Expand / Collapse search
☰

USF punter ready to make most of last season in green and gold

By
Published  August 28, 2024 4:05pm EDT
Sports
FOX 13 News

USF punter gears up for last season

Sean Barie reports

TAMPA, Fla. - Andrew Stokes lives life a little differently than most.

"I just remind myself that we're all on a different path and there's no timeline or set timeline for everyone," said Stokes. 

The USF punter's timeline, meanwhile, got a bit of a later start than his teammates because, at 30 years old, Stokes isn't just the oldest player on the roster, but one of the oldest college football players in the country.

SPORTS: Bucs welcome rookie Kameron Johnson: 'I was overwhelmed with emotions'

"I mean, he's 30, and he's in college hanging out with college kids. A lot of us would pay money to do that," joked USF head coach Alex Golesh. 

The age gap between Stokes and some of his younger teammates, however, does come with a fair amount of ribbing. 

"It's kind of just a laugh now," said Stokes. "I don't really take myself too seriously, so I probably make more old jokes about myself than any of the other guys."

But for Stokes and the Bulls, age isn't just a number, but a helpful tool. 

MORE: Clearwater Threshers new bat dog becomes viral sensation after doing more relieving than retrieving

"Andrew Stokes is legitimately, probably my favorite person on this football team," said Golesh. 

That age is something Golesh and the other coaches lean on to help develop other players on the roster, as well.

"In that specialist room, you talk about those young guys, they just follow him around like he's papa bear," Golesh said. 

Because while Stokes is still gaining experience punting footballs, life experience is something the 30-year-old has plenty of. Four years ago, Stokes was a 27-year-old manager of a catering service company back home in Australia. 

While playing Australian rules football on the side, Stokes began to dream about something bigger and enrolled at Prokick Australia to train and learn how to translate his Aussie rules football skills into American football punting skills. 

READ: Husband and wife coaching duo no longer sharing the field after 17 years at USF

Ultimately, the first school to offer Stokes a full scholarship at the young age of 27 was USF. 

"Mum wasn't happy," Stokes remembered. "She was crying, because then her baby boy was about to leave, not just to the other side of the country, but it's to the other side of the world."

While Stoke's family has since come around to his foray into American football, the Bulls' punter has never once had a second thought about his sudden career change four years ago. 

"I sit there and wonder, ‘should I be working right now?’" said Stokes. "But I think, for me, I want to play sport for as long as I can."

Whether Stoke's journey takes him to the professional ranks remains to be seen. But already, the punter from Perth has built a resume that's as impressive to read as it is improbable. 

WATCH FOX 13 NEWS:

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:

SportsUniversity of South Florida Bulls