SOUTH BEND — Similar to his Notre Dame football predecessor James Rendell, newly imported punter Jasper Scaife is experiencing an adjustment period regarding the rhythm of his role.
Signed in December out of the Australian Rules Football circuit, Scaife is a 6-foot-6, 215-pound world-class athlete now limited to very specific activities.
“The hardest thing for me has been not running and tackling and doing all that stuff during practice,” Scaife said Wednesday, March 4 after a team workout. “Just practicing holds and punting, which is equally important, on the sideline. Coming from a sport where I was running a lot every week and I thoroughly enjoyed that, I feel like a bit of a caged animal at times.”
Rendell seemed to master that odd dynamic by last fall, his second season with the Irish. He never did click as a holder, something Scaife is gamely attempting to learn now that Tyler Buchner has moved into the business world.
“You have to embrace it,” Scaife said. “It’s completely foreign, but I feel like I’ve picked it up really well and that’s certainly come from the guidance of the coaches and the other specialists.”
Now 21, Scaife is on this adventure with his fiancée, Chloe, a marketing major who is studying in the U.S. as well. Unlike Rendell, who was a year-by-year proposition from the outset, Scaife arrives with four years of college eligibility and every intention of sticking around through decade’s end.
“I want to be here for a long time,” he said. “Any way I can use to exhaust my time here to the maximum possibility, I’ll do that. I’m looking forward to the next four years.”
Like Rendell, Scaife made the transition to American football with the help of punting coach Mackenzie Morgan of Inside20 Punting. Morgan spent time with three college programs: North Carolina State, Temple and Weber State.
Iowa freshman punter Boston Everitt joins Scaife in this year’s signing class for the punting school.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and special teams guru Marty Biagi have done their part to ease the transition for Scaife, who previously downloaded the “Madden” video game in an abortive effort to learn American football.
“Halfway through last year, I had a little, I guess, gut feeling that this might happen,” Scaife said. “I was getting smoked (on Madden) by these 11-year-olds from Melbourne, which wasn’t fun at all. I gave that up pretty quickly.”
Rendell is another valuable resource should questions arise.
“I’ve known James for a while now; he’s a good bloke,” Scaife said. “Obviously he comes from an Australian football background as well. He’s like a brother to me. He’s been a great mentor.”
In two seasons at Notre Dame, Rendell killed 40 punts into the opponents’ 20-yard-line. His only touchback was last season against Boise State.
“I’ve got pretty big shoes to fill,” Scaife said. “If I can be half as good as him, I’ll be happy.”
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: How Notre Dame football’s latest Australian punter is assiimilating
Reporting by Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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