Nick Saban provides strong response on Australian punter James Burnip

For Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide, even a competition at punter is worthy of voicing your opinion. Following his team’s first scrimmage, Saban spoke specifically about his 6-foot-6, 216 pound Australian punter, James Burnip.

“He did a good job today,” Saban said, per Alabama Football on YouTube. “We have competition at the position. Both guys did a pretty good job. We’ll just see who comes out on top. 

It’s become a trend for punters to be imported into the college football world from Australia, and now Alabama is joining the trend. Additionally, Burnip is a converted rugby player. However, Saban is making it a point to let everyone know that he’s punted before.

“He has punted a football before, alright,” Saban said. “So he didn’t come from the rugby field, from the rugby ball to the football. He’s been punting footballs for quite a long time. And really, we’re not asking him to play football. We’re asking him to punt it. And he did a pretty good job of that today. 

“And I’m sure that being a young guy as he gets more comfortable, more experienced and more confident, he’ll even do better probably from a consistency standpoint.”

Originally, Burnip planned to enroll in Ole Miss, where he would’ve played for Lane Kiffin’s squad. However, the Aussie changed his mind when the Crimson Tide offered him a scholarship. 

This summer, Burnip’s competition includes sophomore Sam Johnson and Troy transfer Jack Martin. Time will tell if the former rugby player can make his impact on the college football world. 

What does Burnip have in-common with an Alabama wide receiver?

While Burnip has never played football, neither has another player on the Crimson Tide. While DeVonta Smith won’t be joining the Alabama receiving corps this season, a former college basketball player is.

Former college basketball player Chris Herren Jr. is on the Alabama’s 2021 roster as a walk-on wide receiver. After two seasons at Boston College and a half year at San Diego, the 6-foot-3 former guard has chosen to give up basketball to pursue football. Furthermore, Herren Jr. has never played football in his life.

“I actually have never played football,” Herren Jr. told the Unqualified Sports Talk podcast, per the Newport Daily News. “When I first started thinking about it, it kind of felt like a crazy idea and it is a crazy idea. But I was just kind of like, I’ve got these last two years (of eligibility) left to play a sport and like, this is what I really want to do. So why would I just give it up because I just think it’s too crazy an idea. I plan on playing wide receiver.”

Nick Saban is making dreams come true for everyone. Football recruits, rugby stars, basketball players and disgraced former head coaches all are coming together under the Crimson Tide umbrella.

On3’s James Fletcher III contributed to this article.

Image courtesy of Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images