Austin McNamara

Last updated

Austin McNamara
Personal information
Born: (2001-02-24) February 24, 2001 (age 23) [1]
San Jose, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school: Highland (Gilbert, Arizona)
College: Texas Tech (2019–2023)
Position: Punter
Undrafted: 2024
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
  • Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year (2023)
  • 3× First-team All-Big 12 (2019, 2020, 2023)
  • Second-team All-Big 12 (2021)

Austin McNamara (born February 24, 2001) [1] is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at Texas Tech.

Contents

Early life

McNamara was born in San Jose, California, and grew up in Gilbert, Arizona. [2] He attended Highland High School in Arizona where he played basketball and football. [3] A placekicker and punter, he averaged 42 yards-per-punt, made 12 field goals and all 63 of his extra point attempts as a senior, being named first-team all-state. [2] [4] Ranked as the best punter recruit nationally, McNamara committed to play college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. [5]

College career

McNamara won the starting job at Texas Tech as a true freshman in 2019 and averaged 45.0 yards per punt, which was then fourth all-time in school history, second in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that year among freshmen, and second in the Big 12 Conference. [2] He was selected a Freshman All-American and a first-team All-Big 12 player. [6]

The following year, McNamara played nine games and punted 41 times while averaging 46.3 yards per punt, then second all-time in Texas Tech history and fifth in the FBS; he was named first-team All-Big 12 again and second-team All-Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football . [2] In a game against West Virginia that season, he recorded a 87-yard punt which broke both the team and Big 12 records. [7] [8]

In 2021, McNamara set both the Texas Tech and Big 12 all-time record with a 48.2 yard punting average while playing all 13 games, additionally setting an NCAA single-game record during the year for most 50-yard punts in a game. [2] [9] [10] He was a second-team all-conference selection and was named first-team All-Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, also being named the best special teams player in the state by the publication. [2] [11]

McNamara totaled 50 punts and averaged 44.3 yards as a senior in 2022, being named third-team All-Big 12 by Phil Steele and Pro Football Focus. [2] He returned for a final season in 2023, having received an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [12] He averaged 46.3 yards per punt in his last year, being named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, the first Texas Tech player to receive the honor, as well as first-team All-Big 12. [13] He was one of two punters invited to play at the 2024 Senior Bowl, and the second Texas Tech punter all-time. [14]

Professional career

After going unselected in the 2024 NFL draft, McNamara was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent. [15] [16] He was waived on August 7. [17]

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References

  1. 1 2 @aust_31 (February 24, 2022). "Extremely humbled and blessed to see 21 years today! Big year ahead for us let's be great! Appreciate all the birthday wishes as well thank y'all! 🙏🏼❤️ #AGTG #2.24♾" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Austin McNamara". Texas Tech Red Raiders.
  3. ↑ Scott, Dana (October 19, 2018). "Highland's McNamara a tall order for foes". Arizona Republic . p. C9 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. ↑ Obert, Richard (December 25, 2018). "Highland punter Austin McNamara commits to Texas Tech". Arizona Republic .
  5. ↑ Alvira, Zach (December 27, 2018). "Highland's Austin McNamara excited for opportunity at Texas Tech". East Valley Tribune .
  6. ↑ "Texas Tech punter Austin McNamara named FWAA Freshman All-American". KLBK-TV. January 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ Christy, Pete (October 28, 2020). "Austin McNamara's record breaking punt". KCBD.
  8. ↑ Schwartz, Nick (October 24, 2020). "Watch Texas Tech punter Austin McNamara bomb a preposterous 87-yard punt". USA Today .
  9. ↑ Williams, Don (July 5, 2022). "Austin McNamara anchors Texas Tech special teams after record-setting season". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024– via archive.is.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ↑ Williams, Don (March 30, 2023). "Record-setting Tech punter planning to add kickoff duty". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal .
  11. ↑ "Texas Tech Roundup: Austin McNamara, Red Raiders named to DCTF All-Texas College teams". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . June 28, 2022.
  12. ↑ Williams, Don (October 19, 2023). "Austin McNamara back in familiar place when Texas Tech football visits BYU". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . Archived from the original on October 19, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2024– via archive.is.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ↑ Ramirez, Jarrett (December 28, 2023). "Texas Tech's Top 5 Players of 2023". Rivals.com .
  14. ↑ Collier, David (November 30, 2023). "McNamara accepts Senior Bowl invite". KLBK-TV.
  15. ↑ Giese, Nathan (April 27, 2024). "See which Texas Tech football players are headed to the NFL as undrafted free agents". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Bengals Sign 14 College Free Agents". Bengals.com. May 10, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Bengals roster moves". Bengals.com. August 7, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
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