan7882]

Been doing this over in Europe for 8+ years. Soccer and Rugby background, love punting!

[@vonmatrices]

You did everything but actually explain the punt. Dude. Just, tell us what he's doin'.

[@6ftmouse349]

It’s a knuckle ball. He’s spinning the ball at an angle at high speeds so it’s curves both directions randomly.

[@alexchavez3383]

A Knuckleball moves unpredictably because it DOESN'T have spin. So this punting technique is doing something different, but it isn't "spinning at a high rate like a knuckleball." Specifically because it isn't cutting through the air at an efficient and predictable spiral, it instead is moving in an inefficient manner (thus less yardage) that creates movement punt returners aren't used to ​@@6ftmouse349

[@carsonhunt4642]

Fr, garbage video, disliked and pressed “not interested” to avoid channel for next time.

[@NIghthorseGrows]

The seahwaks punter Michael Dixon is another absolutely insane punter. These guys are getting so specialized.

[@pauli4674]

Looks like a normal Australian “drop punt” from the AFL with the back spin technique. Good to see it being introduced in the NFL

[@BenDRobinson]

That was my first thought seeing the ball drop, but in the end it's still a deliberately wobbly kick with sideways deviation making it hard to catch, whereas of course in aussie rules we're aiming for the opposite effect because we're passing to a teammate and want them to be able to catch it.

[@andrewholliday2530]

If you drop punt a ball high up (an American Football to be precise) you are going to get that natural curve people are talking about in the comments. Australian Footballs are much rounder in shape hence why they ‘fly’ straighter through the air and they also tend to kick lower and faster making it more ‘pinpoint’ accurate.

[@ImGodTheMaryBanger]

Looks to me like a mongrel punt but on purpose and done well lol

[@izzy031096]

It’s a spiral bomb. Used in Rugby League regularly

[@joeblowe3180]

It was done in the NFL decades ago... you guys didn't "introducce" it. The video uploader just doesn't know his football history

[@frostywarrior4649]

Dude punting like this is Madden back in the day 💪🏿

[@jonathanshumpert9549]

Is he the punter equivalent of a knuckleball pitcher?

[@StMichael7]

Yea

[@acb9896]

Not new and I'd be pi$$ed if my team was punting 9 times.

[@natd7158]

Holy shit, I've been inadvertently trying out this punt, I was just trying out new holds and this was one 😂 I love this punt, but just haven't quite got it down yet. The spin is crazy!

[@tonehh1055]

boom

[@AILIT1]

Now I'm jealous he's not playing for the Falcons. A weapon like this guarantees a playoff berth. This video just made me appreciate a special punter skill I didn't know existed.

[@capitan_captain_42069]

That's an AFL kicking style. Glad to see some influence from the AFL in the NFL!

[@arnonroyna4420]

The sunlight through the dome could be why they have to re-adjust.

[@tydontdy3459]

Rams had to stumble on a new way to punt, they've got to be close to infinity all time

[@blurryface9910]

Call me crazy, consistent skill like that deserves near top of the chain salary.

[@wendydelisse9778]

A right-handed Frisbee thrown for distance backhanded will often behave similarly, first curving right, and then curving left, as the top of the axis of rotation changes from tilting slightly toward the right to tilting increasingly strongly to the left. A boomerang can exhibit a similar effect, depending on the type of boomerang. Longer flight times make such an axis change increasingly strong. The unusually long hang time on the football helped give the football time for its axis of rotation to make a similarly substantial change from a right versus left point of view, making the football hard to catch. Imagine a punter who could kick equally well with either leg, and could with either leg get a punt to last moment make a strong left curve or strong right curve depending on which leg the punter kicked the football with. With towering linemen sometimes blocking the receiver's view of which leg the punter kicked with, there would be some of the time initial doubt on the part of the receiver with regard to which direction the ball would eventually make its final sharp curve, putting the receiver at a slight additional disadvantage. Even now in Australia there might be a gang of 10-year-olds out there somewhere trying out such a thing just for fun. It would be interesting if one or two of them went on to become punters in the NFL.

[@RightRuddah]

Ive had the privilege to catch some of Ethan Evans punts and he always kicks absolute bombs

[@TheSilentMajorityNation]

Smart af! Why hasn't thought of this before. Punters gonna be OP now

[@rickb.4168]

They did in Rugby.

[@nicholasklangos9704]

Wish the game video showed what’s going on with the ball?! Glad you did man because seeing this punter causing such havoc is hilarious and telling of training of Texans returners! Awesome analysis!

[@bobcobb]

by the number of punts you were able to feature from one game, I'm happy they have a great punter. Looks like LA is going to need him.

[@Pokemonmaster150b]

Looks like the Rams saw Mitch Wishnowsky and were like "I wish we had someone like him."

[@ChipG3000]

It doesn’t look broken to me. Looks like it’s working great.

[@joshrunge2238]

As a college punter he is kicking a Curve Ball. Your drop on the foot you can move the ball easily from hash to hash . His hang time is impressive...mine was 4.3 sec

[@davidzimmerman3778]

He’s putting a sideways spin on it. Fantastic

[@Praetoreon]

I don't know how I ended up here but stayed for the really good analysis of an aspect of football that I don't think people give enough credit to.

[@peter.wilson]

Most punts spin on only one axis because that's how you maximise distance. Some punts (like these) spin on 2 axis which makes catching the ball more difficult, and other punts spin on all 3 axis which reduces distance but makes catching them difficult. In Australia, these 3 axis spin punts are often called floaters or mongrels.

[@SillyGoose2024]

the way the ball sways around in the air when punted by this guy, it turns the punt returner into the football equivalent of being a catcher in baseball trying to catch a good knuckleball pitcher.

[@michaellinner7772]

Way back in 1978 as just another high school kid, I did have at least one peculiar talent. I could routinely and easily punt a football 65 yards, and had a hang time of around 4.5 seconds. At the time the only guy in the NFL who could kick farther was Ray Guy, but not always. Anyway, on the very first day of summer vacation between Jr. and Sr. year, I was hit by a car who's driver was drunk (at 9:00 in the morning). The bumper of the 69 Camaro caught my magical foot and used it to destroy the head, exhaust, and carburetor of my bike. The truth is that I was lucky to be alive however. My motorcycle ended up crushed beneath the oil pan of the car. Obviously this put my plans to be a star punter, on hold.

[@ac-mm3rj]

This is such a cool detail. Can't wait to see if more punters adopt it. I remember years ago when Belichick tried to get left footed punters for the different spin making it harder for returners who don't see much of them to field them. Maybe this is the next punting innovation!

[@dmbrew54]

Looks like the knuckle ball of punting. Will be fun to follow!

[@clubsport9334]

In Oz we call that a "drop punt" it's a far more accurate style of kicking vs the spiral punt (we call it a torpedo punt) also way easier to catch or mark it as we say. Not surprised to seeing being used more often now there's more Aussies in punting. It's our natural style of kick practised by all footballers.

[@johnking6252]

I've never noticed the recurve punt before, I'm a bit more impressed with punters now 👍

[@mattthefratman]

as someone who was on a college football teams equipment staff that had to catch punts pre game for a now pro bowl punter... it is way harder than it looks lol

[@bookwyrm247]

Now we just have to convince the organization to hang on to him. 😂 it’s so frustrating how we don’t keep all our good kickers.

[@DevK0z]

Power of pointing the ball down instead of laces up.

[@EthanEdwards-ln9db]

Went to highschool with Ethan, crazy how good of a punter he is now.

[@chrisc3825]

awesome to see the game continue to develop in what are unexpected ways to most people

[@daze023]

Damn right!! Screw those punt returners!!

[@launchpadkickofftee8323]

Brilliant analysis. As usual, IP.

[@deanneuburger3869]

Super analysis in addition to observation!

[@CaptainCrockpot]

Thanks for giving us a reason to watch punts

[@mr.pavone9719]

I'm not a sports fan but you managed to make this interesting and I could follow it.

[@bigdougscommentary5719]

So as a returner, line up for the catch and take a side step when the ball comes down. The ball always goes to the right of the returner‘s anticipated catch point.