Australian punter coming to Ohio State
By Bill Rabinowitz
The Columbus Dispatch Tuesday June 4, 2013
Cameron Johnston is a 21-year-old former Australian Rules Football player.
He?s also expected to be the next punter for Ohio State. If the coach who trained him is correct, Johnston will turn what is a question mark on the 2013 Buckeyes into an exclamation point.
?He has an explosive leg unlike anything that I think anyone at Ohio State will have seen,? said Nathan Chapman, who trained Johnston at Prokick Australia in Melbourne.
Ohio State has not confirmed Johnston?s signing, but Chapman said it is official. Johnston?s flight from Australia to the United States left tonight. Chapman suspected that Ohio State is waiting until he arrives before making an announcement.
?He went on an official visit, got his paperwork, signed it and sent it back,? Chapman said. ?He got his visa and student passport and has his enrollment date.?
Prokick Australia has trained numerous kickers for American colleges. Kickers accepted into the program go through a rigorous 12-month training period, and the results are impressive.
Alex Dunnachie was fourth in the nation in punting average for Hawaii last year at 46.2 yards per kick. Tom Hornsey of Memphis was 19th. Prokick Australia has punters in the Canadian Football League and some who are trying to make the NFL. Even Chapman unsuccessfully tried to make the Green Bay Packers? roster in 2004.
The way Chapman describes Johnston, he is as good as anyone Prokick Australia has produced.
?I do have in my film him punting the ball 80 yards, and I?ve got him on film with hang times of 5.2 to 5.4 (seconds),? Chapman said. ?(It?s) continually 65 yards, ball after ball after ball.?
Such numbers border on the hyperbolic, but Chapman insists that Johnston is for real.
?It?s just his natural kicking that he has grown up with playing Australian Rules,? Chapman said. ?Plus, he has phenomenal core strength and leg strength. He?s got fast-twitch fibers, so he?s got leg speed ? just a range of things that allows him to have quick, solid impact on the ball.
?He?s a phenomenal talent with an amazing leg who?s going to grow into his position. I think the university is so lucky and fortunate to be in position to have him.?
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