US Elections

Brad Wing: Australian hero

By Jonathan Bradley in Sydney, Australia

30 November 2011

Australians don't pay a lot of attention to college football. It's even harder to find on TV than the NFL, it contains a plethora of teams a surfeit of confusing "Bowl" championships, and, well, we don't have a lot of time for American sport anyway. But we really should reserve a bit of national pride for Brad Wing.

I first came across Wing when I was directed last month to the above clip. Wing, a native of Melbourne, is the punter for the Louisiana State University Tigers, and this clip is a great demonstration of how a player in what is usually a rather anonymous role can grab the spotlight. Handed the ball on fourth down, Wing watches as the opposing Flordia Gators players scramble downfield to catch his kick. So eager are they to get in position to receive the ball, that none remain to actually try and tackle Wing.

As a result of what I like to think of as Australian ingenuity, Wing sizes up the situation and decides that if no one wants to tackle him, he might as well run with the ball instead of kicking it. And he does: 52 yards, all the way to the goal line.

Here's where the play became controversial, however. As he crosses into the endzone, Wing slightly spreads his arms in what seems like a gesture of amazed exultation. The game's officials, however, decided that he was celebrating his accomplishment, and according to a recent rule change in college ball, that's verboten. The touchdown was denied, a penalty was called, and football fans across America thought our boy was robbed by joyless rule enforcers.

It hasn't held Wing back, though. Apparently his Aussie Rules background has given him kicking talents rarely seen in American football. His prowess with the boot has propelled him to minor celebrity — this university undergraduate has more than 8000 followers on Twitter — so much so that the Wall Street Journal featured him in a glowing profile: 

What sets Wing apart from other punters is he isn't one of them. A native of Melbourne, the left-footed Wing grew up playing Australian Rules Football, where precise punting and goal kicking are the game's most important skills

[...]

For most American punters, directional punting is a high-wire act. Misfire the punt toward the center of the field, and it sets up an easy return. Launch one at too wide of an angle, and it probably sails out of bounds.

"It's extremely difficult to be consistent with directional punting," said Sean Landeta, a former NFL punter and three-time All-Pro selection. "If you literally—and I mean literally—turn a couple of inches too far to the right, you can hit a wonderful punt, but it'll go out of bounds at the 40 instead of the 20."

Wing seldom has such issues. His greatest asset, coaches and teammates say, is his precision, not his leg. Wing said he typically can land the ball within five yards of his target when he uses the drop punt. "He can place it wherever he wants," said Drew Alleman, LSU's kicker.

Brad, mate: we salute you.

Tags: American Football, Brad Wing, College Football, Football, Louisiana State University, Lsu, Ncaa, Sports

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