McBriar's legwork of NFL caliber
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Who knew that a surfer from Down Under could turn the football world upside down?
But punter Mat McBriar, who never played organized football until enrolling at the University of Hawai'i in August 2000, has as good a chance as any other Warrior to draw an NFL paycheck next year.
UH coach June Jones kept open a roster spot even without seeing McBriar kick a football.
"I'm fortunate to be here," said McBriar, whose previous sports background was in surfing, golf and Australian Rules Football. In "Aussie rules," as he called it, McBriar was used as a half-forward.
The sport "is like soccer, although you're allowed to use your hands," he said. "It's a free-flowing game. I ran all of the time. Everybody kicks. There are no designated kickers."
Three years ago, following the success of San Diego Chargers punter Darren Bennett, NFL teams began to scout for prospects in Bennett's home country.
"I guess they thought they could find the next Darren Bennett in Australia," McBriar said.
An open competition was held, and McBriar, who participated on a lark, was clearly the best.
"Darren Bennett called me and said he knew of a kid in Australia," said Jones, who was Bennett's head coach with the Chargers in 1998. "I said, 'If he wants to walk on, he can walk-on.' Mat walked on."
Then, Jones added, "I remember Darren Bennett said one thing: 'He has a better leg than I do.' That was enough for me."
But being a punter means more than being able to punt. "The hardest thing was catching the snap," McBriar said, "and having guys rush at you."
He also had to learn how to punt from a two-step start. In Australian Rules Football, McBriar took no less than five steps before each kick. "Most of the time, it's 12," he said.
McBriar was expected to redshirt in 2000, his first season at UH, but was pressed into duty when punter Greg Kleidon suffered an ankle injury after stumbling en route to a class. That year, five of his punts exceeded 50 yards, and 10 were pinned inside the opponent's 20.
Last season, he averaged 43.4 yards per punt, which would have ranked ninth in the NFL.
"I've still got a lot to learn," he said.
But time is running out. In April, the NCAA ruled that because McBriar attended a college in Australia in 1998, even though he did not play sports there, his eligibility was activated. The NCAA allows a player five years to play four seasons. Because of the ruling, this is McBriar's final season of college football.
"I just have to deal with it," said McBriar, who needs three more semesters to earn a bachelor's degree. "I know I have another 13 or 14 games left. I prepared myself for that. Now, it's make-or-break time."
