The punting competition heats up as we head into the summer
With four-year starting punter Mark Crawford out of eligibility, head coach P.J. Fleck and co. have added a pair of transfer punters to bolster the search for his replacement.
UCLA punter Brody Richter and Australia native Tom Weston have each grabbed an oar.
Richter has bounced around a couple programs, from Arizona State to Northern Arizona to UCLA, before landing in the Twin Cities. As the Bruins’ primary punter last season, he averaged 42.8 yards per punt on 40 punts, 17 of which were downed inside the 20-yard line.
Richter will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Hailing from the same hometown as Crawford, Weston spent the past two years stateside playing at the Division II level with Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. He led the Great American Conference in punting last season and finished seventh in the country, averaging 44.2 yards per punt. He is second in the region with 23 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Weston will have three years of eligibility remaining.
Both transfer punters will compete with redshirt sophomore Caleb McGrath and incoming freshman Luke Ryerse for the starting punter position this fall.