The majesty of a long punt is one of the most special things about football. When a punter gets a hold of a big one it’s an event, even if that means he out-kicked his coverage.
But the truly record-setting punts usually involve some kind of mistake from the opposing team, who often has decided not to field the kick only to see it bounce perfectly in the wrong direction. That’s exactly what happened in a D-III game between John Carrol and Heidelberg on Saturday. Heidelberg punter Auston Baker crushed a 95-yard punt that will go down in NCAA D-III history.
The first notice of this record-setting punt is not a video, but a warning. A celebration of what’s to come.
All-American Austin Baker set an NCAA Division III record with a 95-yard punt in today's game at John Carroll. Previous record was 91, set by Gunnar Rastenburg of Maranatha Baptist in 2014. #D3fb pic.twitter.com/7JtK31p1KQ
— Heidelberg Athletics (@BergAthletics) November 3, 2018
Soon enough, though, there was a GIF. And what a glorious GIF it was. Look at Austin Baker in all his glory, booting it out of the end zone with ferocity.
FOLKS WE'VE GOT FOOTAGE OF A DIVISION III 95-YARD PUNT pic.twitter.com/p6rtDGXMpw
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) November 3, 2018
Unfortunately the net yardage on the punt was just 75 yards because it went into the end zone for a touchback. That’s just poor work by the hands team, who should have appreciated the beauty of that boot and did everything they could to save the 20 net yards.
Alas, going end zone to end zone on a punt really is something, no matter where the receiving team starts its next drive from. Unfortunately it’s not the longest punt in NCAA history — that’s a 99-yarder Nevada’s Pat Brady had against Loyola Marymount in 1950. Still, that’s some good punting right there. Congratulations on history, Austin.
