Australian players made their mark well beyond the punting game over the weekend, with Carsen Patu scoring the touchdown that sealed a junior college upset, Isaac Woodhouse continuing his development at quarterback, and Australians contributing from the NFL through every level of US college football.
Gold Coast product Carsen Patu produced perhaps the most unusual Australian moment of the weekend at Dodge City Community College. Listed as a linebacker, Patu was handed the ball late against No. 10 Iowa Central and ran 12 yards for the touchdown that put the game away. Dodge City led 31–24 when Patu scored with 1:35 remaining, completing a 63-yard drive and sealing a 38–24 victory.
It continued an encouraging start for Patu in Kansas and gave the weekend roundup something the Australian college story does not always provide: a decisive offensive play from someone who is not a specialist.
Melbourne quarterback Isaac Woodhouse also found the end zone through the air for Bakersfield College. Woodhouse completed 15 of 22 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown against Pasadena City, including an eight-yard scoring pass to Gary Oates. Bakersfield lost 31–14, and Woodhouse also threw an interception, but the performance continued his run of meaningful snaps as an Australian playing one of the sport’s least travelled pathways.
At the other end of the American football system, Jeremy Crawshaw continued his strong start to the NFL season for Denver. The former Florida punter had five punts for 248 yards in the Broncos’ 30–26 win over the Los Angeles Rams, averaging 49.6 yards with a long of 62 and placing two inside the 20. Through three games this season he is averaging 49.9 yards per punt.
Cameron Johnston had only one opportunity for Pittsburgh against Cincinnati, but made it count. His 51-yard punt finished inside the 20 and was returned for no gain in the Steelers’ 30–27 win.
Across the FBS ranks, Rhys Dakin produced one of the strongest averages of the weekend. The Michigan State punter was called on twice against Nebraska and covered 101 yards, averaging 50.5 with a long of 52. It was his 30th career punt of at least 50 yards.
Nevada freshman Ewan Baulch punted three times for 129 yards against Air Force, averaging 43.0 with a long of 47 and placing one inside the 20. Senior tight end Jayden O’Rourke, another Australian on the Wolf Pack roster, also appeared in the game as Nevada’s Australian group continues to extend beyond the specialist positions.
South Florida’s Luke Goater punted four times for 173 yards against Bowling Green, averaging 43.2 yards with two punts inside the 20 and no touchbacks. He also continued his holding duties on field goals and extra points. James Madison’s Patrick Rea followed his Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week award with four punts for 157 yards against Old Dominion. His long was 50 yards, one landed inside the 20 and none went for a touchback.
The Australian footprint continued below Division I. Brisbane’s Alex Schattin punted three times for 132 yards for Tiffin in Division II, averaging 44.0 with a 50-yard long and two inside the 20 in a 48–13 win over Kentucky Wesleyan. Geelong product Tom Troeth recorded a 61-yard punt for Missouri Western against Fort Hays State, his longest of the season.
At Stony Brook, Melbourne punter Patrick Cleary had four punts for 149 yards against Fordham, while the lower levels continue to provide opportunities for Australians at positions that receive far less attention than punting. Arizona defensive lineman Zac Siulepa, from the Gold Coast, was among the Wildcats who saw action in their 34–24 win over Washington State.
That broader picture is important. Australian punters remain the largest and most visible part of the overseas pipeline, but this weekend also featured an Australian quarterback throwing a touchdown, a junior college linebacker scoring the game-clinching touchdown, a defensive lineman seeing FBS action and Australians competing throughout the lower levels of college football.
Patu’s touchdown might have been the best illustration of how much wider the story has become. The Australians Abroad database is no longer simply a list of punters at major universities. It now stretches across positions, divisions and countries, and those less obvious performances are exactly the ones AGN should be finding.