Hoosiers Land ProKick Australia Punter James Evans
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Image: Indiana University Athletics
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
Tom Allen and special teams coach Kasey Teegardin went back to the other side of the globe to find their next punter in Auckland, New Zealand native James Evans. Evans trained with Prokick Australia, a company that helps “guide and transition Australian athletes to perform at the College/ NFL level, and with our natural Aussie instinct of kicking a ball, we have focused on that area.” They have produced 17 All-Americans and five Ray Guy Award winners since 2007.
Evans is the seventh commitment in the Hoosiers 2021 recruiting class and would be the natural to take over for fellow Prokick Australia alum Haydon Whitehead who exhausts his eligibility after the 2020 season.
James describes himself as “more as a traditional pocket punter although I'm comfortable with all the different style of punts whether it be spirals, roll outs or going in kicks.”
For many athletes from this area of the world, they have only played Aussie Rules football. “The only American football I've played was in PE class in high school when Danny Hay now the NZ head football coach was my PE teacher so will be a big adjustment” Evans told Hoosier Huddle.
Evans has never been to the United States, but has been in contact with Whitehead about what he should expect before traveling to the other side of the globe. “I've spoken to Haydon Whitehead over the phone a few times and he's been hugely helpful for me in understanding what life as a student athlete will be like at Indiana,” Evans said, :"whether that be expectations both as a student and as an athlete but also just what to expect living in a foreign country. I've never actually been to the United States so he's been hugely helpful for understanding what to expect.”
James has been in contact with Indiana head coach Tom Allen as well as speical teams coordinator Kasey Teegardin and special teams quality control coach Jeff Mcinerney. Evans told Hoosier Huddle that he is “hugely excited about the opportunity of going to Indiana. Not just the chance to play football in the big ten but to study at a nationally renowned University. Coach Allen, Coach Teegardin and Coach McInerney have been great to me, they've built a very strong relationship with me over the phone and I'm really excited about the culture and the program they're building at IU.”
While Evans awaits travel to the United States, he will hopefully enroll early, he will focus on “just working on everything. I feel as though the key to being a great punter is consistency so just getting in repetitions whether it be punting, holding or even kicking off will be huge for me in being best prepared to make the transition.”
The Hoosiers have found gold there before, so why not go back to the Prokick Australia well and create a pipeline.